Rats are quite common in both rural and urban areas, but having one move in can be like having your own personal horror movie, live and at home.
A rat colony will often start with a single pregnant female, and unless there are obvious signs of damage, such as torn packages or droppings, the infestation may not be noticed in the early stages. Except when there are a lot of rats, or food is scarce, they will only come out at night, and daylight sightings are unlikely.
You may notice damage to food containers and cartons as rats gnaw at them, droppings (black, about the size of a peanut) become noticeable, and a rat running across the attic in the quiet of night can sound as if it is wearing boots.
Getting rid of rats is a job for the expert. Rat traps and cats will only remove some rats without eradicating the infestation and rats are resistant to some of the older poisons on sale to the public. A pest control operator can choose the more effective poisons which are only on sale to trained users, and can vary the way the bait is laid to take advantage of the rat’s natural habits. They will also explain how you can help by removing other sources of food.
Most rats will die underground and out of sight. If a rat dies under the floor or behind fitted furniture there may be a smell. This can be unpleasant, but if it is not possible to get at the body to remove it, the smell can be masked with an air freshener, and it will go away in about two weeks. If you find a dead rat leave it alone and get a pest control operator to remove it on the next visit.
Your local council does provide a pest control service for a small fee. Contact them direct for advice and accessing their services.