Rats are nightmarish at the best of times – they carry diseases, nibble on trash, and just sometimes, even sneak into your house. But now experts suggest it gets even worse – as these rodents can ‘knock a staggering £20,000’ from your property value.

Despite their small size, the home insurance specialists at Quotezone.co.uk claim these pests can inflict a pretty huge amount of damage, all thanks to their incessant chewing habits. Remarkably, a rat’s teeth grow continuously throughout its entire life, so the gnawing helps wear them down to reduce pain.

Greg Wilson, Founder and CEO of the site, explained: “As we are approaching peak rodent season, it’s important for homeowners to inspect their houses and carry out any essential maintenance to help keep their houses vermin-free. Because rats and mice are quick breeders, infestations can spiral out of control in no time so it’s important to carry out regular hygiene and maintenance checks to prevent rodents from wreaking havoc on homeowners’ properties and wallets.”

Greg’s thoughts comes just months after other experts warned that rodents are now growing to the size of ‘small dogs’. Feeding on our discarded ‘KFC’ and leftover takeaway boxes, a Mirror exclusive suggested these pesky creatures are bulking up on protein, with their stomachs and appetites only getting larger.

Rats like to chew on electric cables and pipework, experts suggest (Image: Getty)

But when they aren’t munching on real food, electric cables and pipework may seem like a great alternative for rodents. This is what can build up to damage worth thousands, according to Greg, so it’s crucial to implement prevention measures before it’s too late.

He continued: “Lack of maintenance could invalidate home insurance and leave homeowners unprotected.To help prevent rodents from entering your home it’s important to give the building a thorough check for holes and gaps and seal off any possible entrances for pests – ensuring there are no accessible food sources to attract them.”

Aside from this, Greg encourages people to clear away any unnecessary clutter in your living spaces, garage or attic. Giving your bin a scrub and cleaning debris from the garden can help a great deal too, as rats love smelly but warm places to rest.

“‘Rub’ or ‘smear’ marks from their coats rubbing along hallways is normally the first clue [of a rat infestation],” his advice also suggests. “Followed by gnawed holes and torn bags of foodstuffs.

“One of the most common signs that rats have paid a visit is their faeces, which are dark and pellet-shaped, and look like large grains of rice.”