Rats cause a lot of damage. As the teeth of rodents continue to grow over their lifetime, they need to gnaw on hard substances such as lead and plastic pipes, insulation material and electric wiring. This habit increases the risk of short circuits and fires. In addition to this, they transmit a number of dangerous diseases such as Salmonella, Leptospirosis (Weil's disease), Tuberculosis and even tape worms.

Therefore, the remaining rats do not know that it is a poison and do not become bait-shy and the entire population of rats starts eating the bait. Baits need to be checked and replaced periodically to ensure that sufficient bait is available for all the rats to eat and die.

• Damage — of goods and equipment such as computers, electrical appliances
• Losses — infestations may cause product recalls and loss of contracts which can lead to financial loss
• Legal — failure to comply with legislation could lead to business closure or fines.