Dubai: Got mosquitoes in your home? How to apply for free municipality pest control service

Both residents and citizens can contact the authority for pest control services, although the types of pests covered under the service vary

Published: Sun 24 Nov 2024, 6:00 AM

Updated: Sun 8 Dec 2024, 3:49 PM

By
Web Desk

Image used for illustrative purpose. Photo: File

Are you frustrated with the constant buzzing of flies in your home? Or are you repulsed by the roaches crawling around? In Dubai, you can apply for a free pest control service, which will be conducted by authorised personnel in your home.

Both residents and citizens can contact Dubai Municipality for pest control services, although the types of pests covered under the service vary for expats and citizens.

Citizens can contact the authority for the control service for all types of public health pests. However, residents can only avail the free Municipality service for:

Disease-transmitting public health pests – flies, mosquitoes, and rodents
Poisonous pests – scorpions, snakes, bees, wasps, hornets and poisonous spiders

Everyone can avail the toxic pest control service. It is important to note, however, that the free Municipality service for individuals is not applicable to some areas, as specified later in the article.

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How to apply

Residents and citizens can apply for this service through the call centre, Dubai Municipality app, or through the official website's chatbot. Additionally, citizens can apply on Dubai Now app.

For 'pest and insect control at home' service, fill in required information such as name, phone number, address, and targeted pest.

You will then receive an SMS from Dubai Municipality, with the application and the date for pest control. This date will be within 4 working days for public health pest control and within 24 hours for poisonous pests

The Dubai Municipality employee will arrive at the specified location and time to start pest control. If the pest infestation persists, you can submit a second notification 15 days after the first one.

Points to note

If residents wish to obtain control services for pests other than poisonous ones, they can contact one of the companies authorised by Dubai Municipality. To access this list, follow these steps:

Visit the Dubai Municipality website, and click on 'legislation and information' from the menu on the top left, represented by a three stacked lines icon
Then navigate to 'information' from the menu on the left, and select 'health and safety'
From the drop-down menu, click on 'public health pest control section'
You can then access the list of approved pest control companies from the information provided

Make sure that the company you contact is authorised to offer pest control services, as misuse of pesticides by individuals or illegal companies is harmful to human health and safety.

Pigeon control can also be conducted through private companies, trapping the birds in cages. In case of infestation, narcotic substances may be used; special procedures must be followed after obtaining necessary approvals from the authority.

According to the Dubai Municipality website, public health pest control notifications are considered an emergency in the following cases:

Poisonous pests notifications, such as snakes, scorpions, wasps, and spiders (red spider and black widow spider)
Notifications received from the properties of rulers and Sheikhs
Notifications received from VIPs

The Dubai Municipality service is not provided in Jebel Ali Free Zone. The area is considered a free industrial and investment area under the management of Dubai Ports Authority and the Free Zone Authority, and owns a pest control specialised company, Emdad.

The service is also not provided in investment and real estate development areas, where relevant authorities must have a contract with private pest control companies approved in Dubai.

Preventing pest infestation

Pests such as cockroaches and bed bugs may enter through used furniture, laundry clothes, poultry shops, presence of birds such as pigeons, public areas and transport.
In order to prevent pests crawling or flying through your homes, ensure that used furniture is free from infestation at the time of purchase.
Thoroughly check your clothes before collecting them from the laundry.
Avoid gatherings and crowds with signs of pest infestation.
Avoid areas of stagnant water, as it is a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

Some facts about pests in Dubai

There are 3 main types of cockroaches in Dubai: German cockroaches found in kitchens and bathrooms, American cockroaches that live in sewerage system, and brown-banded cockroaches found in bedrooms and living rooms.
A mouse needs three to seven days to die after ingesting anticoagulant rodenticides.
Termites are not considered public health pests, but rather economic pests that damage properties.

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