Is this kind of pest control legal?
Yes, where properly assessed. Work is undertaken only where an appropriate, safe and lawful method is available. Bird control follows Natural England licence conditions, and grey squirrels may not legally be released once trapped.
UK law sets out clearly what may be controlled, how, and by whom. Rats and rabbits may be controlled by landowners and their agents using lawful methods. Pest bird control in England operates under Natural England’s General Licences (GL40, GL41, GL42), each with specific conditions on species, purpose and method.
Grey squirrels are listed as an invasive non-native species: under the Invasive Alien Species (Enforcement and Permitting) Order 2019 it is an offence to release a trapped grey squirrel back into the wild. That makes professional control often the only compliant route once one is in a trap or a loft.
Every job starts with the legal frame: species identification, the applicable licence or exemption, and site conditions. If the lawful basis isn’t there, the work doesn’t happen — and you’ll be told why.