Bats: advice for homeowners
Bats are often found in homes, usually during the summer months. People generally won’t notice, and issues will arise only rarely.
Many bat species have adapted to living in buildings with species like the Pipistrelle bats often found in crevices while others, like the brown long-eared bat, prefer large open loft spaces. Bats are usually seasonal visitors to houses, being present for only four or five months of the year. They form maternity colonies during May and June and then leave during August and early September once the young bats are independent.
Bat colonies usually live happily with their human landlords, but occasionally problems or concerns arise. NatureScot and the Bat Conservation Trust are happy to provide advice on how to deal with any problems
For information on carrying out minor or major works to a property that may affect bats, please see our Bats: Licences for development page for further information.
Bats in Houses helpline
You can contact our NatureScot Bats in Houses helpline if you think you have bats in your home and they are causing a public health or safety problem. Our phone line is operated from Monday to Friday, please leave a voicemail and we will aim to respond to all calls within 24 hours (excluding weekends).
Often problems with bats are one-off events and can be easily resolved by the homeowner themselves after receiving advice.
Where necessary we may arrange for one of our experienced bat workers to visit your house if it will provide further help. There is no charge for this, and we offer the service whether you own or rent your home, as long as you live in it full time. Whilst our bat workers are able to collect information that will help to resolve the problems caused by bats, they cannot carry out any works to your building or exclude/take-away the bats.
If you have a grounded bat in your property then you should call either the Bat Conservation Trust Bat Helpline (0345 1300 228) or the SSPCA Animal Helpline (03000 999 999) for advice on how to best handle and remove the bat.
Bats in Houses telephone: 01463 725 165
Email: batsinhouses@nature.scot
For Ecologists
From 2025, NatureScot Licensing will accept people with a bat survey licence carrying out a site visit to residential properties as part of their commercial services to provide management advice to those experiencing health and safety issues. These surveys are a lighter approach and involves at least one dusk activity survey and internal roost inspections where safe to do so. Additional guidance for ecologists wishing to carrying out these surveys is in development and will appear here once complete. The aim of these surveys is to advise the homeowner/ tenant on how to manage and live with the bats, providing advice on exclusions as a last resort.
Licences for exclusion will require a Bats in Houses Application form and completed Bat Roost Report Form with the licence holder to be the homeowner/ tenant. These documents are currently under development and will appear here once complete.
Find out more
Contacts
If you already have a licence number, include it in the subject line of your email, or have it to hand when you call.
Last updated:
