"There'll be something in there for sure," he says, kicking an overflowing waste container. "Rats are like little survival machines; wherever you get reliable access to food waste, they'll keep coming back."
Coates' prey has become more conspicuous in London the longer England's lockdown lasts.
What's more, the animals are on the move.
Pest controllers say that, as many restaurants and office buildings in London's bustling city center remain empty, rats are forced to migrate to more residential areas in search of food.
Families spending more time at home -- and eating all their meals there -- have led to an increase in refuse and that is luring rats into suburban dwellings. Meanwhile, bird feeders -- kept replenished through the winter -- are encouraging rodents to burrow in backyards.