Mouse problem landlord or tenant's responsibility?

chucknorris · 25 May 2010 at 2:13PM

My tenant emailed me yesterday to say she saw a mouse in her bedroom and was so worried she couldn't sleep. I wasn't sure who's responsibility it was but as I wasn't sure and it wasn't a big expense I took responsibility and went to the property and laid poison and traps.

But just out of interest who's responsibility is it? I couldn't get a clear answer from internet searches but picked up clues that it may have been down to the landlord. My wife and parents think it is the tenants but I actually think it is the landlords. I called environmental health but they said it would take them 5 days and due to the tenants concern I thought it best iof I dealt with it straight away.

G51shopaholic · 25 May 2010 at 2:19PM

As the landlord is is your responsibility. Unless the mouse is an escaped pet.

But any damage to tenants possessions isn't your responsibility as a mouse infestation is an unforseen event.

Best to get a professional exterminator in to check over the property to find how the mouse got in.

I worked for a Letting Agency in Glasgow City Centre and mice were a common occurance as they lived in the walls of this very old property! Didn't help that other building occupants left loads of rubbish around.

moromir · 25 May 2010 at 2:22PM

Look at your tenancy agreement, is the property being used in a tenant like manner? Ie food left lying around? Bins left unemptied etc?

You may also find this thread useful - http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=2488901

chucknorris · 25 May 2010 at 2:27PM

G51shopaholic wrote: »

As the landlord is is your responsibility. Unless the mouse is an escaped pet.

But any damage to tenants possessions isn't your responsibility as a mouse infestation is an unforseen event.

Best to get a professional exterminator in to check over the property to find how the mouse got in.

I worked for a Letting Agency in Glasgow City Centre and mice were a common occurance as they lived in the walls of this very old property! Didn't help that other building occupants left loads of rubbish around.

I did want the environmental health dept to deal with it, they quoted me £96 which I thought sounded ok, but they said in 5 days time which would have worried my tenant who was clearly upset about it. When I mentioned this they actually said we will only put poison and traps down which you can do yourself, which I did.

I also notified the tenants where these where (in case there were any visiting pets or children) and also had a good look around the outside of the flat but could not see any obvious access points (it's a first floor flat with a concrete floor).

I was thinking of just leaving it for now and see it that's the end of it, then get professionals in if not.

chucknorris · 25 May 2010 at 2:28PM

moromir wrote: »

Look at your tenancy agreement, is the property being used in a tenant like manner? Ie food left lying around? Bins left unemptied etc?

You may also find this thread useful - http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=2488901

They are very good and clean and tidy, so no issues there, which was why I was ok with immediately taking on the responsibility

moromir · 25 May 2010 at 3:32PM

It is worth noting that mice are extremely agile critters. I had a friend who found a mouse drowned in his toilet - the drainage guy found evidence of mouse infestation in the sewerage system under the development, one can only assume it tried to swim!

If its a flat development there will also be the problem of the communal refuse site, where is this in relation to your flat? Is it being maintained properly? (ie metal bins with lids that arn't filled so much they dont' close, debris on the floor etc?).

Also depends on the location and where the flat is - but if its ground floor - is she leaving her doors open with the nice weather? My parents live in the countryside backing on to open fields and on more than one occasion we've found a dormouse looking at us innocently from the middle of the rug! We just caught the little !!!!!!s in a jam jar and put them back in the field!

elfen · 25 May 2010 at 3:45PM

It's your responsibility to deal with poison/traps/extermination, but theirs to ensure nothing is being left out for them to eat

chris_m · 25 May 2010 at 4:28PM

moromir wrote: »

It is worth noting that mice are extremely agile critters.

They can also get through VERY small holes - their skulls are not fused so they can actually squeeze through a hole as small as a pencil !!!

BitterAndTwisted · 25 May 2010 at 4:34PM

Also if there are building works going on nearby the mice very sensibly decamp to somewhere more amenable. You appear to have done all you can for the moment but I'd ask the tenant if you could pop back round and see if you can spot anywhere obvious that they may be getting in. Considering how small a gap they need this won't be particularly easy.

madeupname1 · 25 May 2010 at 5:04PM

A number of posters have said its the landlord's responsibility but I am not sure that is the case. On landlordzone, the view seems to be that the first step is to check to see if any provision is made in the tenancy agreement about it. In the event it is not, it is probably best to discuss responsibility for this issue going forward. Whilst I understand tenant's distress, this is not a problem LL can necessarily police ...

Freddie_Snowbits · 25 May 2010 at 5:08PM

My cat is available at very competive rates

He is a proud mouser.

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Mouse problem landlord or tenant's responsibility?

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