Landlords refusing to do anything about a pest problem - where do I stand?

Jadek

Hey there everyone, I was wondering if someone could give me some advice on where I stand on a pest problem with my landlord (it's an agency, not a person, I don't know if that makes a difference at all).

We moved into our flat about 3 months ago now and were unaware that there was a mice problem in the property. The landlords neglected to inform us of it (which, fair enough, I can understand!) but are now refusing to do anything about the problem. Talking to other residents in other flats in the building it's been a persistent problem and has been reported before and apparently the area we live in has a mouse problem. So I feel a bit indignant when the landlords tell us "it's your own problem" when clearly it was a problem long before we moved in - if we were the ones who started the problem I would understand their stance.

In our tenancy agreement it says that the maintenance man (who is impossible to get hold of - he has no phone number, only an email address!) will sort out pest problems, but despite this the landlords still say that it is our problem.

It is really starting to affect our lives. I grew up close to woodland with 2 cats so I am used to the odd mouse popping up, however my partner is terrified of them. Not only that but I am starting to worry about the sanitation of my kitchen. Once of my cupboards and all that was in it (pasta, rice, porridge oats etc.) has been ruined by the mice chewing things and defecating everywhere, it also chewed through a load of kitchen roll that was kept under the sink and I've had to throw out some pots that were kept in a cupboard where my partner first saw the mouse. We thought they might be confined to the kitchen, which is on a separate level to the rest of the flat, but the other day when we got into bed we heard a mouse scuttling around in the bedroom and later discovered more defecation under the bed! I can tell you that was a very uneasy night.

We've tried mouse traps but they haven't done anything, however I fear the problem is too big to be solved with just traps or store bought poison.

I am wondering that, as my landlords are refusing to do anything, would I be within my right to contact a pest control (and prevention!) company and ask the landlords to foot the bill? It just seems that as we did not cause this problem, yet it is affecting our quality of living, we should not really be expected to foot the bill to mouse proof our flat (something which I would have expected the landlords to do in the first place).

I don't know, maybe I'm asking too much but I am very angry and want to get this cleared up! Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Cannon_Fodder

Get some cats...some vicious ones over on the other thread are tearing up the sofas...

goldengirl28

Hi Jadek,

have a look at your local council website and see if they do pest control, most do for mice, rat, bee's etc, ours does and they came last summer to sort out our block of terraces, it cost 50 quid and they sorted out my house, and the bloke even went outside my garden and laid poison down drains etc. we have had none since...........he also registered with the council that the issue was due to an unadopted road that was very over grown, the council came 8 weeks later, cleared and tarmaced it so that helped as well.

could you sort and withhold the cost from your rent? not sure if that is allowed

Good luck

**Upsy_Daisy**

The circumstances under which you can do the work and bill the landlord are very limited and I wouldn't think this would fall within that?

Have you considered buying any mousetraps or bait?

As above Would your local Environmental Health dept be interested? (check Council website) although they may impose a charge on you

UD

amy_lou_4

My boyfriend had the same problem in his flat (ground floor, in a house of 3 flats), with a very unhelpful landlord. They got onto the council and someone came around that week to put traps and poison down, and again each fortnight until it was solved. He never mentioned to me having to pay anything so it may be that the bill went straight to the landlord, I can ask him about that though as it may have been free of charge. I am also unsure as to whether the landlord got into any trouble over it- their original one died and left the property to his son during their tenancy.

G_M

The circumstances under which you can do the work and bill the landlord are very limited and I wouldn't think this would fall within that?

See Shelter here. I doubt if mice count as a 'repair' though. It's clearly a problem in the area not the flat - so the LL cannot be expected to deal with it a a property repair.

my landlord (it's an agency, not a person

Do you mean the property is owned by a company (agency), or you deal with an agency (more likely) which manages the property on behalf of a LL? If the latter, your tenancy agreement will give your LL's name/address.

Sounds like you live in a block of flats. There is a 'maintenance man'. Almost certainly there is a management company which organisers maintenance of communal areas, pays for lighting in the common areas, insures the building etc. THEY are who should be addressing this issue. Find out who they are from other occupants, or from the agent who manages (owns?) your flat.
Approach them, in writing, or get your LL/agent to approach them. Again, do everything in writing.

Fire_Fox

Put all food into sturdy plastic, metal or glass storage containers (pound shops/ HomeBargains/ B&M/ Wilkinsons), block up any holes going into kitchen cupboards with expanding foam, never leave any food out overnight, wash up/ rinse/ soak plates and pans as soon as you have finished eating, clean under the fridge and down sides of the oven and anywhere else there might be food residues, discard any food left in the bin each evening OR use a kitchen bin with a lid that you can weight down. Any external communal bins need to have lids on, ring waste mangement at the council if you have open dumpsters.

Then write to your landlord (not the agency) recorded delivery asking him to get maintenance man to sort out the pest problem as per section x of your AST (quote it). If no joy contact Environmental Health and ask them to take action either against the pests or the landlord. Management companies are responsible for pest control in communal areas only, not in privately owned flats - tho it wouldn't do any harm to ask. Remember that you have no direct professional relationship with the management company, as leaseholder your landlord should really be asking them to look at the pest problem.

benjo

I havent bought poison from a shop, but bought it from local farmers or grain stores - thats the same stuff that the environmental health officers bait their traps with and it works, it comes in blocks or granules that you just put in small plastic bags. WARNING DONT LET YOU KIDS OR ANIMALS EAT IT.

As for traps not working - if the mice are springing the traps and not getting caught, you have the wrong traps (you can buy little plastic ones for a couple of quid each, bait them with peanut butter).

If the traps are not even getting sprung, then you have them in the wrong place, put them facing a wall where the mice run, creatures of habit.

**Upsy_Daisy**

I can think of little more satisfying than the snap of a trap - far more humane than baiting

....Well perhaps zapping flies in using one of those electric tennis bat thngs

UD - a lapsed Buddhist