Just bought a new house -rat problem

spezialK

MY brother recently bought a new home and has just discovered evidence of rats. They have also chewed through the wiring and it looks like the whole house's electrics will have to be rewired -v expensive.

On speaking to his new neighbour he was told that the house had a history of infestation.

Legally, does anyone know if the previous owners had a responsibility to declare this?

Jomo

How awful for your brother...

I would certainly check out whether this should have been declared because to put it right won't be cheap!

Jowo_2

I've completed sellers information packs before and don't recall any section that dealt with whether or not the property had pest problems, nor did it feature as a question through the conveyancing process, nor can I recall any part where I had to state if the electrical or heating system is in good repair, just whether I had any warranties.

is it standard for pest issues to be covered during the sale/purchase of a property?

surely it's up to the buyer to have an electrician check the property?

Jomo

Jowo wrote: »

I've completed sellers information packs before and don't recall any section that dealt with whether or not the property had pest problems, nor did it feature as a question through the conveyancing process, nor can I recall any part where I had to state if the electrical or heating system is in good repair, just whether I had any warranties.

is it standard for pest issues to be covered during the sale/purchase of a property?

surely it's up to the buyer to have an electrician check the property?

Do sellers information packs ask about any issues with neighbours?

Probably not but don't buyers have a case if such issues aren't disclosed. Especially if the dispute is of a serious nature that would have stopped the sale from going through?

Jowo_2

Yes, the sellers information packs ask for issues with neighbours. But I still don't see how this covers a historic pest problem if the seller wasn't asked a direct question about it. My ex-neighbours property was plagued by rats, mine wasn't (we checked together) while mine was plagued with mice (hers wasn't, perhaps her cat helped with this).

ILW

Was a full survey commisioned before purchase?

bloodtype

Hi,

I believe it might be one of my siblings that has posed this question to you - to either of you - thank you!!

When we bought the house we had a home buyers survey not a full survey - which we may now live to regret.
When we first moved in we found the house was filled with air fresheners. We thought this was a little odd but assumed that as the house had been left empty before the sale went through the previous owners had tried to cover a musty smell. We began to have a suspicion that we may have a rodent problem but having seen no real evidence had stopped investigating further. Since then we have had an electrical issue which we now think may have been caused by Rats chewing wires for the kitchen, leaving us with no power from the ring main in this room. We also found boxes of Rat & Mouse poison in the garden shed and evidence that the previous owners had had an issue in the past. We have recently returned from holiday to discover that rats are indeed entering the house. Having pulled up floorboards from within the cupboard under the stairs we have uncovered signs that rodents have chewed wires and judging by the amateurish job that had been done to cover up and repair some of this, it seems clear that the previous owners were aware of the problem. Having spoken to a neighbour she has confimed that environmental health have been out in the past to deal with the problem and that it was known to have had rodent problems in the past.
Looking at the electrics under the floorboards I also wonder whether the previous occupants have replaced some wiring themselves as I am sure it is not the right diameter wire for the load it is taking. I even saw a junction box that had been chewed but then had ben wrapped in insulating tape to cover it up - can't believe that an electrician would do this.

I suspect that we may be too late to do anything and because a full survey was not done we may have no legal standing. But as my sibling says, it is going to be very expensive to put right.

Added to the fact we have discovered a severe damp problem hidden by tiles which again, looks as if they must have known about. It is all pretty miserable.

Any advice gratefully received.

maninthestreet

'Caveat Emptor' applies, I'm afraid. How are the rats entering the property?

bloodtype

I assume they are entering under the house through the drains. Or through the floorboards.

mostlycheerful

“it is going to be very expensive to put right.”

Not necessarily. First step is to block up all the holes, comprehensively everywhere, so have second and third checks after you think you’ve finished and you may spot yet more places to sort out. Then there are several ways to keep rats at bay and a few hours of research on the net will give you some ways of doing it. There’s various technology and solutions available. Can be doable and cheap and DIY. Alternatively get in some professionals, could be money well spent.

timmyt

spezialK wrote: »

MY brother recently bought a new home and has just discovered evidence of rats. They have also chewed through the wiring and it looks like the whole house's electrics will have to be rewired -v expensive.

On speaking to his new neighbour he was told that the house had a history of infestation.

Legally, does anyone know if the previous owners had a responsibility to declare this?

course they don't. did you not have a surveyor check out the property, or did you not look around! ooopps