mice problem, tenant or LL problem?

Geenie

dboswell wrote: »

I would usually say LL, but what about circumstances of extremely messy tenants that leave the bin uncovered, dont sweep the floor in weeks, dont wipe down spills, maintain stinky rooms, leave food and crumbs on work surfaces and then complain when they have mice.

I would say that the tenant is at fault here in the main. Not clearing up rubbish and leaving the house in such a messy state is helping to introduce vermin, so they need to step up and take some responsibility. You can offer to deal with it in this first instance, but if they don't change their habits, then the problem will continue and so will the cost and hassle to you.

Anybody leaving rubbish lying around outside, having stinky rooms etc is likely to attract vermin or some other unattractive nuance to a property, wether let or owned. If they choose that lifestyle, then let them pay to sort it out after an initial warning from you. Or give notice when appropriate.

Dograt_2

Hi

We do Pest control for many letting agents, a 2 treatment service would cost around £80, we always try to identify the area in which the rodents are gaining access and exclude them, this is the main key to this problem, remember when dealing with any type of Pest control the keys are Exclusion restriction destruction.

In most situations we deal with if there is a fault in the building or the infestation was present when the tenant moved in then its down to the landlord, in fact if it is a building fault then it is in the LL interest to get it sorted. It should always be amicable to both parties and for that cost of £80ish the problem could be sorted for the future.

Please do not waste money on repellers they do not work full stop
If they did there would be no pest control companies ! many of the various makers have been taken to court at one time or another for false claims.

I was dismayed to see a veRy LaRge pest control company who I did work for once, start to produce and market them contary to all there technical manuals saying they dont work.

Call a Pro preferably an independant pest controller who you can trust and build a working relationship with.

Ps If the tenants are untidy and causing the problem you will also have an independent source telling them this, which then you can take a back foot and remain on speaking terms with your tenant. Hope that makes sense

find out more about mice at all the Ws guardianpestcontrol.co.uk

Mankysteve

Sounds like it's time to serve notice.

Get an professional company ask them what they think is causing the problem get them to write it down if they think its due to tenants behaviours then your back covered if they try to go to environmental health.

westlondonbuyer

Mankysteve wrote: »

Sounds like it's time to serve notice.

If your tenants pay the rent in full, and on time, you're simply cutting off your nose to spite your face here. You'll lose more in void costs or tenancy renewal charges.

In the past, my tenancy contracts stipulated that, within 6 weeks of the commencement of the contract, all vermin control costs would be mine; after that period, they'd be the tenant's.

In the landlord's shoes here, in the absence of clarity in the contract, I'd show goodwill and take the hit this time, but confirm in writing that, going forwards, the costs will be the tenant's.

By the way, electronic repellers *do* work. And stop up any likely access holes using a paste made up of decorator's caulk or sealant and steel wool. Lots cheaper than £80 and I'm not selling pest control services;)

Dograt_2

FTC Warns Manufacturers and Retailers of Ultrasonic Pest-control Devices

Staff of the Federal Trade Commission's Division of Enforcement today announced that they have sent warning letters to more than 60 manufacturers and retailers of ultrasonic pest-control devices, stating that efficacy claims about those products must be supported by scientific evidence. FTC staff reviewed print and catalog advertisements and conducted a "surf" of Internet sites marketing such devices. They found that many of the advertisements make explicit claims about the products' ability to eliminate rodents or repel insects. According to staff, these types of claims may not be in compliance with the FTC Act, which prohibits false and deceptive advertising.

Between 1985 and 1997, the FTC brought law enforcement actions against six companies that allegedly made false and unsubstantiated claims about the effectiveness of ultrasonic devices in controlling rodent and insect infestations. Each of those cases was resolved by consent order. In those prior actions, the FTC challenged the following types of claims:
Eliminates rodent infestations;
Repels insects;
Serves as an effective alternative to conventional pest-control products;
Increases or assists the effectiveness of other pest-control methods;
Eliminates fleas on dogs or cats; and
Scientific tests prove product effectiveness.

Prior FTC complaints alleged that any reaction by rodents to ultrasound would be temporary at best because rodents become accustomed to ultrasound and will return to their nesting or feeding areas even in the presence of an ultrasonic device. Furthermore, previous FTC complaints alleged that ultrasound devices do not control insects.

The warning letters urged manufacturers and retailers of ultrasonic pest-control devices to examine their advertising and ensure they have competent and reliable scientific evidence to support claims that a product eliminates or repels certain pests. Staff advised the manufacturers and sellers that if they have misrepresented the benefits of their products, or if their claims are not properly substantiated, they may be subject to legal action. FTC staff will continue to monitor the advertising of ultrasonic pest-control devices to ensure that claims made to consumers are not false or deceptive.

The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. To file a complaint, or to get free information on any of 150 consumer topics, call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357), or use the complaint form at The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Office of Public Affairs
202-326-2180

STAFF CONTACT:
Janice Frankle
Bureau of Consumer Protection
202-326-3022

Dograt_2

Just for the record, I am not selling anything, we are a small company and only work inside Somerset. Just trying to give open honest advice:)

chris_m

Best one I heard about pest deterrents was when B&Q started selling sonic mole repellers. They had them in all their stores, including Belfast - and I gather someone actually bought one there too ;-)

tbs624

Dograt wrote: »

Just for the record, I am not selling anything, we are a small company and only work inside xxxxxxxx. Just trying to give open honest advice:)

In which case, why do you feel the need to slap your own web address up in your earlier post and now state the area in which you work?

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