Vermin in a shared student house - compensation?

mekonite

My daughter is a student in a shared house and two weeks ago baby mice were found in the kitchen and mice were discovered to have been in her food cupboard. Food packets had been gnawed into and there were mouse droppings on the shelves. Mice were also seen scuttling around on the landings and could be heard in the walls. As my daughter is simply horrified by vermin she went to stay with a friend pending pest control dealing with the situation. She was away for eight days and now wonders if she can claim a return of her rent from the letting agent for this period and also compensation for her spoilt food.

Any advice welcome.

19lottie82

I doubt very muhch that you daughter could claim any compensation.

The mice haven't made the place unliveable, she fear is slightly unreasonable I'm afraid.

If the LL is dealing with the situation in a timeley manner, then that's all he can do.

Naf

Not only that; how can she know its the LL's fault anyway?
To my mind the LL is being very nice by dealing with it; some would turn back and say its her problem to deal with.

mekonite

Naf wrote: »

Not only that; how can she know its the LL's fault anyway?
To my mind the LL is being very nice by dealing with it; some would turn back and say its her problem to deal with.

The letting agent has managed the property since September last year but it has had the same owner since 2000 and has had vermin problems requiring pest control previously in 2008 and 2010, according to the local council. I'm also told by pest control that the vermin infestation is a longstanding problem as the rental property, situated in a long, substantial terrace built in the 1860s, is situated right above what is described as a vermin 'corridor' based in the Victorian railway tunnel beneath it. Therefore, it would be entirely reasonable to conclude that this year's vermin problem in the property is of a persistent nature and has now simply become visible again, to my daughter's detriment.

Are prospective tenants entitled to know of past vermin problems, as a health and safety issue, before entering a tenancy?

ILW

mekonite wrote: »

The letting agent has managed the property since September last year but it has had the same owner since 2000 and has had vermin problems requiring pest control previously in 2008 and 2010, according to the local council. I'm also told by pest control that the vermin infestation is a longstanding problem as the rental property, situated in a long, substantial terrace built in the 1860s, is situated right above what is described as a vermin 'corridor' based in the Victorian railway tunnel beneath it. Therefore, it would be entirely reasonable to conclude that this year's vermin problem in the property is of a persistent nature and has now simply become visible again, to my daughter's detriment.

Are prospective tenants entitled to know of past vermin problems, as a health and safety issue, before entering a tenancy?

What health and safety issue?
Millions of houses have mice, you just take basic hygiene precautions.

valk_scot

I think she needs to start storing her food in sealed containers tbh. Open packets of food and anything stored in cardboard or paper wrappings are an open invitation to vermin. Anyone can get mice if they're not careful about how they store food, clear up crumbs and dropped food and use basic kitchen hygine such as not leaving unwashed dishes out at night and keeping the rubbish bin tightly closed. Which is why student flats are particularly prone to mice, unfortunately! May be the persistant problem is simply due to a series of young tenants like your daughter leaving easily availible foodstuffs around, and not taking the obvious precautions (traps and a very good clean-up) at the first sign of a mouse?

sooz

mekonite wrote: »

The letting agent has managed the property since September last year but it has had the same owner since 2000 and has had vermin problems requiring pest control previously in 2008 and 2010, according to the local council.

Twice in 13 years. Hardly a massive infestation then.

It could be suggested that the tenants in 2008 & 2010, as well as the current ones, were not as good at cleaning & tidying.

If you leave food out you are inviting vermin in.

runninglea

£1,000,000 in compensation at least

paddedjohn

runninglea wrote: »

£1,000,000 in compensation at least

Don't be silly, how did you come to a stupid amount like that? She is entitled to at least £2,000,000 cash in a black bin bag and a round the world trip on the Oriana. With the cash she can buy a large cage with a wheel in it so her new friends can live comfortably.

r2d2s_brothers

I think the mice would have a case for compensation if they're having to live in a house infested with students.
There's obviously a hygeine risk at the very least!

ReadingTim

The landlord (via the letting agent) would be well within their rights to claim against the current tennents for encouraging the mice by their poor kitchen hygiene, and charge them for a visit by pest control.

I suggest your "simply horrified" little darling gets over it, and does some cleaning rather than !!!!!!ing off elsewhere!