Rat problem at rented property

G_M

Something has made the area attractive to rats recently.

This, of course, is not down to the LL unless he has recently done something to attract them!

Is there a food source nearby? Do you, or your neighbours, feed the birds?

They would not be there unless something makes it an attractive (from their perspective!) area.

shoe*diva79

wannahouse wrote: »

i doubt very much the rat will ever come into contact with your child!!!
YOU pose more danger to it, that it does to you!

leave the rat alone unless it comes indoors...
there are creatures all around us, just trying to go about their business...
rats clean up other stuff,they have their place in the ecosystem and are useful, UNLESS they invade our environment indoors.

i don't get these parents that want to "sterilise" their child's world! (i have 3 kids myself)
these animals are currently causing NO HARM to your child, so why just kill it?
a friend of mine was on facebook complaining her garden was over run with bumblebees, and was worried her little precious ones would be attacked by them, so wanted to know how to kill them all!!! @**!$£!!! why?
i know bumblebees seem a bit "nicer" than a common rat, but its typical of the modern human mentality that nothing else has the right to exist in "our space".

to this date, despite living in the country (and also regularily seeing rats in the environment, i do not know of ONE person , that was harmed or diseased by a rat outside!

come inside to my house however, and you're a goner, if you're a rat or mouse!!!
we got the council in to deal with rats that had gotten into our walls causing a royal nuisance... had they stayed outside, they would have lived...

just a thought...

Jeez, i asked a simple question. Having looked online Ill be taking Rentokil advice regarding rats in the garden or home rather then your insightful rant.

Their link regarding rats in external areas and the health risk they pose can be found here: http://www.rentokil.co.uk/residential-customers/home-pest-control/rats/index.html

shoe*diva79

G_M wrote: »

Something has made the area attractive to rats recently.

This, of course, is not down to the LL unless he has recently done something to attract them!

Is there a food source nearby? Do you, or your neighbours, feed the birds?

They would not be there unless something makes it an attractive (from their perspective!) area.

Thanks. The garden has been recently landscaped. I live in a heavily populated area with no fields or restaurants for at least half a mile. I dont have food in the garden or anything. There is a area in my garden (my garden is on the side of my house rather then back) where there is a wooden structure with shelving (here when i moved in) thats used as storage. I can only think that its nice and sheltered for nasties to live. But im to afraid to go moving things incase it runs out!

Its certainly not shy though - twice today its bold as brass been running around the patio area directly by my french doors.

Obviously I want to eridicate the risk of it finding its way into my home or leaving anything harmful (feces?) around for my child to touch.

red_devil

everything will be down to you no doubt. Its all on the landlords side they are responsible for very little even though its their house.

jamie11

wannahouse wrote: »

to this date, despite living in the country (and also regularily seeing rats in the environment, i do not know of ONE person , that was harmed or diseased by a rat outside!

Well I do! My one of my sons had to give up his ambition to be a fish farmer after he contracted weils disease on the farm he was working, it's carried by rats and infects their urine, he nearly died, many months passed before he could work again and he was warned off from working in a similar environment again.

In the OP's case, her 2 year old may be dropping bits of food in the garden. only maybe though.

agarr

At £10.50 you're getting off light.
I currently have a mouse happily pottering about my flat, on asking the local council if they could deal with it they said yes for £57!!! Needless to say the shock has bought the little mouse an extra days grace while I go to the shop in the morning to buy a humane catcher or borrow a friends cat.

rrtt

jamie11 wrote: »

Well I do! My one of my sons had to give up his ambition to be a fish farmer after he contracted weils disease on the farm he was working, it's carried by rats and infects their urine, he nearly died, many months passed before he could work again and he was warned off from working in a similar environment again.

In the OP's case, her 2 year old may be dropping bits of food in the garden. only maybe though.

Sorry to hear this, I also know of someone who, previously intelligent and healthy adult, was left in effect a cabbage after contracting Weill's disease from rat urine in a stream on the Orkney Islands. In dogs it's known as Leptospirosis and is frequently fatal; fortunately it can be vaccinated against, which is one of the reasons it's so important to keep dogs' annual booster jabs up to date.

If you can see a rat outside in daylight esp at this time of year, it indicates there's quite a big problem locally as they're usually v. shy and nocturnal - it's unfortunately all too likely to have family and friends nearby. Luckily there are easy deterrents to them invading your home - which would be most likely to happen come September (or from mid-Aug if it's cold) when they start looking for cosy lodgings... The electronic repellers are absolutely excellent and there is a huge range available if you just google 'rodent repeller ultrasonic' (sorry, I'm not allowed to post links). The best one we found was circular in appearance by Pestbye for £19.99, and cleared our attic of the little *s within a couple of days - switch on in the morning to allow them time to escape before nightfall, or to stop them even thinking about coming in... Positioning is crucial -best place on hard surface with at least a foot of space around to allow a "surround sound" effect

wymondham

Maybe you could use this as an opportunity to get a cat! I'm sure the landlord would understand!

DominicJ_2

agarr wrote: »

At £10.50 you're getting off light.
I currently have a mouse happily pottering about my flat, on asking the local council if they could deal with it they said yes for £57!!! Needless to say the shock has bought the little mouse an extra days grace while I go to the shop in the morning to buy a humane catcher or borrow a friends cat.

Legally speaking, you cant catch a mouse and release it.

We had a house mouse, we found where it was getting in, blocked it off, and the next time we opened the front door it bolted out never to be seen again.
Job done.
There are clearly some in one of the neighbours gardens, they dig under the gravel boards when passing through.
Only ever seen one, a particularly brave one who slept under the eglu in winter.

Werdnal

DominicJ wrote: »

Legally speaking, you cant catch a mouse and release it.

Would be interested in seeing the actual legislation on that? My cat brings them in almost daily, and I have to catch and put them out again.