Mouse damage in rented house - whose responsibility?

merlinthehappypig

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

But just tread carefully. You can't simply blame the LL and tell him it's his responsibility to sort it out. Imagine how you would feel if you were held responsible for a vermin problem in a property you hadn't lived in for nearly for a year

Certainly, if the holes are to blame, then the LL should deal with those. Pointless putting poison down if the relatives are simply going to use the same entry point.

I think you have to work together to an agreed "plan of attack" - as occupants your agreement and cooperation will be key. Whilst I'm not suggesting that you are to blame either, there are things you can do/refrain from to alleviate the problem.

You could suggest to the LL that you seek help from the local Council. They have poison which is not available to "mere mortals". They also have experience in placing the traps in the best place - they look for the "regular runs" that the mice use. And they can often pinpoint where they're getting in.

Good advice as usual - thanks.

I wasn't trying to avoid all responsibility, just genuinely torn between not wanting to bother the LA over something so trivial, but not wanting to have to pay for damage which wasn't our fault either.

We are used to mice and there genuinely isn't anything that we can do or refrain from to alleviate the problem. All three doors to the outside have enough room under them to allow mice in. All the downstairs doors are the same. I suspect there are holes everywhere is we bothered to lift the carpets. It was a quick makeover job on a house that had been significantly neglected for the last 20 or 30 years. We didn't know that at the time, but the locals soon filled us in. As we weren't buying the place I didn't look to closely at any structural issues. It's Grade II* listed so we can't make any changes at all to the doors to stop this happening.

I've e-mailed the LA and will see what they want to do. Nothing, in my limited experience, but at least they have been told.

I had to smile at the bit about the owner being responsible for a a property that they hadn't lived in for a year. I'd be absolutely confident that the owner is totally unaware that the house even exists, let alone that she owns it. As for her ever living in it or coming to have a look at the carpets......(clue - her name is Elizabeth and she likes Corgis);)

Optimist

In a normal situation it would be your responsibility to pay for and clear such problems, not your landlord.

If however as you say the mice are gaining access as result of a structural problem, then your landlord may be responsible for the repair of the problem and the cost of pest control.

Debt_Free_Chick

merlinthehappypig wrote: »

I had to smile at the bit about the owner being responsible for a a property that they hadn't lived in for a year. I'd be absolutely confident that the owner is totally unaware that the house even exists, let alone that she owns it. As for her ever living in it or coming to have a look at the carpets......(clue - her name is Elizabeth and she likes Corgis);)

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Ask if you can borrow the Corgis - dogs will usually see the mice off the premises :rotfl:

pariskate

wouldn't somebody's insurance cover this?

Sunny2

Living on a farm we've had both mouse and rat problems. Mice were entering from the loft and the LA arranged a man to sort it out for us, twice. As well a laying poison he found where the were getting in and blocked them off. No problems since then. Plus our two cats which we bought specifically to keep the mice down have helped!

Two years ago we had a major rat problem. The rats chewed the pipe to our loo, which caused flooding in the hall ceiling. The LA arranged a plumber to fix the (plastic) loo pipe immediately and assessed the damage to the plaster and lathe (sp) ceiling. Despite my husband warning the LA that the ceiling was very likely to collapse, the LA decided that repair to the ceiling could wait. 3 weeks later, the ceiling collapsed narrowly missing my son and dogs. Following a frantic and furious phone call from me, the LA had a builder in within an hour, replacing the ceiling. As a result of the dust that got everywhere, they also redecorated the hall areas and cleaned the carpets throughout the house.

We also have a problem with bees, who nest in the stonework and are attracted to the ivy on the house. Although we've asked the LA to get rid of the bee infestations, they've told us it's our problem - so we've sorted them in the past.

We let the LA know about even the most minor problems, which don't particularly need to be fixed and on the occasions where damage has been caused by us. (A mirror once fell on the sink and the sink split in two - oddly, no damage the mirror, we let them know what had happened and we replaced the sink) By keeping the LA informed of the problems that are happening, it allows them to keep the house in good repair and at the same time, (hopefully) protects our deposit!

If the mice are getting into your house because of holes in the floor, and they're damaging the carpet or anything else, I would definately tell them, otherwise you could be liable for the carpet damage.

Sunny2

sorry, must have hit the submit button, twice.

merlinthehappypig

Thanks Sunny2, and we thought that we had problems!

space_rider

I had mouse problems and the local council came and set several traps. I then bought those plug in things that are supposed to send off some kind of ultrasound noise that they don`t nunb

space_rider

I had mouse problems and the local council came and set several traps. I then bought those plug in things that are supposed to send off some kind of ultrasound noise that they don`t like. I bought one for each floor and when I moved I took them with me. I even have 1 in the garage as I can`t bear the thought of a mouse in my house!

merlinthehappypig

The 'mice' turned out to be their larger and even more horrible relatives, judging by the little presents left near the poison this morning.

I'd e-mailed the agents on Saturday, but thought they were mice then. They replied this morning saying that 'fruit and nut chocolate is a good bait for traps'...............

I rang them this morning to say that they were actually rats and what did they want to do. Basically a big fat nothing. They just told me that the poison should work fairly quickly and that would be the problem solved. (the poison actually takes 4-10 days from experience)

I pointed out that the holes were still there and that they should be blocked up to prevent a repeat visit and any further damage. In their wisdom they said that 'it was unlikely that a different rat would use the same hole'

Perhaps I should put a sign up in case any future rats are unaware of this policy?

As far as I am concerned they have been told and any further damage will be their responsibility. I might have to get someone from the council out though. Rats in the outbuildings are bad enough, but I don't like the idea of them mooching about in the house when we are asleep.