There's a mouse, maybe even mice, in my rented accommodation...

Mattchew

I've lived with two friends of mine for the past 6 days in a flat, which we have agreed to rent for six months and monthly thereafter. We have already discovered a leak in the bathroom, which we have asked the landlord to fix (he was supposed to come yesterday) and last night we discovered a mouse in our kitchen.

Obviously as you can imagine I am not happy with the fact there is mice poo in my kitchen. I'm going to speak to the landlord later and am going to ask for him to call in exterminators.

If he does oblige, but says it may take a couple of days for them to come, am I within my rights to ask for alternate accommodation, or a reduction on my rent?

Thanks

darkcloudi

Usually the council come out for free for some pests. I know in Brum they do: http://birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=37695&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=13504&EXPAND=1577

Why not call your council or look up on there website to see if they will come out for free, they are usually quick.

Mattchew

Is it the responsibility of the landlord or tenant to sort the problem and make the property fit for purpose and habitable?

silvercar

You can expect the landlord to deal with problems as quickly as if it were his own home. You can't expect landlords to have magic wands and you can't expect landlords to know about problems if you don't tell them.

Expecting your landlord to provide alternative accommodation for a problem he doesn't yet know about will just show you to be a difficult tenant and probably booted out after 6 months.

If he sorts the problem in a reasonable time, there is nothing wrong.

I would say that it is for the landlord to sort out these sorts of problems, provided that you have not been the cause.

Mattchew

He lives downstairs and we only found the problem last night. There are mice in the kitchen which to me means it is not fit for purpose. We reported the leak on the second day of living there, that was supposed to be fixed yesterday, but he did not turn up.

silvercar

He lives downstairs and we only found the problem last night.

The landlord or the mouse?:)

There are mice in the kitchen which to me means it is not fit for purpose.

Let him deal with it, you have to give him the opportunity to sort the problem.

If you can see where they might be coming in, you could point out where needs blocking up.

Generally mice come in from the cold, from any gaps they can find. Rats come up through sewers.

Its unpleasant but I don't know that it makes the place uninhabitable and I doubt a judge would find in your favour, if the problem is sorted speedily.

merlinthehappypig

I had the same problem - this thread might help.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=706119&highlight=mice

Mattchew

I've spoken to the landlord and he's sending his odd job man around to fix the leak and put some poison down. I've also told him about

http://www.amazon.co.uk/STV-Mouse-deterrent-4-plug/dp/B000LNDRW4

Which he said he would reimburse me the cost of and I’ve asked him if he could put some shelving up. I'm happy with the resolution thus far...

Thanks for your advice

Rosie75

I'd advise against poison. Who's to say that they're going to be obliging little mice and die somewhere they will be easily found? They could be rotting under floorboards for months. Why not get some traps? We had mice in our last rented house and didn't even bother contacting the landlord - just went off to B&Q for some traps, baited them up with peanut butter and the mice weren't able to resist. By the way, the so-called humane traps, I would steer clear of. In this weather any house mouse you release outdoors (and you have to take them miles away because of their homing instinct) would simply die a longer and more unpleasant death than a neckbreaker trap would inflict.

SquatNow

I agree... pop to B&Q and buy a few traps.

Mice are just something that "happens" in old houses... mice can squeeze under doors and through holes you couldn't get your finger into. Provided their aren't huge holes in the wall you just have to put traps down and make sure you don't leave food lying around.

Alternatively, buy some human traps and sell the b*ggers to the local petshop.

On the upside, mice and Rats don't get along, so at least if you have mice, you know you don't have Rats.

bap98189

Mattchew wrote: »

There are mice in the kitchen which to me means it is not fit for purpose.

You are not serious are you? Mice can get into any house, and at this time of the year they often do as they are after a warm place and food. Kitchens provide both. If it's a single mouse, then you have nothing to worry about. A trap should soon catch it. Release it outside, somewhere well away from the house nad you probably won't see it again.

Unfortunately mice do leave behind droppings. Very few it seems are house trained.