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Rats in attic of newly rented property

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  • lookstraightahead
    lookstraightahead Posts: 5,540 Forumite
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    How awful for you. Have you asked if there was previously a rat problem? I would ask the landlord.
  • phill99
    phill99 Posts: 9,093 Forumite
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    lookstraightahead wrote: »
    How awful for you. Have you asked if there was previously a rat problem? I would ask the landlord.

    And what difference would that make?
    Eat vegetables and fear no creditors, rather than eat duck and hide.
  • walwyn1978
    walwyn1978 Posts: 837 Forumite
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    If it’s a lot of rats/mice across the terrace then the ones who have taken the bait will as stated above have crawled off to die and the noise/droppings are from the other ones who are now exploring up there. Over time with continued visits from the pros then hopefully it will all be resolved, but as already said further up the thread it’s not a quick overnight process.

    Rats are supppsed to leave behind an ammonia type smell. Is there a smell of that type in the loft?
  • Owain_Moneysaver
    Owain_Moneysaver Posts: 11,357 Forumite
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    Ask neighbours if you/the landlord can get into their attics to have a look.

    Also if you want to peer into crevices you can get borescopes (with screens, about £40 from Aldi occasionally, or USB ones from about £10 on ebay etc)
    A kind word lasts a minute, a skelped erse is sair for a day.
  • lookstraightahead
    lookstraightahead Posts: 5,540 Forumite
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    phill99 wrote: »
    And what difference would that make?

    Because if the landlord did know about it he/she should have informed the tenants.
  • Mikey26
    Mikey26 Posts: 7 Forumite
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    AdrianC wrote: »
    Short version:
    You think you can hear rats.
    You put bait and traps up, nothing touched.
    Your landlord took your concerns seriously, and got the pros in. Bait is being taken.

    Right?

    Attics are never hermetically sealed between rooms or even between adjoining properties.


    Looking back, Id wish id compiled it nicely together like that.. But yes, that's right. Its just concerning with it being over two weeks since hearing the noises that they have not subsided yet. I completely understand that everything that can be done is being done, I just really don't want rats so close to my new born child. Hopefully the issue resolves with the professionals.
  • Mikey26
    Mikey26 Posts: 7 Forumite
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    Lokolo wrote: »
    How do you even know they're rats? All this concern but you haven't actually found any rats yet from what I can read in your essay.

    Could be some mice. Or it could even be glis glis! No idea where you live but in the home counties they do tend to hibernate about this time of year in people's roofs.


    I understand my essay was rather lengthy, I tried to add all important points and re read it about 3 times realising I had left out some key issues. In future, short and to the point is probably best. However, due to this and to your point about finding any rats.. I probably should have also mentioned we have spoke to neighbours and they have also confirmed rat activity in their property similar to what we are hearing ourselves. She also even mentioned a sighting near the back door of her house, so we are fairly confident it is rats. Also, the attic is covered in rat faeces; which was later confirmed to be rat faeces by the pest controller who later visited.
  • Mikey26
    Mikey26 Posts: 7 Forumite
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    phill99 wrote: »
    For info, rodents don't immediately die when they eat the poison. It makes them feel unwell and they, like us, take to their beds and die there. that's why there are no dead rats or mice in the loft.


    Your landlord has acted reasonably and got pros in. There isn't much more he can do. However, rats need to be addressed by the whole terrace. If you are doing your bit, but the people next door are doing nothing or worse actually adding to the problem by not cleaning and leaving food out etc, then the problem will never go away.


    Thanks for your reply. We were just kind of hoping that we don't actually have some sort of nesting situation going on in our attic. After all, given the property was not occupied for two months before we moved in I'm guessing they have had plenty of time to make themselves comfortable. As you mention they die in their beds, that could potentially be above us. Who knows, will have another visit from pest control guy on Monday (3 days time) and will see what he finds.
  • Mikey26
    Mikey26 Posts: 7 Forumite
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    TBagpuss wrote: »
    It does sound as though your landlord is doing everything they can. Have you seen any rats anywhere, or found any droppings or any other eveidence iof them inside the house?

    In a terrace, the attics are almost certianly connected so it would be worth either you, or the pest control people, speaking to the neighbours to let them know about the issue and to suggest that it is addressed by everyone.

    rats are intellieent so it can take time and different types of poins to get rif of them.

    You could also look into getting the 'silent' sonic repellers (although consider then getting rif od them before your baby comes homne as even if you can't hear the high pitchedsounds, she might be able to!


    Currently no sightings of rats inside the actual property and same goes for droppings inside the actual living area of the property (only droppings found have been in attic), with neighbours both sides of us we have asked to see if they have also heard any activity. The people on our left seem to have heard nothing in 21 years of living there and the lady on the right has mentioned an "on off problem| with them. Our pest control person did chat to both of them and the lady with the on off issue is currently arranging pest control to come in for her house. Hopefully it all gets sorted together, we heard mixed reviews on the sound repellers but think we will also give it a try. Thank you.
  • Mikey26
    Mikey26 Posts: 7 Forumite
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    lookstraightahead wrote: »
    How awful for you. Have you asked if there was previously a rat problem? I would ask the landlord.


    We unfortunately didn't think to ask about any rat issues and what not upon viewing, kind of regret that looking back. In fact we didn't even check the loft area at all, we were so pleased with the house itself it didn't even cross our mind to think of anything rodent related. Lesson learned I suppose, also when asking landlord about any previous rat issues in the past at the property he is adamant he has never had an issue here ever Mind you he was also adamant it was a bat, bird and or squirrelly running around up there; and that was after seeing the mass amount of droppings scattered all over the attic.
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