kesm Posted April 18, 2018 Report Share Posted April 18, 2018 Hi all. My tenant told me yesterday he found a half eaten protein bar and he said he thinks it's a mouse. I told him that I will go into the property to check it this week and sort it. He is now threatening me to give my details to the council's pest control department! How do I deal with that?? I already said to him that I am in touch with the freeholders and a pest control company and that it will be sorted this week (he only told me yesterday..!) I am obviously worried with the threats. Please advise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grampa Posted April 19, 2018 Report Share Posted April 19, 2018 If all he has found is one "half eaten protein bar" the council wont be bothered and even if they were they would just likely give you some guidance on how to deal with it. He is trying to bully you into breaking the tenancy agreement, dont fall for it. From your posts it appears you are not cut out out to self manage your rental property you would be better off using an agent to manage and take the hassle away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kesm Posted April 19, 2018 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2018 THank you! i have been managing that flat for 9 years and he is by far the worst tenant! I had no issues with all the previous tenants . I think you are right. He is trying to bully me. I know he exaggerates so I will be visiting the property at the weekend to check out what is going on. Legally do I need to get a pest control company or can my husband fill in the entry points with expandable foam and wire mesh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richlist Posted April 19, 2018 Report Share Posted April 19, 2018 Can you see my posts on this subject ? Are you able to read them ? I took the time to answer your question and suggested you get the management company to fill the holes......you seem to have ignored this. Yes you can fill them yourself but why would you if someone can do it for you for free. Your pay service charges and this maintenance service is include in those payments. I don't see how this can be bullying. He has a mouse problem and wants you to fix it. Provided you take prompt action to remedy his problem he doesn't have a cause for complaint. As has already been suggested.....he is not living in a hotel. Whatever action you choose just do it within a reasonable time frame. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kesm Posted April 19, 2018 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2018 I have yes, but we don't have a management company you see... When we say reasonable time, is there a specific time that I need legally to adhere to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richlist Posted April 19, 2018 Report Share Posted April 19, 2018 So who carries out maintenance on your flat ? Do you pay service charges ?I In a reasonable time is down to common sense.......a week or two of you were doing it yourself, longer if there were a management company or a contractor involved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kesm Posted April 19, 2018 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2018 The maintenance is done by various workmen depending on what is needed, ie. if there is an electric issue, then I will call an electrician etc. No, no service charges, since it's a share of a freehold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richlist Posted April 20, 2018 Report Share Posted April 20, 2018 Ok that's interesting. I guess one of the downsides to owning the freehold is that maintenance falls on you. One other comment id like to make. From my personal experience, people react very differently to mice/ rodents in their property. Some people have phobias about infestations of ants, spiders, any type of crawling insect.......and particularly mice & rats. Your tenant is probably one of these. I've had a mouse/ rat in a rental property a few times and the tenants involved ranged from.....not to bothered to absolute panic. So, some sympathy for people who struggle to act rationally when they have these uninvited guests is probably necessary. In your shoes id go ahead with filling any holes you find and I'd put poison down in a few places around the property. The poison ive used in the past has to be checked after 7 or 14 days for evidence of the rodent(s). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kesm Posted April 20, 2018 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2018 8 hours ago, Richlist said: Ok that's interesting. I guess one of the downsides to owning the freehold is that maintenance falls on you. One other comment id like to make. From my personal experience, people react very differently to mice/ rodents in their property. Some people have phobias about infestations of ants, spiders, any type of crawling insect.......and particularly mice & rats. Your tenant is probably one of these. I've had a mouse/ rat in a rental property a few times and the tenants involved ranged from.....not to bothered to absolute panic. So, some sympathy for people who struggle to act rationally when they have these uninvited guests is probably necessary. In your shoes id go ahead with filling any holes you find and I'd put poison down in a few places around the property. The poison ive used in the past has to be checked after 7 or 14 days for evidence of the rodent(s). Thank you! What poison did you use please? Do you remember? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richlist Posted April 20, 2018 Report Share Posted April 20, 2018 No I don't remember. The last stuff I bought was from B&Q on a discount Wednesday for about £10. I bought middle of the price range......inside the box were x2 plastic boxes containing the poison with instructions on where to and where not to place them. So, you don't need to do any more than open a cardboard box and read. On a lighter note.......a few years ago a female tenant was complaining that she had a mouse /rat. I bought some poison and went round the flat to place it. As I stood talking to the tenant..... she told me that she hadn't seen any evidence of it for the past 10 days and the poison probably wasn't needed......at that point as I looked over her shoulder I saw it run across the lounge and behind the sofa. Of course she had no idea as she had her back to the event...... I didn't tell her what id seen but insisted on placing the poison. Don't forget the poison along with any expanding foam, any other materials and travel expenses are all tax deductable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carryon Regardless Posted April 27, 2018 Report Share Posted April 27, 2018 -- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melboy Posted April 28, 2018 Report Share Posted April 28, 2018 18 hours ago, Carryon Regardless said: -- Stuck for words COR? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carryon Regardless Posted May 3, 2018 Report Share Posted May 3, 2018 Morning Melboy, I added some advice but then saw the other 2 threads by the op. There is likelihood that my advice would be repetative and I didn't care to read the other threads to find out so pressed delete instead. Really I was saying to the op that a mouse is the T's problem if it wasn't apparent at the letting, as is any other infestation nuisance like wasps, ants, human visitors....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richlist Posted May 3, 2018 Report Share Posted May 3, 2018 No it's not quite as simple as saying it's the tenants problem. I know of a situation where a tenant of a flat had a rat problem. She asked the landlord to fix it, he told her it was her problem to fix. The fabric of the flat had gaps in the outer walls which should have been addressed by landlord through the service charge account. He did nothing, she gave notice and moved out. The landlord lost a good, well behaved tenant. It might be a tenants problem but will often become a landlords problem because for some people rodents in properties are just not acceptable. It's relatively easy to work with your tenant to fix and eradicate rodents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carryon Regardless Posted May 3, 2018 Report Share Posted May 3, 2018 Unless they are hoping to use it as a get out clause, there is no working with them but reminding them of their contractual obligations becomes a better strategy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richlist Posted May 3, 2018 Report Share Posted May 3, 2018 1 hour ago, Carryon Regardless said: Unless they are hoping to use it as a get out clause, there is no working with them but reminding them of their contractual obligations becomes a better strategy. Better than what ? I really don't understand. If like me you have tenants that have rented from you for many years, been model tenants, never complained, always accomodating, never missed a rent payment, look after the property etc......why would you not want to work with them to help solve the one problem that is almost guaranteed to see them hand you their notice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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