Mice

[kanrent]

Hi my tenant claims there is a mouse infestation so I need to call  pest control,

Can anyone give me an idea of what I can expect to pay for a call out for this service

[Melboy]

Set your own traps is the least costly option. This is the time of the year mice will start to come indoors. I have lost count of the number of mice I have caught over the years especially in the loft.   Cake is the favourite food of a mouse and not cheese as so often depicted.  I have 5 traps permantly set and inspected weekly.

[Grampa]

Vermin is only the landlords responsibility if they are getting in where they shouldn't such as holes in the brickwork which should be repaired . A common cause is either living in a rural area and  therefore a fact of life or the lifestyle of the tenant.

You could tell the tenant this and give them the name of a pest control company and let them know that if the invoice states the entry point is a fault (hole) in the building you will pay it otherwise it is there responsibility. Our contracts make this clear in the clauses.

Some councils so I've heard will treat for free is it is reported as rats.

We used a pest control company recently and the whole treatment which included 2/3 visits was about £140 

 

[Richlist]

Good advice given already.

What I would add is that this subject is always at risk of being overstated /emotional. A report of infestation or of being overrun by mice may in fact be one mouse. So, do not treat reports from your tenants as factual until you have had a chance to take a look.

In the past i have bought a pair of poison bait boxes from B&Q for £10 and that has always seemed to do the trick for me. So, if you want to affect a cheap, quick and effective fix... that's an option.