Rodent infestation

[viviens]

The tenants have breached their tenancy in a number of ways, not least subletting without adding the 3/4 new people to the tenancy agreement (despite having been advised by both agents and landlord {me} that they must not do this. The tenants: asked to sublet on day 2 of tenancy then one left the partnership (male) and the other returned to her mum in Australia leaving 3/4 persons-not-on-the-contract (paying rent to female tenant). The chief-not-on-contract person complained that they had mice. Landlord explained that trap or poison were most effective along and that it was tenants responsibility.

..... We have now agreed to terminate contract 6 months early via e-mail as tenant is still in Australia. Chief-person-not-on-contract has refused to treat mice as she does not want to kill mice in the house but wants them to die outside. ..... e-mail reminding tenant in Australia of contractual responsibilites at end of tenancy included treatment of rodent infestation. Tenant told agents that it is landlord responsibility. Please clarify?

[Simon Dewsberry]

When i saw the topic header i thought you were having a go at me !!

Not black and white this one .....

If T leaves food everywhere , rubbish bags near doors, etc then clearly their problem...

However also means of entry is important ...if you have holes in the fabric of property then as LL you bear the responsibility to seal up ...

This is a very common problem at this time of year and i have several props being Treated at present for rats and mice ....not to mention my own attic which is under seige from Bxxxxx squirrels as i write ....they have chewed thru my house alarm, my gutter, facia boards (in 6 different places!!! NO JOKE) also my upstairs lighting circuit and shorted it (had to replace a 1m section of twin and earth) also rafters and not to mention "nicking" around 4 bin bags full of loft insulation to make their nests in my soffit box.. ....... I am highly unamused by this turn of events as the little Baxxxxds

Scratch away in the middle of the night waking up the whole family, and distressing my 4 year old son as they are usually right over his head(squirrel hotel reception ....before moving over to their sleeping quarters ...directly above my head) I reckon ther at least 10 - 12 up there )

To date ...have purchased squirrel traps and a rather nice Air rifle with tele sights ...am in the process of training them to accept food from the traps (cages) before I "set" them, as i was advised to do on the "kill a squirrel forum"

I honestly would not have believed the damage they can cause if i had not seen it with me own eyes ...I kid you not !

It is actually illegal to release a grey squirrel into the wild if you catch it ...as they dont get on with the reds....so one must humanely "dispatch it" ...apparently the acceptable way to do this is to place it in a hessian sack and club it to death ......well i have to say i dont fond that very acceptable so when i do finally start catching the little rats with fluffy tails they will be having a last vision of the end of my gun ...

Funny thing is .....i have the gun for about a fortnight now ...and havent seen one in the garden since i got it .....normally ther are 6-8 swinging around in the trees most mornings...

These traps are available for rats and mice as well.....

Poison is not my favorite method because they die in the walls/ under floors etc ....and if you havent smelt a dead rat ....(the smell lingers for around 3 weeks ) then count yourself very lucky ..

"Snap" rat and mice traps with peanut butter seem to work best for me ( or them!) ....justt place them on their "known run" to an from the bin etc...

Personally, being aware and having had personal experience of the damage these rodents can cause i am more then happy to spend £1 on a jar of peanut butter and visit my prop to locate source of problem ,......also instucting T to be a lot more hygenic where necessary ....

A chap who lived on a farm came in from the pub one night late around 12 ish and saw a ice fresh cake his missus had cok and left out for him ......he had a very large slice ......the next morning was rushed into hospital ....Dead on arrival ....the rats had been at the cake and urinated all over it ...he contracted Weils disease and died within 12 hours...apparently...

Please tell your tenants to use bacterial sprays on all surfaces every day , leave no food out, and clean much more often than usual until problem is sorted.

Also if you are remote from your prop (or local ) your local council will send pest control out to assist ....it used to be free but my local council now charge £34 for mice and £18 for rats ......why itsnit the same is a mystery to me ...

However to my dismay they dont do squirrels !!! cos the traps legally have to be checked every 24 hours ...

The Shite i carry in my head ...eh !

S