Mice in flat

KungPao

Hi.

We live in ground floor apartment of a converted house that we are fairly happy with...mainly because of the very reasonable rent and nice area. We can live with the fact that it is cold in winter and a few other negatives but we have a situation where we have a number of mice inside over the last few months.

The first one resulted in him suggesting *I* buy a sonic deterrent thing...I pulled him up sharpish on that and he bought it for us. I also suggested getting traps and poison laid out in the garden and in the common areas etc...he declined.

The second mouse came along a while later but he wasn't very interested, just said it can happen and was "surprised" it got in etc.

Now we have another one...just a month later. I'm sick of it. Obviously the grossness of sharing your home with rodents, but also having to lay traps and then dispose of poor mangled mice. It's not something I like doing.

Where do we stand? Can we demand he does something? If he does nothing would it give us a right to cut short our lease and move on?

We dont want to leave for the reasons mentioned (good area and cheap), but I don't think in 2014 Ireland should you be paying money for a place where the next rodent intruder is just around the corner, and it seems like a matter of when and not if it happens, with a landlord who doesn't really seem bothered...

Thanks.

P. Breathnach

Mice entering buildings are a feature of ordinary life. You might contribute to the problem by leaving food available where they can get to it, or by leaving doors or windows ajar so that they can get in

I don't think it is reasonable to set traps and lay poison all around the place "just in case". Ant it might be a danger to pets or children.

I think you might see where I am going with this: deal with it; it's part of life.

mosi

Buy one of these:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trixie-Mouse-Trap-4-5-17/dp/B000WFI866

I bought one in a pet shop in Dublin. There are a few different traps like this on the market, make sure to get one like this that you can see through the plastic. It will catch the mice without harming them and you can release them away from the flat then...no more mangled bodies for you to deal with.

The_Conductor

The landlord is legally responsible to deal with the mice.
If he/she suspects the tenant is at fault through their actions- the cost of pest control can be charged to the tenant. Getting it sorted though- is the landlord's issue.

KungPao

P. Breathnach wrote: »

Mice entering buildings are a feature of ordinary life. You might contribute to the problem by leaving food available where they can get to it, or by leaving doors or windows ajar so that they can get in

I don't think it is reasonable to set traps and lay poison all around the place "just in case". Ant it might be a danger to pets or children.

I think you might see where I am going with this: deal with it; it's part of life.

I am a very reasonable person and understand that the critters can get in. But 3 in almost as many months (we are quite clean and tidy) is too much. I believe there is a nest/infestation in the actual building (under the floor/in the cavity between plasterboard and wall) and its high time the LL had a look into it. Also, the bins for all 4 flats are situated very near to our place...could obviously be attracting them.

I agree with the laying of traps and poison not being ideal, but when frustrated, one would try anything.

The Pheasant2

Just lay some traps yourself? A pack costs about €5...not a huge deal if you're serious about getting rid of the mice.

I understand that you (probably rightly so) think your landlord should deal with it but at the end of the day if you want the mice out; you should just take it upon yourself

foggy_lad

KungPao wrote: »

I am a very reasonable person and understand that the critters can get in. But 3 in almost as many months (we are quite clean and tidy) is too much. I believe there is a nest/infestation in the actual building (under the floor/in the cavity between plasterboard and wall) and its high time the LL had a look into it. Also, the bins for all 4 flats are situated very near to our place...could obviously be attracting them.

I agree with the laying of traps and poison not being ideal, but when frustrated, one would try anything.

It is a renovated old building so there are going to be mice in the cavities,it rarely has anything to do with how clean you are or how tidy the place is kept. Mice will get in anyway, there will be even more in the winter months, set some traps and keep setting them until the problem is solved.

You have it easy to be honest, you would really know about it if you lived out in the countryside!

zl1whqvjs75cdy

You should move all food, particularly in low cupboards, to plastic seal able boxes. We had mice in our place and I picked up a cereal box one of the mornings and it was nibbled all along the bottom. Same with the bread. Seal up the food, sweep the floor everyday and take the bin out regularly. In the summer when its warm its the food that's attracting them to your house. In the winter it might be the warmth but that's obviously not a concern now.

shruikan2553

foggy_lad wrote: »

It is a renovated old building so there are going to be mice in the cavities,it rarely has anything to do with how clean you are or how tidy the place is kept. Mice will get in anyway, there will be even more in the winter months, set some traps and keep setting them until the problem is solved.

You have it easy to be honest, you would really know about it if you lived out in the countryside!

If it was 1 mouse I would agree but 3 in such a short amount of time is either coincidence or a problem.


As the person above said, seal off any food and keep the places clean and tidy. If they aren't getting food from you they will go elsewhere. If there is a mouse problem it is up to the LL to fix. Its one of those things that the LL sorts and if it can be shown you caused the problem you pay.

Is anyone else finding mice?

Big Nasty

Get a cat.

appleb

I don't know if it is relevant or not, but I have had 2 mice in my house over the past few months- I have not had one in 12 years before. Another friend of mine has had the same problem. Everyone has commented how strange it is as it happened when the weather was improving. Maybe there has been an explosion in the population of the little buggers???
BTW, I moved out for 2 days when the first one was spotted- that's how much I hate them!!!:(

mad m

Mice can squeeze in under the width of a pencil or smaller. Check outside of flat to see if even the slightly hole or gap. Where exactly are you finidng them?

TheDoc

Girlfreinds sister had mice trouble in her rented house. They'd be kinda like me in a sense of sorting things out themselves rather then waiting on someone.

She did something very clever that sorted it out quickly. Will drop her a text asking for the specifics.

Problem with mice is the way they can get in through tight spaces, its not obvious where they can get in. They can get through cracks and nooks much smaller then youd think they could.