Housing/work problem

Jenneke87

Hi all,

I have an issue and not sure what to do. I moved into my current appartment 4 years ago. The first 2 years everything wad fine. One night I noticed a mouse in my living room and its been hell ever since. I was unable to get rid of them(used poison) and by now they are a daily occurance; in fact while Im writing this I just saw one running through the kitchen.

My landlord wont help: he blames it on me for having pets(i have four guinea pigs). Ironically, the mice are everywhere but wont go near the cavies...

By now im so fed up, i just want to move out. I can afford to do so, but my contract is due to expire in 4 months. I fear that when i move, i will end up with no savings(used then for renting a new flat) a d no work, which makes me hesitant to actually go and find a new place. At the same my current situation is undoable: i find droppings everywhere, even in my bed. At night, i can hear them crawl into the curtains. They've already destroyed one ones in the livingroom because they urinated in it and caused tearing with their nails I think. They climb into the strings of my harp and find traces of urine on the soundboard. Ive already had a professional company deal with it, but to no avail

I just dont know what to do. Any advice? Thx!

listermint

Em... Sounds like you may need to clean . Clean clean clean .

Mouse will come for food and warmth.

You are providing one or the other most likely the first.

Clean first trap second

Jenneke87

Thx for your reply. I know I need to keep it clean and thats what i do. they still keep coming though.

listermint

Jenneke87 wrote: »

Thx for your reply. I know I need to keep it clean and thats what i do. they still keep coming though.

Can't have food left out at all. And any food you do have should be in storage containers.

mahamageehad

Are you in the country or city? In the city, it could be the case that a neighbour is drawing them and you're collateral damage? If you're in the country can you check how they're getting in (open gutters, under doors etc) and do some preventative work?

Halfprice

Ask about and see if anyone else has problems. If so then report the landlord to the HSE... could be a bigger problem

boobycharlton

Sounds like a serious health hazard. Try and seal up any gaps around doors/pipes/under sinks etc where mice are getting in. You can use steel wool and expansion foam (get in any hardware shop)

Keep food in sealed plastic boxes, keep rubbish in sealed bins. Put traps down along skirting boards/walls baited with peanut butter.

The Raptor

Peppermint is a natural repellent. It has a smell that affects their senses. It tells them to keep away from it. You can diffuse peppermint oil or use the oil on absorbent material that you can leave all over your home. You can get some peppermint plants as well.

Cat pee will also scare them off. You obviously don't have a cat but I'm sure someone you know does. Ask to collect their waste and put it into containers that you can place near the openings where the mice are getting into.

Teyla Emmagan

There is food somewhere in the apartment, or at least nearby. At this stage of the year they should be moving outside. You need to make the place a mouse hostile environment (nothing to eat) so they don't come back after the summer. Up to homestore & more to buy a rake of plastic containers with you. Put everything you and the guinea pigs eat into them. And then clean like crazy.

athtrasna

Recent thread in the accommodation and property forum about mice. Have a look there

Bambi985

i had this problem when I first moved to London. Bought a few of those electronic sound repellent devices that you plug into a socket and they worked a treat. Maybe give that a shot along with cleaning the hell out of the place and sealing all of your food and bins. you should be able to find them in hardware shops.

elusiveguy

Bambi985 wrote: »

... electronic sound repellent devices that you plug into a socket and they worked a treat....

Will probably drive the pet rodents mental

If you used poison, the other mice could be eating the dead ones. Trap, don't poison.

faceman

A family member was an exterminator. He said that if you have 1 mouse you have hundreds. Poison is all that works. You will need to put down more OP. Put it in your attic, hot press and the room where you see them most. (Obviously of you have kids or pets keep them away)

I went through a similar thing years ago when there was building going on near the estate.

You seem to be an animal lover ... how would you feel about fostering a cat? Not a "forever" pet (although that's up to you ) but maybe you could look into fostering for a few days/weeks.