How to kill rodents in old house?

[ArtisanLentilWeaver]

Mice and larger mice are moving in the air gap between lathe and plaster and solid stone plus in the gap between downstair ceiling and upstairs floor.
How do I get poison in without hacking holes or pulling skirting boards up? It is a rented house but landlord not interested.
The mice are gnawing to get into the bedroom and they climb up the lathe to get up the inside walls. The larger mice must have tunnelled under the house and they run about in the floor/ceiling gap - it does sound like someone moving around.

They are going to breed like mad in there and their nocturnal activity has to stop as we are all kept awake at night.
Any advice is welcome, thanks!

[HairyPorter]

? Your ll has to sort it out! Keep hassling him. Otherwise get the council involved

[ArtisanLentilWeaver]

Thanks.

I was honestly wondering if there was a gas or something that would kill the rodents but not us.
i will try the council and ask their advice.

[lalalonglegs]

GET A CAT!

[EachAndEveryHighway]

Environmental Health at the council should be able to help. When we had an infestation of 'larger mice' in the garden, the fellow who came out was fab.

[ArtisanLentilWeaver]

Thank you for all your replies.

Lala - I have copied and pinned your idea up on the fridge. I had not realised it has been years since my old boy went to the Great Mousery and I miss being a cat slave.

Yes, will call EH tomorrow to ask about the larger mice. One sounded like it was rolling a nut along the inside of the ceiling.

[beaglesaresweet]

but how would a cat help if they are inside walls? he can't cope with this numbewr of rodents coming through a gap from outside. You will need three cats minimum, to guard at that hole .

OP you are so funny re 'larger mice' - I could NEVER keep the humour up in your situation!

[GrendelsMum]

Yes, I think you need to talk to Environmental Health, and then possibly (?) talk to CAB about forcing your landlord to deal with the issue in an appropriate way, e.g. by telling him that you will arrange for the rodent control man to come out, but that you will hold back the appropriate sum from the rent.

I've found that a cat does help, actually. Can't get them in the walls, of course, but the little buggers can't come out of the walls without being breakfast.

[GrendelsMum]

p.s. we only have one or two mice come in in winter (can't see any gaps but I think they're climbing up the pergola and somehow getting in via the chimney???), which we find manageable.

[Sunnyshores]

You cant legally withhold rent from LL. But Environmental Health can serve notice to the landlord about getting the work done, or the house being a problem.

[GrendelsMum]

Isn't there some way that you can legally withhold rent to pay for remedial works after following certain specific procedures?

[Sunnyshores]

You cant legally withhold rent for ANY reason. A contract has been signed, you can no more withhold rent than the landlord can withhold the house.

[GrendelsMum]

Thanks! I always like to know these things, even if not actually personally useful.

[Frettchen]

Definitely keep on at your LL... Although I'd be worried about gas or poison as surely it'd just leave a load of rodent corpses in your walls, leading to smells and flies?

I would definitely second 'get a cat'... or a small pride of cats - they'll get the mouselings and larger mouselings when they've ventured out of your house, and slowly the mouse numbers will decrease. Plus... cats... What more need I say?

[jojane]

Our council sends out pest control free of charge for larger mice, came and put sown poison traps, showed us where it was likely they were coming in so we could put steel wall and this foam stuff in the gaps/around pipes etx. We also put gravel around the house to stop them digging etc.

[whataboutbob]

We had mice, so well fed and chubby they could barely bother to run across the kitchen when we walked in. Then we got a cat...within days they were out, and have never returned. The cat patrols the whole flat on a daily basis, and goes behind the kitchen units, it's like having a feline security guard. Plus the fact that she sleeps on DD1 bed and he no longer has night terrors because of that, she pays for her board.