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Original poster

Landlady refusing to treat flea infestation.

46 replies

SapphireSeptember · 16/02/2022 01:09

The situation is thus. Cat got in the house through an open window and left some 'friends' behind. Landlady responded by saying whoever is letting the cats in needs to pay for treatment, as they shouldn't be getting in as all doors and windows should be shut and locked at all times. No one is letting the cats in, they're coming in by themselves! And we need to open the windows occasionally, otherwise we get mould problems instead.
I reported it though the correct channels on Friday night and the case has been closed. It's a HMO, landlady doesn't live here. What can I do about this?
I'm the only one who seems to get bitten, and I get a nasty reaction to the little buggers, although one of my housemates ended up with two in his tea this morning! We also got fleas about a year ago in similar circs, next door has three cats. I can understand it's frustrating for her to pay for treatment, but she doesn't have to live with it!

OP posts:

FindingMeno · 16/02/2022 06:31

I've always assumed that fleas/ wasp nests/ mice are up to me, as the tenant, to sort out.

TidyDancer · 16/02/2022 07:04

Check your tenancy agreement to see what (if anything) is stated about pest control but I do agree with pretty much everyone else - this problem wasn't caused by the landlady so unless it's explicitly stated that she will pay for any and all treatments, I can't understand why you think she should.

voxnihili · 16/02/2022 07:11

@FruminariaBandersnatcheosum - it’s £11.98 on Amazon. Bigger packs work out cheaper per bottle.

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Cats

Roselilly36 · 16/02/2022 07:17

@eekbumbler

Another vote for Indorex, it's the only thing that works. For sake of a tenner just get a can and spray it everywhere.

This.

imip · 16/02/2022 07:18

It isn’t the landlords issue. Indorex will solve it. We were flea ridden. At the time we had kittens but we had not let them outside because they had not been vaccinated or neutered yet. We missed that fleas could have ‘hitchhiked’ online if our kids visiting a house house with a pet and then it can onto out kittens. By the time we realised, we were all being bitten. Indorex sorted it.

loveisagirlnameddaisy · 16/02/2022 07:22

It's an HMO which makes more things a LL responsibility than for a single let.

I would say it's the responsibility of the tenant who caused the problem. However the LL has a health and safety responsibility to the other tenants who aren't involved.

Ilkleymoor · 16/02/2022 07:28

Indorex. And vaccum everywhere for th eggs, wash any soft materials that you can. You will need to do indorex once a year around the same time for a couple of years to be sure they have gone. Your issue, not landlords.

JuneOsborne · 16/02/2022 07:31

I think that because it's a HMO the landlord has responsibility here. I think a lot of the replies are from people thinking it's a private let, which is different.

Contact shelter or your LAs housing department for advice.

HotPenguin · 16/02/2022 07:36

Fleas can't complete their life cycle without an animal host (not a human) so it's hard to believe you could get such a serious infestation without animal living in the house. Are you sure someone isn't keeping a pet?

Im2022 · 16/02/2022 07:42

But technically you let the cat in. Surely you’d want to treat the fleas straightaway rather than wait for the landlady?

Buy a can or 2 of indorex and spray it everywhere. It will kill the eggs and fleas but do it over a few days in all corners and books, in your bed frame, mattress. Everywhere.

FurryAntiWaxer · 16/02/2022 08:40

You don't get a flea infestation like this from one short visit. Is it possible the cat is visiting all hours?

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 16/02/2022 08:45

@Abigail12345654321

The landlady didn’t cause the infestation. The tenants did.

Hoover regularly (daily) and tumble dry all clothes and bed linen and bath linen. Should get them under control. But you need to keep cleaning.

I’m not a fan of bug bombs. You can resolve without them with good hygiene.

Definitely neither the landlady’s fault nor her responsibility to resolve!

That's simply not true.

OP you need to buy some Indorex spray from Amazon,it's about £11. Follow the instructions on the can.

LaBellina · 16/02/2022 08:48

I think it’s on the tenants and not the landlady. If it’s caused by next doors cats then have a chat with them (also about animal welfare, cats shouldn’t be walking around covered in fleas )

Original poster

SapphireSeptember · 16/02/2022 10:13

To clarify a few things. It's a HMO (house share.) There are four other people who live here. If it was just me by myself I'd take responsibility, but it's not. I can treat my room, but I can't go in other people's rooms, and I'm not responsible for the communal areas of the house either.
Added to that my landlady got the pest controller out last time, and on the problem reporting site we have to use there's a section for insects (including fleas.) I'm sure it's her responsibility, so why is she saying someone else has to pay this time? It's not like she's said that about other things that have gone wrong more than once since I've been living here.
I also don't like leaving the windows wide open, someone else is, and I keep putting them on the latch, but then they're wide open again. I think it was my landlady saying the doors and windows need to be closed and locked at all times that I found ridiculous. (And yes, there have been mould problems as well, and when that happened we were told to keep the windows open!)
And why do I feel like I'm going to end up paying for treatment anyway, even though it's not my fault? Even the cat might be blameless, if it's eggs that have hatched.

OP posts:

LaBellina · 16/02/2022 10:15

That sounds like a nightmare. I couldn’t live in a place with reoccurring flea infestations, that’s just disgusting…sorry OP.
I would move if possible.

thereisonlyoneofme · 16/02/2022 10:17

Dont go to the vets for Indorex, I got charged £32 at mine. Thought you could only get it through vets, but found out now its about £12 on line !

Abigail12345654321 · 16/02/2022 10:26

@SapphireSeptember

To clarify a few things. It's a HMO (house share.) There are four other people who live here. If it was just me by myself I'd take responsibility, but it's not. I can treat my room, but I can't go in other people's rooms, and I'm not responsible for the communal areas of the house either. Added to that my landlady got the pest controller out last time, and on the problem reporting site we have to use there's a section for insects (including fleas.) I'm sure it's her responsibility, so why is she saying someone else has to pay this time? It's not like she's said that about other things that have gone wrong more than once since I've been living here. I also don't like leaving the windows wide open, someone else is, and I keep putting them on the latch, but then they're wide open again. I think it was my landlady saying the doors and windows need to be closed and locked at all times that I found ridiculous. (And yes, there have been mould problems as well, and when that happened we were told to keep the windows open!) And why do I feel like I'm going to end up paying for treatment anyway, even though it's not my fault? Even the cat might be blameless, if it's eggs that have hatched.

When I lived in HMOs I would have asked the others to meet so we could all discuss it and then share the cost of fixing whatever it was and if that means they all need to take action in parallel (hoovering/washing clothes etc) then you discuss and agree all they. Assuming you are all adults I’m not seeing the issue. Share the work of the communal area.

Abigail12345654321 · 16/02/2022 10:28

She may be refusing to pay because a few fleas wouldn’t have become an infestation if you had all been cleaning your rooms and communal areas regularly, so I do have some sympathy for her.

FazedNotPhased · 16/02/2022 10:35

Your principle of refusing to take responsibility is ultimately cutting off your nose to spite your face. Buy some Indorex, spray it, get some window mesh.

The problem lies with your housemates, not the landlady. Why should she keep paying for treatments when clearly the problem with reoccur? Talk to them like an adult and work out a solution.

Birchtree1 · 16/02/2022 10:44

Not the landladies responsibility !
There is a good product on market called Indorex flea spray. It treats the house very reliably. Spray hoover filter too and throw out hoover bag/ wash out dysentery etc. it’s less than £20 online

LaChanticleer · 16/02/2022 10:51

Stop letting the cats in!

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