A barrel of human poo in the back garden of sister's rented house.

[AvengingAngel]

My sister has been in a rented house for nearly two years and the last tenants left a barrel of human poo in the back garden. This is not a joke. Despite numerous attempts to get the Estate Agents to move it, it has not happened, even though promises have been made. I know she dearly wants to stay in the house, but come on! Any advice? Please??

Without knowing if it contains viruses or parasites Marne. You know, annoying stuff like Hep B/C, tapeworms, liver flukes etc? Really?

There is an old mediaeval abbey hospital site near the Borders where the midden still remains a bio-hazard hundreds of years later.

Lots of pathogens remain active for years.

Clearly rainydays was brimful of confidence when dealing with such things at 21.

No actually I never had to deal with barrels of poo in my back garden.

But does anyone know that it actually is human poo? i would have thought after 2 years any kind of poo would have rotted away and things like tapeworm would not still be there. I would put on rubber gloves, old clothes (chuck them away after) and get rid of it.

But really the landlord should have got rid of it, you could always pay for it to be removed and send the landlord the bill?

My dh clears houses, often after people have died (and havn't been found for weeks), he often has to deal with dirty discusting things, someone has to do it.

Seriously bad advice marne. What about airborne pathogens? I'm sure your dh wears at least a face mask when clearing houses.

poo troll?

Yes how do we know it's poo? It could be something else like rust from iron that's mixed with something else to look like poo.

oh surely the neighbours must have complained by now.

Ok, she's read the thread and is calling EH now. Apparently the reason they gave her before for not moving it, is as well as it being on provate property, is BECAUSE it's human waste. Also top five inches have turned into a white and black crust. (TMI sorry)

Why on earth is she worried about being evicted unles she has broken the tenancy agreement? Very strange situation and your sister sounds like a bloody wet blanket, come on. Two years?? The house can't be THAT nice.

No way is she moving it. She's said she refuses to!

Marne - the reason parasites are so successful is because they can survive for a very long time. And so can some viruses.

And if your DH clears houses etc. he will have been provided with specialist protective clothing like biohazard suits, masks and gloves.

If he doesn't wear this type of thing then his employers are breaching health and safety guidelines.

That's Bizarre Avenging that EH say they can't do anything because it's human waste - that's mad!

Rust doesn't smell anything like human waste.

Just waiting to see what they say this time. They don't realise they are up against my sister AND the mumsnet possee!

Why on earth does everyone thing the Agent should move it? Did he produce it?

No Mintyy the agent didn't. But then neither did the tenant.
This is down to the landlord.

Ok just heard back. After being passed through numerous departments the guy on the phone said "to be honest I've never heard of anything like it and we don't know how to deal with it." Her name and number have been taken and passed on to someone who specialises in poo.

Yes, of course it is down to the Landlord. And I don't suppose that poor person produced it either. Your sister needs to threaten to move out. The idea of no rent coming in might galvanise the LL into action.

"someone who specialises in poo"

Well, fingers crossed they get on it! If she doesn't hear back soon then make sure she chivvies them on.

We have something called SEPA (Scottish Environmental Protection Agency) and I'm not sure if this would be their remit BUT they do deal with industrial pollution and suchlike so do you have an equivalent body? Might an organisation like that help?

Mintyy I'm guessing becuse he rented the OP's sister a house that was a health hazard. He doesn't have to do it himself, just get it sorted!

Of course he needs to get it sorted but I think op and her sister are being unrealistic if they just expect the agent to rock up and shove it in the back of his bmw and somehow magically make it disappear.

How grim? What is the white crush me wonders? :o

My parents get their cess pit emptied regularly by people who deal with poo. Such people do exist.

Who the hell manages to rent a house with a tub of excrement in it? It's not like they could have hidden it when your sister went to look at the house, considering the size...

This thread is testament to the need for landlords to inspect their property and a full inventory taken at the start of the tenancy.... One tub of excrement....check.

The Poominator?