Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

Original poster

Private rented flat with sealed loft

15 replies

WotsitMum · 21/12/2021 19:54

Ive been in a private rented flat above a shop for 5 months. The inventory states 'sealed loft no access' ive never questioned it, its a sealed hatch in my en-suite.

Ive now heard scurrying above a few times. I think it could be mice in the loft but im not sure how far the loft goes along the flat. Or could it just be birds on the flat roof?

Do I contact the estate agents with my concerns or will they think im mad if they dont discover anything or turns out the loft dosent go above the living room/kitchen or im just hearing things?

Is it a concern to my flat if the loft is sealed?

OP posts:

SpellBounds · 21/12/2021 19:55

Probably squirrels or rats. Worth checking out. Even though it's sealed its worth them checking and pest controlling as necessary. YANBU.

llambingtime · 21/12/2021 19:57

If they aren't coming into your flat it doesn't matter does it? I certainly wouldn't worry about squirrels anyway.

Itloggedmeoutagain · 21/12/2021 19:57

If it's mice they won't care if it's sealed!
Contact the landlord

Jarstastic · 21/12/2021 20:05

We are currently renting. The landlord uses the loft for storage we have been hearing similar and went into loft. It was like one of those tv programmes about hoarders!!

But we could only see historic evidence. And where we heard the noise is in an extension not in the bit directly below the loft. We are not quite sure where. Could be mice but I think it is squirrels. Have bought a strong plug in repeller and haven’t heard noises since.

SpellBounds · 21/12/2021 20:06

@llambingtime

If they aren't coming into your flat it doesn't matter does it? I certainly wouldn't worry about squirrels anyway.

Squirrels are hugely destructive and breed like rats. They're just as bad as rats in your loft and chewed through my neighbours wiring and all sorts.

SarahAndQuack · 21/12/2021 20:29

I would tell the LL. If it's sealed there's no way they could imagine it's your fault. We recently had rats in our loft dealt with and it was very non-intrusive really - someone came out a couple of times from the council and did his thing, it wasn't any more of a pain than getting the boiler serviced or whatever else the LL might organise to have done while you're there.

Original poster

WotsitMum · 21/12/2021 21:06

My lanslord isant the type to get on with things and deal with them. Put it this way i have a kitchen draw that is screwed shut as its easier for him to screw it shut than to instal new runners for the draw to run on! And the shower rail was broken when we looked arround and we asked if it would be fixed before moving in which we were told it would be... he pinned it up with a chain in the middle, it looks awful. When we moved in i noticed the toilet took a good few pulls to flush so i reported it and the landlord sent out his 'maintance guy' who spent all day in my bathroom, took the whole toilet appart, put it back together and left, the toilet was even worse after that and then he sent out the 'maintance guy' annother 3 times before calling out a plummer who fixed the toilet flush in half an hour. I dont have direct contact with him, i go through the estate agents with any problems etc. I can just see the landlord sending out the maintance guy and making a mess getting access to the loft which looks glued shut, theres no screws in sight, not properly looking, telling me im mad and hearing things and leaving me to clear up the mess, like he did with the toilet situation🙄

OP posts:

CruCru · 21/12/2021 21:10

Sounds like your landlord is someone who gives landlords a bad name. It does make me cross. Being a landlord is a business - someone who rents out an asset and in return maintains it. It’s amazing how many people don’t do that.

EinsteinaGogo · 21/12/2021 21:14

I know you've said it's sealed - is there any access at all?

You can buy rat and mouse poison to put into loft, if you can get in.

Thelnebriati · 21/12/2021 21:18

Where is your water tank, and does it have a lid? Ask him to sort that out first, before anyone puts poison down.

Riskyrice · 21/12/2021 21:22

We have a sealed loft, which I think is accessed through a wierd tiny door in the bathroom that is screwed shut (I'm itching to unscrew it in case there's a terrifying secret room but dp talked me out of it) I think it's shut off because it's a really old building, and I think the attic is probably connected to other neighbours attics (it used to be one massive cottage)

Let the LL know, it sounds a bit wierd that it's glued shut, that could make it difficult to get in if he doesn't bother doing anything. he sounds like a twit.

Original poster

WotsitMum · 21/12/2021 21:25

@EinsteinaGogo i wish i could get access but i just dont see a way other than breaking the glued looking seal arround the edge of the hatch. A family member works for a pest control company so would be up there sorting it in no time!

OP posts:

Original poster

WotsitMum · 21/12/2021 21:27

@Thelnebriati im guessing the water tank is in the loft!

OP posts:

Thelnebriati · 21/12/2021 21:31

I don't think he can seal off the access to the tank or water pipes in the loft (but the laws have changed on what LL can do so I'm not sure.) Talk to Shelter, if they're open. What if there was an emergency like a burst pipe?

Selkiesarereal · 21/12/2021 22:44

It maybe sealed shut as a safety feature. A lot of old buildings in m city have shared loft space so if someone was to gain access further down the building and yours wasn’t sealed they would be able to gain access.

Flip