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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is the Landlord responsible?

34 replies

pedropony76 · 10/08/2022 11:05

Started a similar thread yesterday so sorry to be annoying!

I private rent and just wanted to know if I had a serious problem with mice if it’s the Landlord’s responsibility to do something about it? Currently have mice which ex dp is dealing with however they seem to reside in the kitchen.

The kitchen is attached to the living room with only a doorway and no door. There’s also no door in the living room meaning I can’t just close the door and shut them in a specific room. In the kitchen near the over there’s a MASSIVE open space underneath one of the cupboards. However the way the kitchen is set up, no one could physically get under there to put steel wool in any gaps etc. Maybe someone from pest control could get through but even then I’m not sure.

I have a 3 month old and 15 month old too. Is it unreasonable to send an email and expect the Landlord to have some sort of involvement seeing as this is his property? Even if he could call pest control to have a look at the space underneath the cupboard and do something about it?

OP posts:
Smorgasbordbaby · 10/08/2022 11:15

I'm unsure of the law in the UK so can't help there but I recommend a plug-in repellent like this this one. They've worked wonders for me in the past.

LIZS · 10/08/2022 11:18

Email ll and ask if they will contact pest control or should you? Do you rent via an agent? The council may have a team or subcontract it to a preferred company at a fixed rate.

Original poster
pedropony76 · 10/08/2022 11:25

Thank you for the link @Easywhenyouknowit that’s realy helpful.

@LIZS yeah I rent through an estate agent so my email would go to them and they’d pass it on. That’s what I wondered. I wanted to email and ask if he’ll be willing to call pest control but I have a feeling he won’t want to pay

OP posts:
hedgehoglurker · 10/08/2022 11:36

Your contract should tell you about pest control responsibilities, whether landlord or tenant. But the hole should certainly be reported and any decent landlord would want their property kept in good order.

HotCaterpillar · 10/08/2022 11:40

Could you try some mouse traps/repellent first? Seems a bit overkill and needy to get pest control via the landlord when you could easily solve yourself most likely?

Badfootkk · 10/08/2022 11:50

Was there any signs of activity when you moved in,?

Bazzels · 10/08/2022 11:57

Private or Social rent, Its now not the landlords responsibility. We had birds nesting in our facias and we tried to fight it with our landlord even got the MP involved. In the end we had to pay for the birds to be removed ourselves - They come under pest.
Though we did find out after that if we had gone through the local council environmental pest people it would have been cheaper for us

Apparently it all changes to tenant responsibility in 2020 if that helps.

ivykaty44 · 10/08/2022 12:04

If you buy mouse poison, don’t just put a few pieces down - put 2/3 bags in one area - this helps

whirlyhead · 10/08/2022 12:10

Quite honestly it doesn't matter what you do, you will always have mice/rats etc. I've had pest control out countless times over rats and they just come back. They are everywhere! I'd recommend getting a cat.

FlyingSaucerss · 10/08/2022 12:28

I have a cat and still get mice....

MatildaTheCat · 10/08/2022 12:36

If the property was pest free when you moved in then it’s your issue to resolve. Virtually every property is subject to this sort of problem. There are multiple ways to deal with them.

Original poster
pedropony76 · 10/08/2022 12:37

I don’t think there’s anything in my contract about who’s liable. I’m also not allowed pets so can’t get a cat🙃

There was no sign of activity of any mice when I moved in but the area it’s come from is definitely that open space under the cupboard!

@HotCaterpillar in my OP I’ve mentioned that ex dp will be dealing with the mice. He has traps set up etc. I’m simply asking about the Landlord’s involvement for if this situation gets serious

OP posts:
MatildaTheCat · 10/08/2022 12:54

Mice can enter through very tiny spaces, chimneys, floorboards and cracks, unless you live in a sealed box it’s pretty hard to mice proof a house. Surely you can poke something into the gaps you can see? And ensure there is no food whatsoever to encourage them..

If it’s any consolation we had a big invasion of rats this year.

Original poster
pedropony76 · 10/08/2022 13:15

So basically there’s nothing the Landlord is responsible for and there’s no point sending an email?!

OP posts:
SunThroughTheCloudsAt6am · 10/08/2022 13:24

I've had the best luck using live traps and peanut butter (I don't want them crawling off and dieing where I can't get to them, nor do I want the mess of 'traditional' traps.

Mind you, I live in the country, and the only reason I get mice in the house is when the cats bring them in and let them run off, I don't have a nesting issue.

Definitely make sure all food is well sealed (not just packets, in hard boxes) - although I found one had been nibbling at my sink sponges so they'll try anything, doesn't have to even be food left out.

Piggieinthemiddle · 10/08/2022 13:26

I think you should contact the landlord, even to just alert them to the situation. Mice can cause damage and you don't want to end up liable for that.

ann122 · 10/08/2022 13:29

pedropony76 · 10/08/2022 12:37

I don’t think there’s anything in my contract about who’s liable. I’m also not allowed pets so can’t get a cat🙃

There was no sign of activity of any mice when I moved in but the area it’s come from is definitely that open space under the cupboard!

@HotCaterpillar in my OP I’ve mentioned that ex dp will be dealing with the mice. He has traps set up etc. I’m simply asking about the Landlord’s involvement for if this situation gets serious

I recently had mice and my landlord sorted out pest control

Naunet · 10/08/2022 13:38

Of course you should report it to the landlord, you didn’t create the hole in the,itches!

Naunet · 10/08/2022 13:38

Ugh, bloody typos. You didn’t create the hole in the kitchen

Original poster
pedropony76 · 10/08/2022 13:42

Thank you all.

I have such a shit landlord who makes a problem out of everything so I wasn’t sure if it was worth the hassle. I’ll send an email now especially as that open space under the cupboard is ridiculous

OP posts:
LoveMyADHD · 10/08/2022 13:47

whirlyhead · 10/08/2022 12:10

Quite honestly it doesn't matter what you do, you will always have mice/rats etc. I've had pest control out countless times over rats and they just come back. They are everywhere! I'd recommend getting a cat.

My lovely cat brought me half a mouse on my pillow 😼

Badfootkk · 10/08/2022 13:56

I would email the LL , telling them of the activity and what you have done to deter them and not your observations about the potential routes the mice are taking. Then in a little while email them, if there is still activity and ask them how they are going to fix. ( I think legally they don't have to do anything unless they were there when you moved in- I think I've of the reasons is the LL may day that the tenant is encouraging them, not saying you are btw)

Badfootkk · 10/08/2022 13:57

Sorry, email them to say what you have done AND your observations

Discovereads · 10/08/2022 14:05

It’s your responsibility to deal with pest infestations, not the LLs. The only thing you might be able to get them to do is repair any exterior access points (holes in exterior walls, holes in roof or under eaves, holes under/beside exterior doors, holes in floor) because exterior maintenance is always the LLs responsibility.

For your kitchen, the cupboards are just screwed to the wall. You can unscrew them and pull them out to access behind them to put in sealant with medium steel wool embedded in it into any mouse holes. Mice & rats can also come up drains and access your house via a sink or toilet too.

You can buy traps and start trapping them. You want to act fast as in 3 months one pregnant mouse can have over 60 descendants running around.

If this is beyond you, try using pest control through your local council if it’s one that still offers cheap pest control. Many councils do not, so you may have to call in a professional pest control company.