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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to expect landlord to replace kitchen?

147 replies

MiceProblems · 02/08/2023 15:28

We got the keys to a rented property on the 11th July, and haven't yet been able to move in, the main reason (among several) is we've discovered a mouse infestation in the kitchen.

The inside of the kitchen cabinets and drawers are saturated with mice droppings and urine, so much so that the laminated cover is peeling up from the corners from clearly being repeatedly peed on. There was also a nest in the far corner of a cupboard where a bag of old rice had been left over, with thousands of mice droppings and chewed up plastic and paper surrounding it.

The EA's maintenance team has been out to put down rat poison (they put it outside the property, just sprinkled it around the perimeter? I did knock on the neighbours who I'm aware have cats to let them know this!). They've said they'll be back this Thursday to assess and they'll be replacing a brick vent which is the suspected entry point. All fine, I suppose, it is what it is.

Here's the problem, I now really don't want to use the cupboards/drawers to store my plates and cutlery and whatnot. If it was one or two mice and their urine hadn't soaked into the chipwood beneath, then fine, I'd give it a good bleach and get on with it. But knowing there have been a whole family of mice living there at some point, and the soft wood beneath the laminated part has pee soaked into it?! I want it replaced!
I don't know how long the mice have been there, as I discovered some plastic bags bunched up and stuffed into holes behind the sink, presumably put there by the previous occupant to keep the rodents out, and I'm aware the house had been vacant for at least 4 months before I went for it.
The landlord of the property is flatly refusing to replace anything and has said it's fine and isn't an issue in his opinion. EA have said they do agree with me, however they can't go against the LLs wishes.
He's (LL) offered a £200 reduction in our first months rent (for the unrelated fact the kitchen is covered is grease and grime) as his contribution to a professional cleaner, which IMO should have already been sorted prior to letting the property, so we're not really getting any special discount with that.

What the fuck do I do?! Is this allowed? Is there somebody I can contact? I just want to bloody move into the house that I've had the keys for for 3 weeks without the kitchen being soaked in mouse piss!

OP posts:
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13
Theunamedcat · 02/08/2023 15:32

Maybe call shelter? Or environmental health

I suppose this is the only house your able to get?

You might have to line it and live with it until the end of your agreement

Theunamedcat · 02/08/2023 15:33

Also are you PAYING rent for all this time you cannot use the property?

Pinkitydrinkity · 02/08/2023 15:33

I think if you are actually unable to move in then the landlord has to pay for alternative accommodation. But if it’s just a case of you can but don’t want to, then they don’t have to.

I get the kitchen must be a bit grim, but I think expecting it to be replaced is unreasonable. I own my own home and would not be able to justify replacing a whole kitchen because of mice. It would cost at least £5k just for a small kitchen!

RememberWhy · 02/08/2023 15:34

Did you not see the place before signing the paperwork? If it's this bad it couldn't have been OK a couple of weeks before for viewings, right?

Cosyblankets · 02/08/2023 15:37

So you signed for a property that was covered in grease and grime?
Also it is not legal to just scatter poison it has to be in a bait box

Lindy2 · 02/08/2023 15:38

I'd say the whole place needs a professional clean which the landlord should arrange and pay for.

Perhaps say you are contacting Environmental Health and your local council for advice.

Do you still want to move into this property?

Fizzology · 02/08/2023 15:39

Are you in the UK? Who is scattering poison outside??

Original poster
MiceProblems · 02/08/2023 15:47

Yeah, so we're still paying for the time we're not actually able to move in. We had a few other issues on top of this that prevented us from moving in immediately (the gas hob just didn't work at all, neither did the extractor fan, and above the cupboards and kitchen sides had a layer of heavy grime and grease that was causing the kitchen to smell heavily of old spices). Maintenance sorted out the bulk at around 2.5 weeks, so we had asked if the LL would consider giving us a reduction in rent since we weren't actually able to move in with these issues. He just offered the £200 towards a professional cleaner...

I did see the place (briefly) before I applied, however I didn't look inside the cupboards and didn't think to check for mice at all, I was aware of a smell but since the rest of the property is ideal, I thought a bit of elbow grease and a general cleaning refresh would do the trick, which I was happy to do since it's the ideal size and location, and honestly, the rest of the house is really nice!

We thought about asking the landlord to go halves, eg. Asking him to buy materials for the kitchen and we would pay for the labour of refitting a kitchen, or vice versus. Genuinely don't know if AIBU with it! I'll see if I can attach pics

OP posts:
Original poster
MiceProblems · 02/08/2023 15:48

Fizzology · 02/08/2023 15:39

Are you in the UK? Who is scattering poison outside??

Yeah, NW UK! I was shocked too! I hadn't taken anything with me to clean it up/contain, and thought the EA might tell me off if I did! So I just let the neighbours know.

OP posts:
AHugeTinyMistake · 02/08/2023 15:53

Tbh mate I would contact environmental health and see if there's a way to get out of the contract. Mice are a massive issue and a bit of poison isn't going to do anything.

Once you've got an infestation it's gonna be really hard to keep on top of it.

Do you have children? I wouldn't want to have children in a house with mice.

This is as good as it's gonna get with this LL. His attitude is disgusting and it's not going to improve once you move in

I would honestly look for somewhere else to live, see if the agency will help you.

cestlavielife · 02/08/2023 15:54

Contact council housing private rent team to do inspection

Original poster
MiceProblems · 02/08/2023 15:54

Lindy2 · 02/08/2023 15:38

I'd say the whole place needs a professional clean which the landlord should arrange and pay for.

Perhaps say you are contacting Environmental Health and your local council for advice.

Do you still want to move into this property?

We do want to move in, yeah. It's the ideal location for school and work, and we've been looking for a really really long time for something that ticks these boxes to come up, so it would be really frustrating if we had to let it go.

OP posts:
mrsm43s · 02/08/2023 16:04

I think it is unreasonable to expect a new kitchen, but I think it is reasonable to have your rent refunded for the period of time you can't occupy and for the kitchen (and actually whole property as a good will gesture) to be professionally deep cleaned at your LLs expense.

HaveYouHeardOfARoadAtlas · 02/08/2023 16:14

The poisoned mice are probably going to die under the cupboards and stink the house out!

hedgehoglurker · 02/08/2023 16:17

How many units need replacing? Would you be able to change the most urine soaked carcasses yourselves and put the old doors and worktops back on?

Obviously not ideal, but I'm aware that rentals are incredibly hard to come by at the moment, and sometimes it is just simplest to do some repairs yourself when the landlord isn't willing.

Nopenopenopenopenopenope · 02/08/2023 16:22

If there was little choice but to take the flat I would probably just be pragmatic and get some furniture board an cut it to size to line the bottom of the pissy cupboard. Or some plastic sheeting. However I would be expecting the rent to only start being due after the property is actually fit to live in i.e. with a rentokil (or similar) plan in place and deep cleaned, both at the expense of the landlord.

NotMeNoNo · 02/08/2023 16:23

A carpenter could probably change the worst affected carcases for new cheap ones from B&Q. We did that in a rented house where a drawer unit had disintegrated. You can often just slide them out one at a time.

RecycleMePlease · 02/08/2023 16:29

Your landlord should definitely not be charging you for time you can't be living there, and at a bare minimum it should be professionally cleaned - what does the contract say about moving out? If it should be professionally cleaned on move out, it should be professionally cleaned before you move in.

On the kitchen, the bare minimum would be to remove all the shelves (they're removable in all the kitchen's I've had) and replace them - unless it's actually also got into the sides/carcasses/doors?

Fizzology · 02/08/2023 16:33

This LL is going to be a nightmare.

Yanbu - the affected kitchen furniture should be replaced. Contact Shelter for advice. It's a health hazard.

Then you should practise good mouse hygeine - all food stored in mouse-resistant containers in the cupboards, meticous cleaning after meals, etc.

UncertainSmiler · 02/08/2023 16:35

This LL is going to be a nightmare.

yep.

VanCleefArpels · 02/08/2023 16:39

As a landlord I’d pay for the pest control and a deep clean but replacing cupboards is expecting too much. You could line the relevant cupboard with plastic or have MDF cut to fit at very little cost. I also think not moving in for want of a kitchen clean is a bit extreme and would not entertain any claim for rent paid during the period of your disinclination to live there.

Original poster
MiceProblems · 02/08/2023 17:21

VanCleefArpels · 02/08/2023 16:39

As a landlord I’d pay for the pest control and a deep clean but replacing cupboards is expecting too much. You could line the relevant cupboard with plastic or have MDF cut to fit at very little cost. I also think not moving in for want of a kitchen clean is a bit extreme and would not entertain any claim for rent paid during the period of your disinclination to live there.

But it's not for want of a kitchen clean, is it? It's because there are mice shitting in the house and it hasn't been dealt with and entry points haven't yet been sealed.

I mentioned above I'm good with cleaning. I don't know how I'd clean mice pee out of soft wood where I'd store my clean dishes.

OP posts:
Original poster
MiceProblems · 02/08/2023 17:22

VanCleefArpels · 02/08/2023 16:39

As a landlord I’d pay for the pest control and a deep clean but replacing cupboards is expecting too much. You could line the relevant cupboard with plastic or have MDF cut to fit at very little cost. I also think not moving in for want of a kitchen clean is a bit extreme and would not entertain any claim for rent paid during the period of your disinclination to live there.

That's a good idea! The MDF. I will look into this

OP posts:
AHugeTinyMistake · 02/08/2023 17:22

VanCleefArpels · 02/08/2023 16:39

As a landlord I’d pay for the pest control and a deep clean but replacing cupboards is expecting too much. You could line the relevant cupboard with plastic or have MDF cut to fit at very little cost. I also think not moving in for want of a kitchen clean is a bit extreme and would not entertain any claim for rent paid during the period of your disinclination to live there.

Don't be disingenuous

It's A MOUSE INFESTATION

the fact it hasn't been cleaned & half the appliances weren't working just adds to the problem, it's not the major issue

OP has been quite clear.

Lindy2 · 02/08/2023 17:43

This is what happens when the Government cause so many good landlords to sell up. You get left with unscrupulous landlords who don't care about all the rules and regulations because they don't follow them.

I hope you manage to get it sorted OP. I am a landlord (a good one) and other landlords behaving like this and families having to put up with it, because of the lack of available properties now, makes me very annoyed.

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