34 weeks pregnant and just found out we have a rat infestation

[elizabethxxx]

Hello!

my boyfriend and I recently moved into our new rented property about 3 months ago. Since then I had occasionally heard scraping/scratching behind the walls (mainly in our bedroom on my side of the bed). It got really bad a few weeks ago where I heard them everywhere for about 10 minutes and got to the point where I could hear something very heavy on the landing, luckily my screaming seemed to scare it away.

we had a rat man come to look at it today who was sent by the agency we rent from. He has found a huge hole on the roof of our second bedroom which leads out to a balcony, a hole in our bathroom where they potentially came out the day I heard something on the landing. And also a second big hole on the outside wall of the kitchen. He had said they are using it as a rat run and it’s a rat paradise. I spoke to my neighbour today who had also said he has rats. The rat man said he has laid bait so it’s more than likely there will be a lot of movement/noises over next few days whilst they go for the bait.

iv spoken to the agency who are going to look into getting us temporary accommodation whilst it’s being sorted. I stated I don’t feel comfortable staying there whilst they are running around, also being pregnant and working from home I am there all the time. I am staying at my families right now, as I do want to freak myself out anymore or see any of them running around!

but after some discussion with my family I really want to end our tenancy on the ground that it’s not habitable for me to bring a newborn baby back into. Especially as potentially they could come back seeming as next door have same issue. Or if the work they carry out doesn’t work and they return. I don’t feel comfortable with the rats being on the other side of the walk from where my newborn will sleep. Or in the bathroom/generally running around.

has anyone else experienced this? If so what can be done? Also AIBU for wanting to move before the baby comes?

TIA XX

Rats are part of living in towns. You get the council to come and deal with them and move on. It's not a big deal.

If you end your tenancy where will you live?

It is a big deal when you’ve more than one rat running around your home and several points of entry for the rats to gain access.

You get the council out to bait it. You get your landlord to block the access. Both are easier than ending a lease and finding somewhere else.

Omg this is awful! What will you do if your tenancy ends? I wouldn’t bring a newborn into the home either. Rats have been known to gnaw on defenceless babies, particularly their fingers and toes.

Agree awful situation. Having a newborn is wonderful and stressful in itself - you can't risk a newborn around rats, or at least I wouldn't!! We had an infestation in our street (luckily we were okay) but a neighbour's puppy died from weil's disease, I believe transferred from rat urine in the garden! So sad. I would hope the agency would support you!

Honestly, if you cant get another place to rent in time, would moving in with your mum be an option until some comes up? I definitely wouldn't want to bring a newborn into a rat infestation.

Has this been going on for 3 months? It’s likely to have got worse over that time, if they were not being baited.

So .., as someone who has been though this. M

No available food anywhere.. everything packed away, not even crumbs.

The holes need blocking, firstly put scrunched up carrier bags in them, so you can see if they are using it as an in or an out (try to work out the run)

Contact Housing Standards at the Council - they can make sure that your landlord is doing the work, which includes blocking the holes. They may also bait the drains. Ours looked round the neighbourhood and got people to tidy up crap from thier gardens.

Constant baiting will get the numbers down, but you need to block the holes as well.

We own our house, so we couldn’t move .. but I understand how you are feeling, it’s horrible.

Not all councils come out, ours don’t. They direct you to a private company and I presume the council get a cut of what you pay the private firm for.
No advice OP but I would feel exactly the same.

The bait should see them off. Once no more movement you need to block the holes. One issue you may have is one (or two) dying in the walls and giving off an awful smell

I really, really feel for you. We had a flea infestation while I was heavily pregnant and I remember just sobbing and sobbing - I was hormonal and wanted to be nesting, not dealing with an infestation!

Realistically, though, a newborn is the best age of child to have in that house - they're not going to be crawling around the floors, there's no risk they'll get hold of the bait, etc. I wouldn't risk being homeless with a baby, but I would absolutely be pressing and insisting that the problem is dealt with permanently, with the access for the rats fully blocked up.

It is absolutely a big deal. It’s also not “part of living in towns” to have a rat infestation.

We actually live in a small village. Reasonably near a river. I think this issue was existing before we moved in as it was empty, and also used as an Airbnb occasionally :(

I really that the law should require a cooling off period for rental leases for any problems hidden by the lessor to become apparent and for you to be able to cancel your lease.

It’s frustrating that you view the property. The agent obviously lies to get you in and then you are stuck for 6 months+

When I was looking at properties I saw a few with clear signs of rodent infestation. The agent tried to lie to me. I felt sorry for the poor bugger after me who would not have noticed.

Are you a slumlord per chance?

Yeah I find near Parks and water rats are a bigger deal. I had one on my patio of a place I lived at opposite a park. I never went onto the patio again for the three years I lived there. Where have all the holes come from?

Oh you got me. Multiple HMOs with depressed tenants.

Obviously not, I'm just realistic and not hysterical about other creatures being in existence 🙄

Yabu. You get the council out to identify wherw they're getting in and put down bait. Then get the landlord to come out and fill in any holes. It's only a big deal if you don't act.

The weird thing is they seem to be mostly upstairs where there is no food etc . For context we have two bedrooms upstairs, the spare room has a large balcony off it. This is where they have chewed a hole in the fascia/roof and got into the frame of the building. However there is a hole in the bathroom where they are able to get into the house. This is also connected they think with the whole they have chewed into the kitchen. Thankfully they haven’t got into the kitchen just the frame. So I’m just going to carry on storing food away properly etc as only matter time before they gain entry to kitchen if it doesn’t get fixed soon as they sounded huge 😟😟😟😟

They have chewed the holes from the outside balcony roof/fascia. It’s weird though as it’s in the spare room and in the outside wall of the kitchen. Before we moved in the house was empty and used as an Airbnb (we live in Cornwall) so I think they probably had free rein for a while. Though our neighbour has rats too so I’m not confident it will be fixed if he also doesn’t get it fixed 😟😟😟😟

That’s horrific, tell the agents to sort it, block the holes etc and speak to the council.

I am hoping we will find somewhere else to rent asap! Xx

Farmers cope with them and manage to have children

There might be rats in fields but around the house they’d absolutely be dealt with. I live in the countryside and when I moved in as an innocent city dweller and got chickens a kindly farmer explained that I’d need some humane rat traps and an air gun to dispatch any furry visitors.

That way you don’t poison other wildlife.