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Original poster

Landlord/Agent won't pay cost of rat removal

39 replies

Newlywed84 · 01/11/2023 09:27

Advice please!

Woke to a rat in my child's bedroom at midnight - agents emergency help line went unanswered. Tried calling landlords pest control - also unanswered.

Was advised by another pest control that leaving it in the room would make it chew it's way out - so I had no choice but to pay £350 for an emergency company to come catch it. It was inside my kids bed!!

Landlord has now closed access points, but agent and landlord now refusing to reimburse me.

I feel the agent is at fault here - emergency line was unanswered, what choice did I have, who would sleep with a rat locked in their kids room?

I'm waiting to sign my new contract - so terrified of losing the house, I can't move right now! I'm a single mum having recently moved and caused my two kids huge upheaval - I need to stay.

But I feel so angry I'm left with this cost!

Any advice, do I have a decent argument here? Thinking I should go after agent rather than landlord since it's their failure to me as a tenant to provide help in an emergency?

OP posts:
PickledPurplePickle · 01/11/2023 09:39

How odd - have you got an issue with rats? Is this building in a state of disrepair? I'm trying to work out how / why the rat got in

SpinningSpiralBee · 01/11/2023 09:48

Pest control falls under the remit of the landlord

Not the tenant

Original poster
Newlywed84 · 01/11/2023 09:57

SpinningSpiralBee · 01/11/2023 09:48

Pest control falls under the remit of the landlord

Not the tenant

Agreed! But the issue they have is that I took matters into my own hands without seeeking landlord approval. So apparently that cost is mine.

But I had no choice at mid night with no answer on the agents emergency line. I can't see how that's my fault?

OP posts:
PickledPurplePickle · 01/11/2023 09:58

I think it depends on why and how the rat got in

I can't imagine how horrible that would have been

TheYearOfSmallThings · 01/11/2023 10:01

Honestly I think the pest removal company ripped you off there. If you opened the doors the rat would have left.

Is it a legitimate company? Did they give you a vat receipt etc?

Original poster
Newlywed84 · 01/11/2023 10:06

TheYearOfSmallThings · 01/11/2023 10:01

Honestly I think the pest removal company ripped you off there. If you opened the doors the rat would have left.

Is it a legitimate company? Did they give you a vat receipt etc?

Agreed it was expensive, but I asked others and the cost was £250 minimum and they wouldn't come at midnight.

They did give me receipt etc.

Honestly, it wouldn't have left! When I went into the bedroom it was hidden - pest control couldn't even locate it. For me to try and get the rat out of the room, down the hall and downstairs then navigate it out the door would have been impossible - it could have gone anywhere.

When we did locate it, and he tried to catch it - it was jumping, squealing and tried to bite. Not something I could have handled alone with a three year old and five year old. I'm alone!

The rat pooed all inside my kids bed, and got into the linens box and did more in there. It was beyond awful!

OP posts:
JIGNAJAY · 01/11/2023 10:15

What does it say in your contract about pests?

Original poster
Newlywed84 · 01/11/2023 10:23

JIGNAJAY · 01/11/2023 10:15

What does it say in your contract about pests?

Landlords responsibility - but his position is that he has laid out for this now and has closed the hole that was found. All of which he paid for.

But he won't pay for the emergency rat removal in the night - as this was without his approval.

I can understand his position but feel then that it's agents responsibility - since if the emergency line had answered!! I would have had an approved contractor doing that job, and cost covered

OP posts:
Crikeyalmighty · 01/11/2023 10:24

@Newlywed84 we had a similar thing with house keys not working on a new tenancy at 8pm (first time used) we had removals due round at 8am the next day - no one answering agents line- didn't know landlords direct number, so had to get a locksmith in for very expensive £320 special locks. Agent very very sniffy the next day - we did get them to cover the bill off but not even an apology on their part.

Original poster
Newlywed84 · 01/11/2023 10:30

Crikeyalmighty · 01/11/2023 10:24

@Newlywed84 we had a similar thing with house keys not working on a new tenancy at 8pm (first time used) we had removals due round at 8am the next day - no one answering agents line- didn't know landlords direct number, so had to get a locksmith in for very expensive £320 special locks. Agent very very sniffy the next day - we did get them to cover the bill off but not even an apology on their part.

Ouch how annoying! Glad you got your money back - similar issue then!

I'm so scared of pushing with complaint as I'm in the middle of signing new contract, and so I'm worried they will get rid of me if I kick up a fuss !

OP posts:
Oldthyme · 01/11/2023 10:41

Deep breaths.

Get the tenancy contract signed although IF you are an existing tenant, legally you are now on a “rolling” tenancy agreement and the Agent is making £££ off the LL by setting up a renewal contract. It’s unnecessary but lots of Agents do it.

Think about taking the Agent to the small claims court? Ring Shelter for advice. Did you take pics of rat poo etc?

You have been faced with a dreadful situation. I’m so sorry. Perhaps it would be an idea to look for alternative rental & quit out of there??

Smoochie4Eva · 01/11/2023 10:46

But the issue they have is that I took matters into my own hands without seeeking landlord approval. So apparently that cost is mine.

I had this exact same problem. Pest control located a huge hole in the wall and I paid £350 for mice proofing (Landlord had done fuck all tbh). The LL won’t reimburse me because I didn’t get his approval first despite the fact that I considered it to be an emergency.

We need somewhere to live for the meantime but I will be taking him to court once we leave! Not sure what else you can do other than get legal advice

Crikeyalmighty · 01/11/2023 10:49

@Newlywed84 yes I understand that too.

Muddle2000 · 01/11/2023 10:51

The problem is all these things with call out charges cost a a lot
Very unfortunate it was vermin not say locks But the issue is How did it get in in the first place

Original poster
Newlywed84 · 01/11/2023 10:53

Oldthyme · 01/11/2023 10:41

Deep breaths.

Get the tenancy contract signed although IF you are an existing tenant, legally you are now on a “rolling” tenancy agreement and the Agent is making £££ off the LL by setting up a renewal contract. It’s unnecessary but lots of Agents do it.

Think about taking the Agent to the small claims court? Ring Shelter for advice. Did you take pics of rat poo etc?

You have been faced with a dreadful situation. I’m so sorry. Perhaps it would be an idea to look for alternative rental & quit out of there??

Thank you - think you're right, I should get contract signed first and then seek reimbursement. I've asked for advice via citizens advice, waiting for a call back from someone.

I'm going to chase up on contract and see when I can sign it. I did have some to and fro with the landlord about his proposed £350 increase in rent, he came down by £70 but that's it..so worried I've already aggravated him by pushing on that.

Honestly, I can't move - I love the house and location and I've been through an awful divorce with custody battle, I just can't uproot my kids again :(

OP posts:
CoffeeWithCheese · 01/11/2023 11:17

PickledPurplePickle · 01/11/2023 09:39

How odd - have you got an issue with rats? Is this building in a state of disrepair? I'm trying to work out how / why the rat got in

Depending on where the OP lives - the recent flooding and high water levels could have driven them indoors... we've had to evict a recent furry visitor for this reason.

Kayte198999 · 01/11/2023 11:50

I understand that you couldn't have dealt with it yourself and it is a disgusting situation to be in with the rat in the kid's room. I think the company that said it would chew its way out was scaremongering a bit to be honest. I'm just not sure that having one small animal in the house is an emergency, even if it is disgusting vermin. Because of that, I think it's unlikely that you will be reimbursed as you didn't seek approval and it was very expensive as it's out of hours. However, the LL should be paying for further checks/removal/extermination and blocking access for further vermin

MyBedIsMySpiritualHome · 01/11/2023 11:55

It sounds like it is the fact you spent £££ on the emergency call out that is the issue, rather than resolve it the following day.

It’s horrible but I would have moved my kid into another room and dealt with it in the morning rather than pay so much for an immediate call out. It sounds like it had been there a little while if it was in the mattress.

amylou8 · 01/11/2023 12:01

Although I get why you were freaked out, I would have been too, I don't think this was an emergency that required an immediate response in the middle of the night. I'd have shut myself and the kids in one room, the rat in the other, and got advice in the morning. Spending that amount of money then expecting to reimbursed, is a bit unreasonable. You could have checked yourself into a hotel for 1/4 of the price.

endlessfall · 01/11/2023 12:12

What does your contract say?
When we rented our house out the contract clearly stated that tenants were responsible for pest control.
When the house had a mouse invasion ( it was in the countryside) we actually paid for a years service because I was concerned about the mice doing damage to the structure of the house.
The managing agents were clear that it was the tenants' responsibility and I didn't have to pay as the landlord.

changedusername190 · 01/11/2023 12:34

@amylou8 i would be wary of camping out in a different room with my child in case there were more rats downstairs.

Original poster
Newlywed84 · 01/11/2023 12:40

MyBedIsMySpiritualHome · 01/11/2023 11:55

It sounds like it is the fact you spent £££ on the emergency call out that is the issue, rather than resolve it the following day.

It’s horrible but I would have moved my kid into another room and dealt with it in the morning rather than pay so much for an immediate call out. It sounds like it had been there a little while if it was in the mattress.

Yeah that's the key issue.

Nope it had defo got in that day - it was so noisy and they leave such a mess, my house is spotless I would have noticed it before for sure.

Every time I was quiet and it was trapped in that room, it was scratching and nawing - no way was I leaving it there 😂

OP posts:
fivetriangulartrees · 01/11/2023 12:43

I once had rats in a rented property and the LL refused to pay for pest control. I sent him a letter threatening to take him to the small claims court and he sent me a cheque without a word. But I was a lot bolder then - and didn't have children to worry about uprooting.

Flyhigher · 01/11/2023 13:39

I'm a mum and a landlord. This is very tricky.
Did they actually catch the rat? There and then?