Outdoor tap

[lottieleo]

What's the likelihood mice are accessing my property via the outdoor garden tap ?
I'm at a loss now to how they are getting in

0 unless you have a internal leak
Freshwater pipes are a closed system unless they’re on or you have a leak.

I had mice getting into my house up the gutters.
Used to climb the gutters in through the barge boards and eat their seeds in the cosy attic. Didn’t bother me but got rid of them before I sold for survey. I’m sure they’re back now!

They can get in any hole the width of a bic pen.
Gappy Windows
Gaps around pipes
Sewer pipes themselves if you don’t have strainers on plug holes.
Gutters
Soffit boards
Barge boards
Unsealed gaps from Cavities usually behind kitchen cupboards etc.

I’ll add
Gaps under doors
Old style air bricks
Chimneys

If you seal the easy access. And catch them all. But they still return it’s probably because you’re in a rural or semi rural area with a good food source and they want the warm of your house. In some areas you just have to accept you’ll get them time to time.

Or a neighbour has an infestation in which case they will always explore.

if the pipe to the tap is poked through an inaccurate hole drilled in the wall, there might be a gap.

What made you light on the tap as the source?

I think I'm
Just clutching at straws with the tap. I live in the middle of the city I definitely think it's a neighbourhood problem. There's an private student estate at the back and I've noticed Rentokil vans visiting the grounds.
😩

I had a friend who had a mouse problem due to a takeaway 2 doors down. They had a courtyard yard filled with old oil containers, rice etc etc.
The mice were going through the cavities in the roof spaces and subfloor.
They sealed up below the skirting with silicone with metal fibers in which reduced their numbers. Once the takeaway shut down and the flat was renovated the mouse problem stopped.

If you’re attached you may want to think about the floor joins etc.

Might be worth buying some tracking powder. Put it in an area you’ve seen them last near a wall- they usually stick to walls. Don’t clean for a week and see where the tracking powder goes.