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Original poster

Saw a Rat in garage when viewing home

72 replies

Flowerpowerr1 · 04/04/2024 12:33

Hi all! Currently home viewing to buy my first home, we found a house we really liked so went to view it, we’ve put an offer on the house but when the agent showed us the garage it was very full and cluttered I just looked briefly but after we left my husband said he saw a dead rat lying on the floor! I said it’s fine it’s normal it’s a garage it probably made it’s way through somewhere🤣 but now looking at the video I recorded around the house the downstairs WC has its air vent blocked off like they’ve covered it with something? I’ve just noticed this now and it’s making me feel uneasy why would someone do that?

OP posts:
Notts276 · 04/04/2024 12:34

Don't mention it to them. Do another viewing and look around thoroughly.

K0OLA1D · 04/04/2024 12:35

Draft? Ours is dead drafty under the stairs. Last owners blocked it off, but we have a litter tray under their so prefer a bit of air circulation

TraitorsGate · 04/04/2024 12:36

To stop drafts, damp air or creatures getting in. Where is the vent, have they put an extractor fan in instead

CormorantStrikesBack · 04/04/2024 12:37

I’d email the estate agent and tell them, say that you specifically want the current owners to be asked if they have had a problem with rats.

Original poster
Flowerpowerr1 · 04/04/2024 12:38

The air vent is high up on the wall, they’ve covered it with cardboard, the downstairs toilet is under the stairs with no window obviously so why would they block the air vents because it should be needed when there’s no window right?

OP posts:
Original poster
Flowerpowerr1 · 04/04/2024 12:40

@CormorantStrikesBack Do you think I can ask this after already putting offer in?

OP posts:
Azandme · 04/04/2024 12:41

This is an interesting read: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20716625.amp

I have a blocked vent - because the wind blows a gale through it, and as I no longer have a back boiler I don't need the vent.

Are you never more than 6ft away from a rat? - BBC News

The old adage has it that we're never more than six feet away from a rat - but how was this worked out, and is it true?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20716625.amp

TraitorsGate · 04/04/2024 12:43

Drafts probably then if its just a vent that can't be opened or closed, you can ask but the agent won't know

Spoonthief · 04/04/2024 12:49

We blocked an air vent because it was blowing a gale through it. Don’t think k it means much.
If you’ve put in an offer and are concerned then you should mention it, rather than move in and find a problem.

Just be up front.

So you’ll know where you stand.

I wouldn’t worry about the rat. They’re everywhere and most of the time you don’t see them.
As long as it’s not in the house.

CormorantStrikesBack · 04/04/2024 12:51

Flowerpowerr1 · 04/04/2024 12:40

@CormorantStrikesBack Do you think I can ask this after already putting offer in?

I would.

id also be concerned about the overall cleanliness of the house if they’re the sort of people to leave dead rats lying about even in a garage.

CheckeredAliceBand · 04/04/2024 12:52

Of course you can ask, even more so because you've put an offer in. You'd be mad not to. I get mice in my garage, but never rats. I've seen rats at the end of my garden but they've never come closer. I wouldn't want rats evident in my buildings and if you see a rat there are likely many more nearby.

Mischance · 04/04/2024 13:02

Just ask.

I had a funny moment when accompanying DD and SIL to view a house - a big old farmhouse. As we were looking out of a window onto a courtyard a rat ran by and we said oh look at that big rat (not batting an eyelid, as we all live in the country) and the dressed-up-to-the-nines estate agent said "Oh - I think you will find that is a vole!" - we nearly wet ourselves - it was the size of a cat!!

Spoonthief · 04/04/2024 13:10

Mischance · 04/04/2024 13:02

Just ask.

I had a funny moment when accompanying DD and SIL to view a house - a big old farmhouse. As we were looking out of a window onto a courtyard a rat ran by and we said oh look at that big rat (not batting an eyelid, as we all live in the country) and the dressed-up-to-the-nines estate agent said "Oh - I think you will find that is a vole!" - we nearly wet ourselves - it was the size of a cat!!

😆
We live in the countryside too.
We have rats bottom of our garden ( we have a compost heap because we like growing our own) but as long as they stay away from the house, everyone’s happy !

Rats have to live somewhere.. and they do !!
It’s just people freak out if they see one !

OP, just because you’ve put in an offer, if anything arises you’re not happy with, you are allowed to withdraw the offer.

Lifeinlists · 04/04/2024 13:18

As long as you're happy to get pest control in as soon as you move in.No such thing as one rat - they're excellent parents and can reproduce about every 6 weeks, I think. Obviously this one couldn't disappear/ hide, being dead and all.

Are they going to empty the cluttered, rat infested garage? I'd seriously ask that as not everyone is conscientious about taking all their junk with them.

The blocked up air vent could be something or nothing. I'd be much more concerned about what the dead rat is telling you! It's not fine.

Charlingspont · 04/04/2024 13:22

Of course you can ask after putting an offer in. You can withdraw your offer also.

Original poster
Flowerpowerr1 · 04/04/2024 13:24

Thank you for all your replies!
And sorry Correction it was a small mouse not a rat 🤣 phew but I’m still worried!
I’ll definitely be emailing the estate agent to ask about it and also ask if they know why the air vent is blocked off! It’s sucha shame you can directly talk to the vendors and ask them yourself

OP posts:
Blackcats7 · 04/04/2024 13:27

I would leggit. Those creatures ( can’t even bring myself to type their name!) are a huge phobia of mine.
I once pulled out of an offer on a house because on going back to just show a friend the outside I noticed traps around the garden and path.

Floopani · 04/04/2024 13:27

I absolutely know that rats and mice have to live somewhere, but to leave it there when you have a house viewing?? Even if you didn't notice until afterwards, as a seller wouldn't you do everything to reassure the buyers you were sorting it?

This is totally my reaction, but I would withdraw my offer, I just couldn't deal with rats/mice or sellers like that.

Coastalcreeksider · 04/04/2024 13:31

If they feed birds especially with fat balls, then rats may come into the garden quite regularly and get into the garage.

Last Sunday I saw a large rat on my bird feeder, never seen one before but straight away dumped the fat balls in the bin and just left the peanut feeder up.

I do know we've had rats around my last cat caught a couple and both neighbours either side had to ditch their decking as they had rats and mice living under them, mice were in both houses, fortunately no sign of them in mine.

housethatbuiltme · 04/04/2024 13:44

I would be more worried about the damp... air blocks are actually there for a purpose, they aren't decor or just for a breeze.

Blocked air blocks = damp.

Original poster
Flowerpowerr1 · 04/04/2024 13:45

@Lifeinlists Omg really! We’ve actually revised our offer and offered more even after seeing the mouse because I loved the house so much and the potential it has 🤣 but I’m really scared now.
Maybe if they accept our new offer I might just pull out which does seem unfair I should’ve asked before putting in the higher offer really.

OP posts:
Original poster
Flowerpowerr1 · 04/04/2024 13:51

@housethatbuiltme This is exactly what I thought too! So why would someone block them surely it bring it that much draft? The house was renovated only 4 years ago

OP posts:
Shellingbynight · 04/04/2024 14:06

A vent blocked with cardboard would not keep out a rodent, even a mouse would chew through that. It's probably because the vent was creating a cold draught. We have a sliding window vent in the downstairs loo and I close it in cold weather.

I know there are rats all around here because we have cats who catch them. In our previous house we had a mouse nest in the garage, we put out a humane trap down, caught them both and released them in a field. We found out where they got in, blocked up the hole and never had a problem again.

Signed of rodents in the garden or outhouse wouldn't bother me - in the house itself, yes!

GasPanic · 04/04/2024 14:29

Hard to tell isn't it.

Rats are generally pretty elusive unless you have a massive problem.

DevilgateDriver · 04/04/2024 14:38

I'd drop out, had to deal with rats before and I never wish to do so again!!! If you see one there are probably tens if not hundreds