Infestation

Irish Stamp

Irish Stamp

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Joined
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Brighton
As most know student housing isn't all that great but we appear to have mice in the house (more than one though for the purposes of being polite they are called Charlie and Charlotte).
Anyway does anyone know if i could get the council to sort out this problem for free? Not sure if they would but surely a house with mice in it can't be healthy, the alternatives are (despite being an animal lover) getting the rat/mouse poison out.

All help appreciated.

Martin
 
Spiders, mice, students - there are a lot of infestations on this forum!

Martin, who owns the house? If it's the Uni, then the Housing Officer should sort it out for you. Even if it's owned by a private person, then speak to your Housing Officer first - if the owner is registered with the Uni, he can be contacted and told to rid the house of vermin. Traps are the most humane method, poison isn't and you shouldn't let any be put down - it can get onto all sorts of surfaces and harm people.

There's also a really effective animal repellent, which acts by disorienting animals' and pigeons' senses of smell and taste. You just spray it around where you think the mice are living, and they will go. I used it, reluctantly but necessarily, on my window sills, which were being crapped on daily by vast amounts of pigeons. It costs about £4 and is called CAT-A-PULT ANIMAL REPELLENT. It's made by Bio, who make the plant foods, and will repel pigeons, mice, cats, dogs, and wabbits in the garden, and around the house. It doesn't harm the creatures, or insects, or plants and vegetables outside if you use if there. You could also spray it around windows, door frames, steps, etc., to prevent mice coming back.

You should also be a bit pro-active and see where they're getting in. Are there gaps under the front/back doors? Holes from outside around any cabling/pipes/drains that mice could enter? You need to see if droppings are left near them, so you can then help whoever's responsible by telling them where the mice are most likely getting in.

Are any of you being naughty and leaving out open trash? If your rubbish isn't secured in a wheelie bin, it'll be a magnet for mice. Also, if you do have a back garden or a yard, make sure there are no old junk piles in which mice or rats could breed.

If your Uni doesn't help, then call your Council and ask for the Environment Officer to help you.
 
Well the wheelie bin people came the other day, we think we know where they are getting in (under a door type thing where the vinyl is coming away and dips underneath the door frame). The rest of my house are out tonight but i'm going to put all the trash in the wheelie bin, the garden is a mess with a lot of bricks, brambles etc. but to the best of my knowledge no trash.
The landlord is on the Uni housing list but when we spoke to him about it (and the fact we had no hot water other than in showers for two weeks he said he couldn't do anything about it). The shower is leaking into the living room so if anyone fancies a cup of tea? :lol:

I'll be going down to the housing accomodation office tommorow to try and sort out some things to do with it and hopefully they'll be open.
Thanks for the help Aunty K.
Martin
 
Your landlord is talking as much trash as you can fit in a wheelie bin, Martin! I used to have a student house, and believe me, if anything went wrong, it was fixed IMMEDIATELY. Especially as he's on your Uni's housing list - he's obliged to meet the standards of accommodation that your Uni will set out in guidelines to landlords, believe me.

It's totally wrong that you didn't have hot water, as that's unsanitary for a start. Any leaks should be put right straight away, and if you've got an residual mouldiness, that must be cleaned away, too. Don't hesitate to keep a diary of what you report and when you report (and who you report it to as well). If things get nasty, take photos (like mould, stains, leaks, etc.) and show your Housing Officer. You DO NOT have to put up with being treated like second-rate people, because you are NOT! So report everything in future to your Uni, but be sure to do your bit to avoid any counter-argument, and make sure you keep your rubbish under control.

If the garden is full of brambles, it's up to the landlord also to keep it under control. Students are not expected to buy gardening equipment. If he says YOU should keep it under control, then he has to supply the cutters, etc. But I'm sure in his agreement with the Uni it will say HE is responsible.

Don't be shy about insisting on your right to live in a safe, clean, habitable house, any of you! You wouldn't hire a car knowing it had faulty brakes, so don't hire his house if he won't keep it maintained properly.

All the best, sweetie! Auntie K is with you on this! :D
 
Good lol, well the hot water was controlled by a switch outside my mates room. With my room being on the top floor it's got two rooms well, cubby holes off it so i'm terrified mice will get in there (feel free to tell me to stop being soft - my sister did).
Thanks again K, should be sorted soon.

Martin
 
The council will deal with rats for free but you will have to pay to deal with mice .

AS for your leaking shower no hot water etc the landlord is responsible for repairs to the structure and exterior of the dwellinghouse and for keeping in repair and proper working order the installations in the dwellinghouse for water heating space heating , water and sanitation - see Section 11 Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 . If the mice are getting in due to disrepair to the door threshhold then the landlord is likely to be held liable for costs arising from the disrepair i.e costs of dealing with the mice .

Tell him to get his arse round there . Report everything in writing or they will deny you have reported it and keep a copy of your letters .Diaries are OK but letters are better .Take photos and note on the back what they are of and when you took them .

If anything of yours is damaged by the damp you can claim for that too if you have the receipts from purchase all the better

As for being on the Uni's housing list I don't know about SHU but I recall Sheffield's accommodation list was pretty lax . Unless he has signed an agreement with the Uni to be responsible for gardens etc ( which will therefore be an implied term of your contract ) it will depend on what your tenancy agreement says as gardens are not impliedly the landlord's responsibility .

If you can't get the landlord to comply with his responsibilities go to Sharrow CAB they have a housing contract or Sheffield Law Centre which is on Joiner Street just off the Wicker
 
Think our's is pretty lax too Ardross. Will have to get a camera in the city today to take the pictures and hopefully hope that rats come and then we can get the lot removed for free.
I've not been to the Wicker (not sure where it is?) but will take a stroll into the city centre and call in at the accomodation centre. I'll keep you all posted with regards my latest problem.

Regards and thanks again
Martin
 
Bought Ratak so hope this stuff works, apparently you leave it in little piles and the mice don't like it so die or are scared away (i hope), still not sure how many we have but going accomodation office tommorow.

Martin
 
Sharrow CAB is on London Road I think - SLC is off the Wicker ( how long have you lived in Sheffield !!!) which is the road out to Meadowhall where you go under the Wicker railway arches .

In town if you walk up past Ponds Forge into town from the Park Square roundabout to Fitzalan Square tram stop you turn right there and keep walking . If you go to town on one of the 80 buses get off at the Crucible , walk to the roundabout turn right as if walking to POnds Forge and turn right down Waingate and keep going over Lady's Bridge -
 
Originally posted by Ardross@Sep 27 2004, 06:41 PM
Sharrow CAB is on London Road I think - SLC is off the Wicker ( how long have you lived in Sheffield !!!) which is the road out to Meadowhall where you go under the Wicker railway arches .

In town if you walk up past Ponds Forge into town from the Park Square roundabout to Fitzalan Square tram stop you turn right there and keep walking . If you go to town on one of the 80 buses get off at the Crucible , walk to the roundabout turn right as if walking to POnds Forge and turn right down Waingate and keep going over Lady's Bridge -
Click to expand...
Not been up London Road much after the first night i was here (i'm sure i've told people about that?)
Never heard it called the Wicker before but i know where you are on about.
The 80 buses stop right outside my house but we'll walk it anyway :lol:
Thanks again
Martin
 
If you want advice from the Law Centre you will need to make an appointment but it is free - ring 2731888.


I forgot that there is also the Sheffield Housing Aid Centre that is run by the council but the workers are very clued up and committed 2735450
 
Problem with mice infestation & using poison (which I have to say I don't really like) is that you can get a nasty smell as they all decompose & also any cats around the area could eat the dead/dying bodies which would make for a pretty sick pussy.

I have had a severe rat problem for the last couple of weeks in the barn, - and they were so cheeky, they were running over your feet without even apologising! So b/f went off and bought an airgun. How effective was that - he has shot 23 in 2 days! He now fancies training for the Olympics :lol:
 
Jinny I heard the RAT!! TAT TAT of the gun it must be a machine!!! gun, aint it to kill that ammount? :lol:

A lady moved in a few doors down 3 months ago she went on holidays after a month, left her son in law to check the house he went there on the third day opened cupboard out pops a rat (four legged mind) he killed it with a broom!! you could just say he had made some sweeping changes :lol: but no its true and the lady is petrified of rats so the rat catchers been there and baited the house..............

Jinny check I think the local council will bait for rats(FREE) but if one dies and rots its the worse smell you ever smelt in your life :o :o :angry:
 
Is he using a Webley, jinny? I had one for a couple of years. I gave a pal a 'go' with it and then he said, "go on, shoot something". I shot a pellet off and it clean took off the head of a daffodil some way away - the pal was impressed with the accuracy, so I decided not to 'fess up that I'd shot at something completely different!
 
No its a bog standard airgun - wouldn't let him loose with anything else - he already thinks he's John Wayne as it is - there are the horses in the barn to consider! Have to say, although I won't let him know - he's actually quite a good shot.
 
Originally posted by trudij@Sep 27 2004, 08:15 PM
Or you could tie a piece of cheese to a long bit of rope and drag it into your landlords home in the hope that they follow it......
Click to expand...
:lol:
Brilliant, well the mice have (or mouse) between them eaten 25 Ratak tablets so hopefully they'll be gone soon.

Martin
 
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