I know it's a bit confusing, but I hope I'm explaining the situation clearly enough to make some sense.
Makes it sound a lot less worse a place than initially
Homeless with the kids for Xmas because of bloody mice!
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Makes it sound a lot less worse a place than initially
Surely milton would be ok for most things??
http://www.pgprof.com/uk/index.php?page=product&pid=159
* Liquid for disinfecting surfaces and utensils in professional kitchens
* Effectively disinfects kitchen work surfaces, floors, walls and kitchen equipment after cleaning
* Kills 99.999% of bacteria*
* Does not require rinsing after uses
*according to the disinfection standard EN1276 at 0.5% dilution, 5 min contact time.
Milton Disinfecting Liquid
http://www.pgprof.com/uk/index.php?page=product&pid=159
* Liquid for disinfecting surfaces and utensils in professional kitchens
* Effectively disinfects kitchen work surfaces, floors, walls and kitchen equipment after cleaning
* Kills 99.999% of bacteria*
* Does not require rinsing after uses
*according to the disinfection standard EN1276 at 0.5% dilution, 5 min contact time.
Milton Disinfecting Liquid
i wouldnt want to be merely disinfecting a matress filled with mouse droppings and mouse pee !
I think it's a given that fabrics and textiles will be destroyed but they are so cheap they aren't anything to get worked up about, any expensive electronic stuff can be disinfected though.
Thank you for a level headed and supportive reply. Didn't hurt, did it?
I think you're along the right lines there, that's pretty much what we're going to end up doing. We'll get the children some stocking fillers, with the promise of a virtual 'account' of x money that they can go and spend later in the sales (a couple of pay-days later). Win/win in the situation. Makes it sound a lot less worse a place than initially
No it really is bad... NOW. Before it was just annoying and even without the mice things were starting to get annoying. Once the mice invaded in numbers it just became the large straw that broke the camel's back, and amalgamated all the other issues into one big fat farce.
The killer was the letter we got a week or so ago, stating they were increasing the rent (unlawfully) mid-term. We renewed the tenancy in June 2010, at a fixed term (assured shorthold) until June 2011. Thus the agency can't increase the rent until the end of that period, and should they have desired an increase it should have been offered with the new tenancy NOT later.
They were told this, but in no uncertain terms said they disagreed and that the increase stood. The solicitor/legal guy at the council's housing team has nit-picked my original tenancy agreement, the later renewal offer letter, and the new tenancy 'adendum' paperwork and concluded that (1) it contains a couple of illegal clauses and (2) they are definitely NOT entitled to increase the rent, let alone morally due to the mounting repair issues and then the mice!
We've been told (by the agency) to get back to them on Monday. We were promised manager intervention last week but so far they've not bothered to call back and discuss it. We'd paid £675 rent on the 23rd November (to 23 December) and as such they've been paid for a house we can't use and aren't using. No offer of temporary alternative accommodation (despite them knowing how we're now living, and having a lot of houses on the books) and no other practical help aside from "well we can see if the landlord will break the tenancy". Useless, tbh.
LOL!
Not really though, especially in our position. To put it into context 'expensive' clothes to us means paying £9 for a pair of jeans not £3 for SmartPrice. We've lost ALL our clothes (ignoring sanitation they're chewed to ****!), all the extra shoes (kid's trainers, Uggs, pumps etc etc), the beds are fabric and destroyed, as are the mattresses....
So already, just in those three things (clothes/coats, shoes and beds) you're talking approximately £600 to replace. That's before you even start looking at the other stuff. We spend £30 to £40 a week on groceries for five of us... do the maths.
They way you are making it sound is that its overrun, the mice must be getting a good source of food to breed, so whats it next to, I live 30 yards from a field and have fied mice in the garden and garage but never the house, even seen a few rats but in 27 years nobody in the street has every said they have had an infestation in the house.
We have 2 sheds and they get in there, had fishing nets eaten and my niece had a play pram/cot that was chewed through but nothing major.
I dont see why the mice would be in every room, never come across mice going into peoples bedrooms etc.
We have 2 sheds and they get in there, had fishing nets eaten and my niece had a play pram/cot that was chewed through but nothing major.
I dont see why the mice would be in every room, never come across mice going into peoples bedrooms etc.
These are House Mice, not field mice. Naturally, they tend to prefer houses to fields and sheds, and are a different kettle of fish entirely. We certainly are over-run by almost anyone's standards (including Rentokill, Pest Control and Environmental Health). All three agencies have confirmed that we have no food lying around, no crumbs or crusts in corners or under the couch etc, and that the mice are feeding outside.
Our garden is large, and full of things like Hawthorn bushes and other berry-producing shrubs, and the garden itself immediately adjoins a large farmer's field full of crops. The farmer also keeps a large number of hens, from which he sells free range eggs. It would appear (speculation) that the farmer perhaps isn't too careful with his chicken food, added to the crops and all the berries scattered here and about you end up with a bumper food supply ripe for the taking. None of which is our fault.
Two neighbours are also tackling house mice at present, but they literally have one or two at most - which seem to have emanated from here to start with as despite being detached properties our garages are adjacent.
The mass supply of free food, combined with ease of access, means we got over-run quickly. I'm starting to feel like a broken record.
EDIT: Here's what the back of our radiator looks like in the downstairs bedroom.
Now do you see how easily they spread from the cavities in the wall to the bedroom, up the stairs and around the house? Most rooms have skirting gaps like this.
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It may not help in the short term but I'd definitely be:
1) Seeing a solicitor.
2) Finding a similar (non-infested) rental place in a similar area.
3) Suing the landlord for all and any costs associated with (a) direct rodent damage to your property, (b) any difference in new rental costs, (c) any temporary emergency housing costs, (d) any incidental costs in moving.
Seriously, get down a solicitor immediately. If you don't have much spare money then ask about the scheme where some solicitors give the first 30 minute advice free (not all do it so you may need to phone around). This is due to your landlords negligence and however hard ball they are playing, may very well be liable for any costs you incur.
1) Seeing a solicitor.
2) Finding a similar (non-infested) rental place in a similar area.
3) Suing the landlord for all and any costs associated with (a) direct rodent damage to your property, (b) any difference in new rental costs, (c) any temporary emergency housing costs, (d) any incidental costs in moving.
Seriously, get down a solicitor immediately. If you don't have much spare money then ask about the scheme where some solicitors give the first 30 minute advice free (not all do it so you may need to phone around). This is due to your landlords negligence and however hard ball they are playing, may very well be liable for any costs you incur.
From the posted picture there are at least 4-5 mice. Without being at the property we can't say the extent of the damage, but I have no reason to doubt how extensive the problem is, especially give that Environmental health are involved.
I used to live next to fields, outbuildings and a farm. I saw many rats that were bigger than the cat in the paddock , but never anything in the house (built in the 1800's). So while I agree it is a hard to believe case, there is some proof to back up the claims.
I used to live next to fields, outbuildings and a farm. I saw many rats that were bigger than the cat in the paddock , but never anything in the house (built in the 1800's). So while I agree it is a hard to believe case, there is some proof to back up the claims.
I agree it sounds incredible, but as you said I have photos to 'prove' it. Not only that, but I'd be happy to scan and post up the Rentokill survey report, and anything I get back from EH.
Mr Lee Norman is the head of EH for our area, and the private landlord's housing officer - so ideal for our predicament. I have nothing on paper from him at present to 'prove' my plight to you, but you can read about one of his recent cases (and his vigour in pursuing bad landlords) here:
http://www.sthelens.gov.uk/news/article.htm?id=3394
It's all too real a situation unfortunately. There may have been around five mice on the worktop that night (for the photo above), but bear in mind that amount of droppings and damage is recreated throughout the house nightly. So that's five mice on that section of the worktop, five mice in the bedroom, five mice in the utility room and garage at the other end of the house, five mice in the living room... Rentokill said there are "dozens" of the buggers at least.
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Erm yeah you being silly now obviously!!!!
Edit surely the house was visiblelly(sp) bad when you moved in?
PS i havnt a clue on your location but despite the thread......i have spare tv, dvd player,,,,,bedding, duvet covers,,,,,towels.....cutlery your more than welcome to. maybe more.....
Adult clothing as well? mainly male xl size......
I know u said no charity but all helps....
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Gavin, again that's a very generous and selfless offer, thank you sincerely. But I stand by what I said about not being on here seeking 'charity'. That doesn't mean I don't appreciate the sentiment though.
For one thing, we have avenues available to us such as Community Care Grant (quick), and suing the landlord for redress, damages and expenses etc (slower). We'll manage. For another thing, I didn't want this thread turning into six million man-sized pages about how it's all an elaborate troll story designed to fleece poor OcUK members out of moniez and teh electricals, and demanding 'proofz'.
Really though, thanks.
For one thing, we have avenues available to us such as Community Care Grant (quick), and suing the landlord for redress, damages and expenses etc (slower). We'll manage.
For another thing, I didn't want this thread turning into six million man-sized pages about how it's all an elaborate troll story designed to fleece poor OcUK members out of moniez and teh electricals, and demanding 'proofz'. Really though, thanks.
It only takes 2 house mice to get in. The female can get pregnant every 3 weeks and have up to 16 offspring at a time. So Rentokill can cure your problem quickly but, nothing is guaranteed as the problem could manifest again very quickly given the state of (minor) disrepair.
It's nothing to do with how clean your household is kept. People do not realise this. Or the fact that mice are incontenant, so cleaning isn't as easy as it sounds.
It's nothing to do with how clean your household is kept. People do not realise this. Or the fact that mice are incontenant, so cleaning isn't as easy as it sounds.
With genuine respect, I feel like I'm banging my head against a brick wall here. I've explained this at least three times in the thread, in depth.
We moved in.
The house was huge (relative to previous residences), but 'old' and 'full of "character"'.
The 'character' became 'niggles' which were reported, and ignored. Niggles are just that, so no big deal was made.
Mice moved in, silently, breeding in the cavity but spending most of their time outdoors.
Numbers apparently hit critical mass, the dominant male wouldn't stand for the young males reaching maturity, and *boom* - immediate explosion of mice through the house whereas before there were "none". At least, no apparent signs.
All the evidence, and the official reports, back up this position. We became aware of 'a' mouse in September(ish) and reported it to the agency poste haste. We thought that was the end of the matter, until suddenly we seemed to be avalanced by the ********.
We didn't move into a dump, we didn't let it fall down around our ears. The mice went from none to infested in literally a week and we've been battling the agency, and the mice, ever since. As a result we're homeless despite having a tenancy, and paying rent (until now).
Nail, head.
Rentokill have actually said that there are so many mice it's a 12 plus visit job, on a monthly basis. So that gives you (who seem to understand this issue better than most) an idea of just how badly infested we are. You also seem to grasp how easily, and quickly, it develops out of "nowhere".
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