UK Landlord Forum / Life

Does anyone know the legalities around laying tamper-proof poison/bait boxes for mice? Am I, as a landlord, allowed to deal with this myself or is it required to use a licensed pest control firm? I believe that you need to give tenants a written note identifying the toxin being placed in their home (as this was done for me on previous visit by a pest control professional). There may be rules about disposing of toxins after use. The bait is inexpensive but the professionals are surely not. Thank you.

Horrible cruel way to deal with it. They cause terrible pain and sickness, a slow death. You can get humane traps,  and use things like wire wool to block holes. Simple lifestyle changes, clearing away food etc. should be tried. The presence of a cat will also deter.

Why would you do that as a landlord? It's your problem if there's access, which needs to be blocked, but vermin aren't usually something a landlord has to deal with more than once - and it sounds like you've dealt with it once.

And, no, you can't do it yourself.

Your Tenants have a right to quiet enjoyment of the property, you have no right to enter the property without their express consent, even if you have a clause in the Tenancy Agreement they can deny this save an emergency.  An emergency would be something they are aware of, like a Gas leak, also the Tenant is entitled to only allow access to Gas Safe registered engineers and to ask you to wait outside their home.

If your property has a rat problem then ask the Tenants if they have had any this year, then ask them if they wish you to have a qualified pest controller to assess the property, fill in any holes and deal with any pests they find.
 
I find Landlords who have lived in a property can become control freaks, if you are going to let out a property you have to understand it is effectively their property for the duration of the lease.

Quote from: LukeMumNoHands on October 14, 2024, 11:21:35 PMDoes anyone know the legalities around laying tamper-proof poison/bait boxes for mice? Am I, as a landlord, allowed to deal with this myself or is it required to use a licensed pest control firm? I believe that you need to give tenants a written note identifying the toxin being placed in their home (as this was done for me on previous visit by a pest control professional). There may be rules about disposing of toxins after use. The bait is inexpensive but the professionals are surely not. Thank you.

Quote from: heavykarma on October 15, 2024, 08:03:04 AMHorrible cruel way to deal with it. They cause terrible pain and sickness, a slow death. You can get humane traps,  and use things like wire wool to block holes. Simple lifestyle changes, clearing away food etc. should be tried. The presence of a cat will also deter.

Fully agree with your [uninvited] judgement and indeed I have tried all else (from peppermint odour deterrent combined with humane traps and blocking access and now also including current cat presence - it's also awful to see the way a cat deals with a mouse) but tenants still asking me to deal. Much as I care for our animal relatives, if the humane options fail it is going to come down to 'sorry but it is not okay for you [mouse] to live and breed here and feed from the human food store and threaten the electrical integrity of the abode and i will continue to deal with your presence with progressively stronger methods not least because ultimately your activity threatens human health and life. Horribly cruel to toddler, baby and by extension to the parents if it is allowed that pests threaten their welfare.

My question was about legalities. Is it legally required that the person dealing with the issue is a licensed pest controller? Does legislation prevent the landlord dealing in person? It's fine if you don't know, I'm just asking

Quote from: jpkeates on October 15, 2024, 09:40:27 AMWhy would you do that as a landlord? It's your problem if there's access, which needs to be blocked, but vermin aren't usually something a landlord has to deal with more than once - and it sounds like you've dealt with it once.

And, no, you can't do it yourself.

Entire street is dealing with this annually at the end of every summer. Council owns freehold and is next to useless. Repeating because the pest control firm previously engaged was (i) expensive; and (b) ineffective.

Thanks for the answer; what is your basis for saying "no" ? Why not? That's what i'm hoping to find out here, if any dear fellow readers happen to have actual knowledge. I have of course already looked online for answers but not found a reliable source of info. Hence posting here. With thanks  

Thanks for your attention/consideration.

Quote from: David on October 15, 2024, 10:35:43 AMYour Tenants have a right to quiet enjoyment of the property, you have no right to enter the property without their express consent, even if you have a clause in the Tenancy Agreement they can deny this save an emergency.  An emergency would be something they are aware of, like a Gas leak, also the Tenant is entitled to only allow access to Gas Safe registered engineers and to ask you to wait outside their home.

If your property has a rat problem then ask the Tenants if they have had any this year, then ask them if they wish you to have a qualified pest controller to assess the property, fill in any holes and deal with any pests they find.
 
I find Landlords who have lived in a property can become control freaks, if you are going to let out a property you have to understand it is effectively their property for the duration of the lease.

Quote from: LukeMumNoHands on October 14, 2024, 11:21:35 PMDoes anyone know the legalities around laying tamper-proof poison/bait boxes for mice? Am I, as a landlord, allowed to deal with this myself or is it required to use a licensed pest control firm? I believe that you need to give tenants a written note identifying the toxin being placed in their home (as this was done for me on previous visit by a pest control professional). There may be rules about disposing of toxins after use. The bait is inexpensive but the professionals are surely not. Thank you.

Not rats. Mice.

Tenants have only just recently moved in and are telling me the problem pre-dates their arrival.

I am not seeking to justify entry, they are actually asking for it to be done.

I would love to leave them to it but don't feel i can ignore the complaint.

My question is whether i can save the recurring expense of pest control firm or just deal myself which i would prefer to do.

I don't think you got the right end of the stick with the original post.

With thanks!

I think you should contact Environmental Health, and ask them. That should give you the certainty you seek. I would be most surprised though if they don' t strongly advise calling in a professional, regardless of what the legal situation is.

You mention recurring expense,  have you asked the tenants about their lifestyle, such a leaving food out in the kitchen?  Cats are indeed cruel killers by nature, but just the smell of them can deter mice and rats. 

You asked for the legalities and seemed to be looking to do things on the cheap, i.e. yourself

This suggested you wanted access to the property YOURSELF, you did not say that the Tenants are happy for you to enter. So I explained that you have no right of entry except in an emergency and even then a Tenant is entitled to not have YOU enter but a contractor. 

I have had a plethora of Tenants who at best feel intimidated by Landlords wanting access, some legitimately to perform a task but rarely giving notice, some are nothing more than pests, some are even sex pests.  I am not for one second suggesting you are but just trying to get you to understand the situation from the Tenant's perspective.

Rats or Mice it is an infestation and it is your responsibility, Homes Fitness for Habitation Act, so (leave em too it) is not an option.  Vermin breed fast, professionals have access to products that are more effective and they know the way vermin are, what to block up, what traps are effective and a wealth of other information, because they are professional. 

When you are in your own home where you live, of course you can have a go with whatever you can find on the High Street or online, but because you have a legal obligation with a the risk of a Tenant asking for their Rent back, you might take the professional Landlord route which is to get dealt with as soon as possible by the individual who can get it done first time.  If you do it and are not effective, then they breed more and it becomes a bigger job.

So the best way to avoid incurring repeated expense is to get it done right the first time, by a professional, that way you have some comeback on the professional if you take their advice and authorise them to do all they say needs to be done.

If you want to know about Rat or Mice poison do some research on a pest controller website and then ask your environmental health department.  You should be aware that if the Tenant is happy for you to deal with it and you fail, then their next call may be to Environmental Health who may issue an order which costs you £500 plus the obligation to resolve the matter within 7 days.

Quote from: LukeMumNoHands on October 24, 2024, 10:44:48 AMNot rats. Mice.

Tenants have only just recently moved in and are telling me the problem pre-dates their arrival.

I am not seeking to justify entry, they are actually asking for it to be done.

I would love to leave them to it but don't feel i can ignore the complaint.

My question is whether i can save the recurring expense of pest control firm or just deal myself which i would prefer to do.

I don't think you got the right end of the stick with the original post.

With thanks!

A licensed company will probably charge under £200 to establish points of entry, seal them and handle the removal of the mice etc.

Should the issue return in future and your tenants decide to go to the Council with a complaint, you will have proof of attempting to deal with the issue rather than just having a receipt for some bait.