Mice!

[hollandsgirl]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Maryland

We signed a 1 year lease for a home in MD. Two weeks later we realized that there was an issue with mice in the finished basement and in my son's room. We called the landlords and they said that ÿes, there was a problem with mice, but hoped it was fixed. They called their pest control company and they set out more traps. Since then my son refuses to sleep in his room and we hardly venture downstairs now. Approx. 2 weeks later my son was in his room to change and there was a mouse running across his bed. We again contacted the landlords and informed them of this recent sighting. We are paying for a 3000 sq ft house and 4 bedrooms, but can only us 3 bedrooms and have lost about 1/3 of our usable space. What recourse if any do we have?

 

[Alaska landlord]

Continue to fight the mouse problem. You can keep calling landlord and he can keep calling pest control, or you can help by doing some of your own killing and make sure not to leave food out.

If he allows cats, get one.

 

[hollandsgirl]

mice

The landlord does not allow cats and would NEVER consider letting us get one. We are also very clean and no matter what I am always diligent about keep all food sealed and put away. Do you think it is fair that we continue to not have access to the bottom floor or my sons bedroom? They continue to get paid for all the house, even though we can't use 1/3 of the house. We asked them if they would lower the rent some and would they install
doors on a room (I guess it would be considered the formal lv rm. but is isolated from the main living area) and my son could use that as a room. Do you think this or some variance of this request is fair?

 

[acmb05]

The landlord does not allow cats and would NEVER consider letting us get one. We are also very clean and no matter what I am always diligent about keep all food sealed and put away. Do you think it is fair that we continue to not have access to the bottom floor or my sons bedroom? They continue to get paid for all the house, even though we can't use 1/3 of the house. We asked them if they would lower the rent some and would they install
doors on a room (I guess it would be considered the formal lv rm. but is isolated from the main living area) and my son could use that as a room. Do you think this or some variance of this request is fair?

Fair, no. However you not using the room is a choice you are making. Mice for the most part won't hurt you. What you can do is let the landlord know of all the spaces in the house that are not sealed, they have to be getting in somewhere. Around pipes under the house, under doors that are not properly sealed, Once access is limited they will find somewhere else to go. Put out traps of your own.

You are not going to get a rent rebate for this.

 

[HomeGuru]

The landlord does not allow cats and would NEVER consider letting us get one. We are also very clean and no matter what I am always diligent about keep all food sealed and put away. Do you think it is fair that we continue to not have access to the bottom floor or my sons bedroom? They continue to get paid for all the house, even though we can't use 1/3 of the house. We asked them if they would lower the rent some and would they install
doors on a room (I guess it would be considered the formal lv rm. but is isolated from the main living area) and my son could use that as a room. Do you think this or some variance of this request is fair?

**A: take photos and notify L purusant to the L/T law. If no action within the required time period, hire an exterminator.

 

[Zigner]

Call the local health department.
Get a snake.

 

[HomeGuru]

Call the local health department.
Get a snake.

**A: or do nothing until Halloween and be the most popular house to visit on the block.

 

[xylene]

Ignore the insipid advice to 'get a cat'

Cats do not check the rodent population effectively and the cat food and water dish are all the food a mice colony needs.

Do not set traps or bait on your own without consulting your Pest Control Officer. This could be extremely counter productive.

DO follow all the instructions from the PCO

You need to sit on you landlord to get them to pay for the numerous treatments this infestation will take to cure.

Given the size (3000 sq ft.) and location (MD) You are clear renting an expensive property.

You need to call a lawyer to understand your options.

One thing - it is NOT enough for the land to "try" and "hope" to contain rodents. Landlord can't just hire some cut rate vermin wrangler and write it off.

It has to work out - ie no mice, for to not be a breech.

 

[TheGeekess]

Ignore the insipid advice to 'get a cat'

Cats do not check the rodent population effectively and the cat food and water dish are all the food a mice colony needs.

Don't feed the cat excessively and he'll kill and/or eat the mice. Then OP can dispose of mice carcasses... an easier job than disposing of rabbit carcasses.

 

[Alaska landlord]

Take into consideration that xylene might be a closet animal activist that is clearly concerned with the cats diet, or the health of the poor misunderstood mice.

You gotta laugh when he points out that cats and mousetraps are not effective at mice control.
I had mice in Texas and all it took to get rid of them were mousetraps followed by one serial killer cat. I had mouse butts and tails all over the place.

 

[xylene]

Take into consideration that xylene might be a closet animal activist that is clearly concerned with the cats diet, or the health of the poor misunderstood mice.

You gotta laugh when he points out that cats and mousetraps are not effective at mice control.
I had mice in Texas and all it took to get rid of them were mousetraps followed by one serial killer cat. I had mouse butts and tails all over the place.

Lovely anecdote.

Here is a reality check.

A cat will not fix a mouse house. It just won't.

Self done pest control can undermine the efforts of pest control officer.

Leaving baited traps wily nilly could attract mice or otherwise undermine the PCO's goal of getting the mice out of the house and sealing them out...

So my correct answer stands.

Don't get a cat - unless you love it because Kitty will not do jack for the mice.

Self-help extremination, don't do it until you check with PCO to ensure your actions with compliment their work, not retard or negate it.

Duh.

 

[Alaska landlord]

Lovely anecdote.
Duh.

As he scratches his head.

 

[FarmerJ]

What ever happened to old fashion mouse snap traps ? I had to use the the first couple years here, and used them on occaision in my last place wich was a 4 plex I owner occupied. Tiny piece cardborad wired to the pad that triggers the spring, cardboard has peanut butter that soaked in, the mice will go for it real easy while you or LL packs cracks around foundation with steel wool. Snap traps very effective, no mice hiding in walls to die and if you get 2 or 3 a day , in no time you will have them all INC any baby mice. With this summer being cooler I have already heard them this year , Between Tarzan and traps I expect there wont be any this winter. Make sure you tell your LL in a letter sent via confirmed mail delivery that the mouse problem is still happening so you have a formal record of complaint and add snap traps W PB as well as what ever other extermination effort is going on.