Landlord advice for preventing rodent infestations

Ensuring the renters listed on the tenancy agreement are the only people living in your property is an important part of protecting your asset but it’s the season for stowaways.

It’s right about now, as autumn knocks on the door of winter, that rats and mice look for alternative accommodation. They are driven by two things: the needs for warmth and a source of food when nature’s harvest is over.

Rodents & rentals: a landlord’s responsibility

Buy-to-let owners are legally obliged to ensure rodents can’t access a rental property – something that’s covered by the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, the Housing Act 2004 and the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Failure to maintain a rodent-proof rental, or treat an infestation that’s a result of poor property upkeep, can lead to a tenant suing the landlord.

Small, secretive and stubbornly hard to eradicate, rats and mice can present landlords with a big problem. For their size, they are mightily destructive; digging, climbing, chewing or even swimming their way into a property. Mice and rats will nest in loft insulation, large appliances and even furniture. Sometimes a cereal box is simply enough.

The destruction will be more than just chewed cables (which are a a fire and an electrical safety risk) and gnawed woodwork. Rodents are highly unsanitary creatures, leaving an almost constant trail of droppings, urine, saliva and hair. If your tenants are exposed to these, they can contract serious and potentially fatal diseases such as hantavirus, Leptospirosis and salmonellosis.

Mind the gaps

If you’re assuming you’d easily spot a rodent entry point, now is the time to grab a ruler. Rats and mice will happily shimmy through a gap of 5-6mm by flattening their bodies and contorting their skeletons. And if the desire to get inside a home is greater than the size of the hole, no worries. A rat or mouse will just chew the hole bigger.

Regularly inspecting your buy-to-let for potential gaps should form part of your annual property maintenance. Common rodent entry points include:

• Cracks in external walls and floorboards

• Missing roof tiles

• Broken vents and air bricks 

• Uncapped pipes 

• Gaps around external doors and windows

• Damaged soffits and fascias

• Gaps around pipes and cables that enter the property 

How to stop rodents getting in to a property

Bear in mind rodents have very sharp teeth and they love to gnaw. To combat their insane ability to gain access, landlords should first use steel wool or wire mesh to block a small to medium size gap, and then fill with a sealant such as expanding foam, caulk or cement. Large holes should be blocked with sheet metal or hardware cloth before any tiny cracks are filled with sealant.

Landlords should also pay attention to where external walls meet the ground, looking for signs of holes and digging -  a trademark of rats. A pest control company can ensure any burrows are free of vermin, leaving the landlord free to pack the holes with sand or cement. Keeping external walls free of vegetation and locating refuse or compost bins well away from the house will help deter rodents from returning. 

Tenants also have their part to play in preventing a vermin problem. Encourage them to regularly take their rubbish out to bins that have secure lids, remind them to never leave uncovered food lying around, ask them to cover pet food or remove anything that’s uneaten, and clear up crumbs or spills promptly. 

If you would like more information about seasonal property maintenance, especially in rental properties, please get in touch.