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Should Portsmouth Landlords be checking their premises for signs of mice?

 

With winter comes the arrival of the House Mouse or the Long-Tailed Field Mouse into our homes seeking shelter. It’s been a mild autumn, so mice infestations may not have peaked yet but ignore the possibility at your peril. Mice will be one of the quickest ways to lose a reliable tenant. Without duplicating last week’s article on Rats regular checks of your premises will keep the problem under control and create a good relationship with your tenants. So should Portsmouth landlords be checking their premises for signs of mice? Yes.

 

Should Portsmouth Landlords be checking their premises for signs of mice?

Field Mouse

 

Mice are a nuisance in three ways: they can spread diseases such as Salmonella and Listeria through their faeces, they cause structural damage through their need to gnaw damaging electric cables to washing machines and even gas and water pipes, they are active at night where they can be heard scurrying around lofts keeping tenants awake.

 

Should Portsmouth Landlords be checking their premises for signs of mice?

House Mouse

 

How Should Portsmouth Landlords be checking their premises for signs of mice?

Evidence of mice:

  •  A mouse can produce about 80 droppings a day. These will be black and approximately the size of a chunky grain of rice. They can be found under the kitchen sink in roof spaces and
    around boilers.
  • Mice are resourceful creatures and will make nests of available material such as cardboard, carpet, and cloth. Nests can be found in cupboards, under the floorboards, in lofts and airing
    cupboards.
  • Mice gnaw constantly so you may spot gnawing marks on wood, carpet, pipes and cables. Look for damage to boxes in food cupboards as they are particularly partial to cereals.
  • Grey smear marks may be spotted where oils form fur have been rubbed against a surface.
  • Noise. Your tenant may be complaining about scurrying sounds in the loft. This is not likely to be Bats.
  • Smell of urine can be very strong.

 

Should Portsmouth Landlords be checking their premises for signs of mice?

Mouse nest & droppings

 

The most effective way to remove mice is to contact a professional pest control company such as Shawyers. Your tenant may have tried to control the problem by using humane traps available from DIY stores – peanut butter can have some success. However, unless you release the mouse half a kilometre away it will almost certainly find its way back to the house.

 

Housekeeping to prevent mice:

  • Check that there are no gaps around entrance points to the property. Mice can squeeze through a 5mm space. So seal spaces around pipes and gaps in brickwork.
  • Well fitted lids on dustbins and compost bins will deter mice.
  • Check the shed is clean and tidy and free of nests.

 

The House Mouse is a prolific breeder and can have between 4 and 16 young in each litter with up to 8 litters a year. Young will be sexually mature between 2 – 3 months. It is clear how a couple of mice can produce quite a problem if ignored. A trained pest control professional such as Chris here at Shawyers will help with any queries about a mice infestation.