Mice in Hatfield House

[Nancy Honey]

I have lived in Hatfield House for 2 years now. I was shocked at first, by how little notice the mice that sauntered across my living room floor took of me! Let me add that my kitchen is fastidiously clean, too.

I have had the pest control people here 3 times in the past 2 years, the sonic repeller that seemed to do the trick of keeping them at bay seems to have failed to do that lately. When the pest control man was here last week he told me that I was the 18th person to have mice problems in Hatfield House that week. I wondered if the problem could have been exacerbated by the fact that, sadly, my next door neighbour died about 6 weeks ago and he'd had a big problem with hoarding. I know for sure that no one has been in to clear his flat out since that. I reported this as a public health nuisance to the Estate Office, the City of London environmental control office and to the pest control office as well as to the officer himself. Nothing has been done.

Nancy Honey

[nathan]

You are not alone, Crescent House has been infested for several years, as far as I know the councils pest control service will soon be no more, residents will then be responsible for arranging their own pest control.

[Nick Sharp]

Nancy, this is exactly reminiscent of our situation on the ground floor!  

Our flat is clean and every piece of food is stacked away in boxes. The mice seem most interested in completely non-food related areas - our upstairs sitting room, for example, where they have nibbled their way into a sofa.  It's a serious issue - can we get the estate office to listen? 

[Tim Godsmark]

It seems to have been much worse recently. We have caught 10 in the last 3 weeks but they still keep on coming. They do not appear to be nesting in our flat so it looks as though they are coming up the ducts. Pest control told me that they were going to try to eliminate them in the basement but I haven't seen any evidence of that yet.

As I type another one has just run across the floor.

[nathan]

I have seen the rat traps in the basement, they have been there for years covered in dust, as far as i understand these have to be maintained, re baited etc. In my place you can see into the flat below, this is where the old communal underfloor heating was de commissioned and new pipe work was installed through roughly drilled holes that were never made good. I often see mice scooting along the top floor of Crescent House.

[Nancy Honey]

I know, that is why we need to get it known, NOW!

[nathan]

It's been going on for years, they know all about it , the rat traps are over a decade old.

[nathan]

The mice in Crescent House are so big they have hooves.

[Paul Lincoln]

From bitter experience my recommendation is that you fill every hole with wire wool including those near the ceiling.  This includes all of the spaces behind the cooker and the washing machine and the sink.......The add some kind of expanding foam.

[nathan]

https://youtu.be/M_gHlkNtRDg

[Lee Studley]

I have caught two in my flat since Saturday, was just about to go to bed and noticed one trapped on the "sticky" traps that was given to me last time pest control visited. Was told that because of cutbacks that's all they can do and don't the have the budget to fill in the holes where the mice are entering the flat it's one thing after another in these bloody flats and I'm bloody sick of it.

[Tim Godsmark]

It seems to have got a bit better in the last week but maybe they have been scared off as we have caught 15 in the last 6 weeks.

Political Mother said:

Budget cuts? The richest local authority in Eurooe. It probably means the Corporation has decided to reduce the housing budget. It would make a great news item though.

Lee Studley said:

I have caught two in my flat since Saturday, was just about to go to bed and noticed one trapped on the "sticky" traps that was given to me last time pest control visited. Was told that because of cutbacks that's all they can do and don't the have the budget to fill in the holes where the mice are entering the flat it's one thing after another in these bloody flats and I'm bloody sick of it.

[Maria Elizabeth Prior]

I used to have mice come in, but I think Lulu's presence has deterred them.  What the mice don't know is she could never catch one.  She can't even catch a cold.  Hope mice don't read!  I also used a sonic repeller, which did work.  Nancy, maybe you were unlucky to have deaf mice!