Animals in roof/ceiling

[AberMiranda 1]

We live in a top floor flat, and have animals in our ceiling.  They were there last winter, and we assumed it was normal winter behaviour (common enough in the UK).  However, this year they seem to have gotten further into the building, and are running around in ceiling above our kitchen and below our bedroom and even in the wall spaces.

 

We informed the landlord of this last winter and the problem seemed to go away after they sent someone round (poison, I guess?). However, the animals came back after some time, and now it seems to be worse than it was last year. They are very loud, and often wake us up at night. We're worried they might cause damage to plumbing or wiring or even get into the flat itself.

 

Is this normal for a flat in an old building? Whose responsibility is this?

[black1 1,661]

We have this every year now and it is forest mice. They come when the weather gets bad and they have a curious hop that makes them sound enormous. It could be that. Or rats or house mice or maders.  

[HEM 9,846]

Try putting mouse traps - or better rat traps - baited with Nutella up there.

[HH_Sailor 2,365]

It's the landlord's job. Keep reporting to him, in writing, so you can keep records.

 

Just poison or traps has the problem that the dead animals will in summer somewhat stink if they are of any size.

 

They need removing, post mortem.

 

The animals could be eating into insulation or moisture barriers. That could eventually cause (rainwater) leaks too.

 

Another reason to get the landlord involved. 

[optimista 4,691]

9 minutes ago, HH_Sailor said:

...the dead animals will in summer somewhat stink if they are of any size.

Indeed. Isn't the lesser evil just to live and let live and let them come and go? They have the right to be here too. We have the same problem and also wonder if they will chew through the cables, although this has not happened so far  - which is well over a decade now. If it's any comfort they tend to move out in Spring. Oh, and ours have been known to play football with pebbles, kid you not.

[HEM 9,846]

33 minutes ago, HH_Sailor said:

Just poison or traps has the problem that the dead animals will in summer somewhat stink if they are of any size.

 

With traps you inspect then every few days & remove the corpses.  No pong.

[jeba 3,579]

35 minutes ago, HH_Sailor said:

It's the landlord's job.

Where did you get this from? Maybe it´s his job to call an exterminator (depending on whether you´re renting a house or a flat) but he will pass the bill to the tenant.

[snowingagain 3,646]

Someone on here got a rent reduction because of rats.   

[maxie 398]

It depends on what animals you have in your roof. 

Is the roof accessible? How about putting a live trap up there to see what you actually have. 

Rats or mice, I would suggestion using traps or making it the landlords problem. 

 

If you have a family of fat or garden dormice, regular traps are not an option as they are protected and cannot be hunted, cought, injured or killed. There are stiff fines. 

Also, they are incredibly cute and there is usually only one or two. 

Dormice I would catch in live traps and relocate (I believe it way >10 km or they can find their way back) somewhere in a field. 

 

Poison is not a good idea, IMO. There is the smell, as someone mentioned. Also, cats, owls foxes etc. might catch a poisoned rodent and die as well. 

[fraufruit 35,700]

13 hours ago, AberMiranda said:

We informed the landlord of this last winter and the problem seemed to go away after they sent someone round

 

Do this again. It his her/his property/problem.

[keith2011 1,474]

If it is Marders (Martens) which it often is, they are protected and must not be disturbed! They do eat electric insulation in cars but are very fussy and normally only go for the HT leads on BMWs for some strange reason, I have never heard that they eat insulation (electric or otherwise) in housing.

[kiplette 7,384]

They seem to enjoy surfing down the roof possibly on a dislodged tile - never actually seen it, but heard and seen the resulting holes in the roof and smashed tiles below.

 

Imagine catching that on camera!

 

This happened in our old house, and kid#3 got a skin (ferret?) from the red cross shop and nailed it to the bike shed as a warning to the beasties  

 

In this house we have some creature seemingly in the wall (these are not cavity walls) in the area of the window sill making chewing noises. Was one bedroom, now ours (way around the other side of the house) and it is much louder now. No scurrying/scuttling at all, so I think it's an insect, but there is no sign outside of a hole or any life.

[HEM 9,846]

10 minutes ago, kiplette said:

In this house we have some creature seemingly in the wall (these are not cavity walls) in the area of the window sill making chewing noises. Was one bedroom, now ours (way around the other side of the house) and it is much louder now. No scurrying/scuttling at all, so I think it's an insect, but there is no sign outside of a hole or any life.

 

Sounds like a hornet.

[kiplette 7,384]

@HEM Will he trash the house? I am happy for him to live his life and I think he's on the no-interference list anyway, but i don't want my windows to fall out because he's been chowing the walls. 

[HEM 9,846]

3 minutes ago, kiplette said:

@HEM Will he trash the house?

 

You probably won't live long enough to experience that!

[kiplette 7,384]

All good then - I won't get between him and his snacking 

[AberMiranda 1]

Thanks for all the advice and answers!  Sadly, we have no access to the loft/attic, so will contact the landlord again and see what happens.  I think they must be mice or squirrels - not pebble football yet, but a lot of chasing and hopping (sounds like).

[optimista 4,691]

On 22/01/2021, 14:19:31, kiplette said:

They seem to enjoy surfing down the roof...

Yep. Something with a wet, muddy, bushy tail regularly scampers over the roof of my car and slides down the windscreen and off the bonnet...

[Acton 805]

I hope it's 'muddy'.