Ceri

It's the landlords responsibility.

The landlord must annually have the premises treated by a licensed pest controller .. not a lot of landlords do this, and they are breaking contracts by not doing this. Can't remember the number of the clause.. but it's there somewhere, I can remember reading this when I was having trouble getting them to send a termite inspector in when I was renting ( we had termites..but they didn't give a damn as they had just sold the house.. it was in the transaction period.. they still owned the house)

The landlord must make sure the place is liveable ( before and during the tenancy), including health and safety standards.

Read through your contract carefully you should find it is one of the clauses.

read through your RTA booklet too.. if you haven't got an RTA booklet ( although you should have one.. as if they did not give you one at the start of your tenancy, again they are breaking the contract).. anyway, if you still can't see the segments relating to this in your booklet or your contract, phone the RTA for advice before phoning your landlord/estate agent ( know your rights before you phone the landlord).. that's what they are there for.

http://www.rta.qld.gov.au/ (RTA website) .. you may find it on there somewhere, if not phone the RTA advice line .. they will tell you your rights on this issue.
cheers

ABCDiamond

QLD Pest Control Rules

Some interesting points on the rta website. It makes it worth reading the tenancy agreement. I just read the one for my tenants, and they have to clean the carpets and pest control the place when they leave, which i hadn't realised, having just left it to the agent sort out the tenancy agreement.


Pest control
The Residential Tenancies Act 1994 does not make a specific reference to pest control.

Tenancy Agreements prepared by industry organisations may include a statement in the special terms of the tenancy agreement similar to the following:
"The tenant must keep the premises free from pests and vermin"

http://www.rta.qld.gov.au/faq_ending...cy.cfm?item=66


Pest control when the tenant keeps pets
If the premises were pest free at the start of the tenancy and the tenant has kept pets on the premises they MAY be responsible for pest controlling the premises at the end of tenancy.



Tenancy agreements:
can include special terms - terms negotiated by the lessor/agent with the tenant before signing the agreement. These terms must not conflict with the Act. They are included to reduce confusion and may include details regarding garden maintenance, rent increases, water charging, smoke alarms, pest control, swimming pools or carpet cleaning
http://www.rta.qld.gov.au/the_tenancy_agreement.cfm



And, To make you smile:
Under the special terms and conditions, a tenant asked the lessor if she could keep a cat. The lessor said no pets were allowed. The tenant then asked, 'What about Goldfish?' The lessor relented. Months later when the lessor went to inspect the premises, he was surprised to see a cat looking very much at home in the lounge room. When quizzed, the tenant replied, 'That's my cat, Goldfish! You said I could keep Goldfish!'

Ceri

If you look at your contract there is also the lessor must keep the premises in a liveable , clean condition.. in accordance to "health and safety laws of QLD "( the RTA is not a law maker.. they are a body who two parties agree by their terms and in contract). If it is not her fault that she has a mouse prob ( like being a dirty B*stard or something), it is the lessors (landlord) duty to get rid of them.. health and safety, and in accordance to keep the premises in a fit and liveable state by laws of QLD.

One of my old contracts had on it ( it was a REIQ form) that the lessor must annually pest control.

Regarding carpets.. all carpets must be cleaned by a "carpet contractor".. licensed business, when you leave. ( when I was in NSW.. the lessor could not force you to this.. this is a QLD rule)

Regarding pets.. yes you have to have it pest sprayed when you leave .. it is normally one of the clauses they add if you have pets. It doesn't cost much around $50 I recall.. all they do is go around with a big bottle and spray into the corners etc.. I think it's for ticks and such.

Your best bet is to phone the RTA and ask them for advice.. their number should be on their website somewhere. A lot of Rules have conflicting meanings. Take this ... When the lessor wants access it must be at a reasonable time etc.. right, when I was renting the estate agents wanted to show people around on a Sunday (the house was on the market), I thought no way.. I stood my ground. I also rang the RTA on this, and they told me it does not have specific time guide lines for access... just that it must be reasonable.. what is reasonable to one person is unreasonable to another.. I refused point blank for Sunday access.. There was not a damn thing the lessor could do.. as I said Sunday to me was unreasonable..

The RTA rules are open for different interpretations... a lot of them only contain guide lines and not "set laws", and can be twisted.

If you have a mouse problem, and it is not your fault it is the duty of the Landlord to make sure his or her premises are fit and are maintained during the tenancy to live in and meet the health standards.

The tenant should not pay for this. And that is why there is no specific terms for "pests" in the RTA. It's who's fault (ie being a dirty B8astard.. I'm not saying you are by the way! this is an example) are the pests.. if it's her fault , it's her problem, if it is beyond her control and there is an infestation.. it's the duty of the landlord to pay for it, and sort it out

Watt Dabney

Any top mouse killing tips???? [/QUOTE]




Hi,

Been having exactly the same problem here. Mice in the house, set traps and they managed to empty them every time without setting them off!!! I had gone off the idea of baiting them as I knew there was quite a few, 1 mouse going and dying somewhere in my roof space is one thing but 10+




Had my 1st successfull trap lastnight so thought I would share my tactics! Bait the trap with bacon rind. The traps have a little bent over hook to put the bait under, well bend this upright and skewer 2 small pieces on, then bend the hook back over, set traps as sensitive as poss (mind your fingers!).
They have been emptying my traps for the last fortnight did this last night for the 1st time, out of 3 traps 1 was emptyed 1 untouched and 1 caught a mouse!


Good luck

Paula

mr mover

Your removal company that delivered your shipment has been paid, to remove all debris, this includes boxes................. MM

Wol

Having left my place empty during the winters for years with the associated mouse problems I reckon to have tried all types of trap!

The od ones are the best: "Little Nipper" is the one that comes to mind. It's the old wood type.

It's important to place the trap against the wall with the killing field nearest the wall. The little things run along the skirting.

It also occured to me that, having had many traps set off without a catch, it is at least 50% possible for the mouse to approach the bait from over the spring side. After all, they don't know where to place their heads unles you put a little notice down, with an arrow.

So I made several little boxes about 5" long, 3" wide and 4" high but without a "front". The trap goes in and there's only one way the mouse can approach the bait.

It works! The squash rate is far higher than with the trap au naturale.

Peanut butter and beef jerky are good.

Best of luck......

walaj

I take it the RTA only cover QLD as when I replace 'qld' with nsw' (in the web address) I get Roads & Traffic Authority

Do you know the authority covering rental agreements in NSW?

thanks

Peter

http://www.nsw.gov.au/Housing_result...ISPLAY=Renting

macintyre

Hi there
We had mice in our flat, we used humane traps and they were excellent, we found that the mice loved really sweet smelling biscuits, like crunch creams, just hope your brave enough to set them free after AS FAR AWAY AS POSSIBLE from your house.
Good luck

nina

tinaj

UPDATE

We still have not caught any of the blighters. I have tried the bucket with Peanut Butter and bird seed, they don't appear to have tried to get in yet. The traps have been ignored, as has the poisoned bait that I bought.

I also bought glue traps which one of them got in and must have got out again as you could see all the footprints!!

I will keep trying all the ideas are a great help.

Thanks for all the comments on the boxes, unfortunately we can't move them as we have lots of them still full of clothes toys etc as this house is pretty small. Also we are keeping the others for when we move again in a couple of months.

Peter

Dogs like silky and fox terriers are excellent mousers. Better than any cat. Might want to try your luck with one of them, and you have a good pet to boot.

Wol

Ther's only one remedy left then - a small thermonuclear device. Should be pretty effective even against QLD mices. Probably cane toads too.

I understand they are freely available from certain Russian websites.

Hope this helps.

tinaj

Don't get me started I can't wait to get a dog, but our landlady won't allow one moany old hag!!

Mind you as soon as we move into our new place I will be out looking for a pup. I saw a Silky Terrier the other day and she was gorge.


Rog - do you think Iraq might have any left over I could borrow?

wmoore

I guess if YOU can find them, they're yours

Wol

Try ringing the intelligence services - they have all the information.