What to do when you find mice in your house

---

There is an interesting bit of data from the English House Condition Survey (EHCS) that anticipate that 1.4%!o(MISSING)f the properties are going to suffer from a mice infestation on the basis of a 5 year period. What properties are more likely to suffer from mice are possibly another thing worth considering. Even though vacant properties have a slightly higher incidence of infestation than occupied ones, it is over shadowed by the number of properties that were infested by the past 5 years period.




In other words, properties that once suffered from mice are 5 times more likely to suffer from mice activity within the following period. I may appear a bit sad, but this is very much linked to a number of other factors that all work in the favour of mice. Houses that are also more prone to mice infestations are more likely to be:




In areas with a higher level of problems

In older and/or possibly more neglected buildings






Thus what to do when you find mice in your house vary widely depending on the circumstances. We can differentiate the immediate response that will involve the implementation of pest control measures, and the long term strategy that will look at reducing the possibility of mice returning in the future.




To go back to the data provided by the EHCS, about 60%!o(MISSING)f the surveyed properties where being treated, a good 25%!o(MISSING)f the infested property’s tenant were aware of the issue but had not taken action, and a small proportion were simply unaware of even suffering of mice in first place. As a consequence, we can safely assume that if you find mice in your house, the next door neighbours may need to be approached to raise their awareness to the mice problem.




1- The neighbours report they never saw any mice ever. Mice are elusive, you may never see them, however they do not control their droppings. Ask the tenant to check under the sink unit for the presence of droppings. If there is none, the neighbours can rest easy.




2- The neighbours report that the saw mice in the past but did not take any action as it never happen again. Once again it might have been a 1-off mouse intrusion, or it may just be the top of the iceberg. Checking for mice droppings will confirm it. No droppings or less that 5 might have been the result of past residual activity.




I actually came across a few neighbours that were very difficult to get across. They easily dismissed our concerns say that the mice simply come and go. Do mice leave in their own ? Or is it that mice never leave at all, but that the tenant simply do not pay them any attention?



In any case, I often advise my clients that they better deal with mice in their own, than have problems with neighbours. So the way to go is to get a professional pest control company in to get rid of the mice, then let all the neighbours know about it so they are more careful and possibly check for the presence of droppings in the hope that if they find any they will treat as well.

---