mice issue - Landlord Forum thread

mice issue by newLL (CT) on November 17, 2009 @21:55

I lived there for 10 years before renting it out. I had never seen a single mice in this 8-unit residential condo building. The tenants report the mice issue, I had pest control export to identify and treat. My unit becomes the one and single unit is infested. The tenants want me to pay for her son's hospital expense and her hotel expense becuase she claims the mice bit her baby and she has to sleep in the hotel where her uncle works there. Is the landlord responsible for those expenses?

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Re: mice issue and violation notes and eviction by newLL (CT) on November 17, 2009 @22:47

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I should have mentioned that the tenants have never mentioned a word about the mice and other 6 disrepairs and directly reported to local Health Deparment becaue they say they want the landlord to fix everything for them for free. Sure, I got a letter from Health Department.

I and the realtor and an experienced handyman and pest control export went to the property (by the way, the tenants change the door lock) and all we think those disrepairs are damage by the tenants.

The tenants do offer the information that she had neightbot to obsessivly open the door because her baby was crying inside while she locked herself out. The tenants even tell me that they do not want to pay the last two months rent because of 2-month security. The lease still has 5 months to go including November 2009 ($1000 monthly rent). The tenants stop paying the rent right after they report to Health Department.

Last week, the first mice treatment was done and one item was fixed.

This week, one more item was checked, and the rest will be fixed within this week.

Now, what does it take to finish this kind of the appeal? how long usually does it take so that my case can start the eviction process due to non-payment rent? I assume I can not kick of the eviction now. Any suggestions are most welcome. Thank you very much for your reply!!!

Re: mice issue by xxx on November 18, 2009 @09:49

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fix whatever broken items, get a report from exterminator that mice are gone, send her a registered letter (or by bailiff) requesting payment within 5 days, then evict

fyi, the mice are likely her fault:

1) leaving open food around, never cleaning
2) getting infested furniture off the street
3) intentionally bringing them in to give her a reason not to pay the rent

Re: mice issue by Anonymous (CA) on November 18, 2009 @14:27

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XXX has given good advice - the presence of mice has NOTHING to do with not paying the rent. Get that notice from the exterminator that the problem has been solved, give a copy to the tenant with a note adding something to the effect that further infestation will be considered negligence on the tenants part and future treatment will be billed to them. You are well advised to do an inspection, if for nothing else, to "change the filters" - get in there, take a camera and take photos of what i suspect is sloppy housekeeping, thus laying out a buffet for vermin.

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Re: mice issue by Ultimate M-Bone on November 19, 2009 @10:19	[ Reply ]
You should have initiated the eviction the day after rent was due and unpaid. Tenants who won't pay their rent will often claim habitability issues to confuse the landlord which often times works and gets them longer free time to live there. Waste no more time, get over there and get them served the pay/quit or notice to vacate, whichever one is applicable for your State.

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Re: mice violation and eviction by Ann on November 21, 2009 @19:23

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I notice the tenants keep the garbage can open, left the used containers and dishes in the sink, never clean the mice droppings in the property, etc. Pest control export put 12 stations in 484 sqft (the property size) and the tenants remove 2!!! The tenants keep complaining the mice running everywhere!!! I cannot understand if the tenants really want to eliminate the mice or not.

While CT-licensed pest control exports found mice droppings in the basement (the pest controller has a good reason why not give "mice is eliminated"), and my unit is the single one unit out of the total 8 units has mice. Is it possible for the associate to complaint my unit is the one bringing the mice? Anyway, when pest controller suggests $85 monthly mice service, I subscribe it.

I will meet an lawyer tomorrow about the appeal and eviction. I will keep all of you updated. The tenants note again and again that they will not pay the rent. I really do not know what I can do.

Re: mice violation and eviction