A lot of the time, it is the landlord’s responsibility to keep their properties and grounds free of rodents. Other than being an unpleasant sight for your tenants and guests to see, rodents can carry potentially dangerous diseases and can infect your outside spaces with several pathogens. They can make their homes under decking, in sheds and greenhouses and even under compost heaps, so it is important to check these spaces to make sure you aren’t risking a rodent infestation in your property.
How you can tell if your outside spaces have a rodent problem
It is relatively easy to spot if you have a rodent problem. When inspecting your properties and grounds, you should look out for common signs, such as droppings (these look like black grains of rice) and tunnels in the ground. Rats and mice often carve tunnels in the ground and leave mounds of mud at the digging point.
As well as this, your tenants may notice plants disappearing and notify you of a possible rodent infestation, or worse – see rats or mice on the grounds of your property.
How to keep your outside spaces free of rodents
If you have no rodents in your outside spaces, you’re very unlikely to suffer from a rodent infestation inside your property, so it is very important to keep your grounds free from rats, mice and other pests. Luckily, there are some easy steps that you can take to reduce the likelihood of a vermin infestation.
Remove their shelter
Rats and mice like to make nests in wood piles and long grass, so it is a good idea to ensure that your grounds maintenance teams periodically move any piles of wood and keep on top of mowing the lawn.
Eliminate their food and water sources
Ensure that no food is left outside and remove any bird feeders if necessary. If bird feeders are present, reduce any spills by ensuring the responsible individual fills the feeders carefully and stores any bird seed in metal boxes that rodents will be unable to chew through.
It may also be a good idea to use treatments to kill any lawn grubs to remove the natural food sources as well. Milky spore works well for this.
Rats can’t survive without water. If possible,remove any water sources from your garden, including dripping taps. It is also a good idea to secure drains and add baffles to drainpipes.
Seal holes and block any access to decking
Rodents are agile pests. Mice can squeeze through holes as small as 6mm (about the diameter of a pen). It’s important to seal up any holes or entrances into sheds or outbuildings to prevent rodents from finding a comfortable spot to make their home. Holes can be sealed up with wood or metal to prevent rodents from chewing through the material.
Decking is a common home for rodents as the space beneath is sheltered, hard to reach, and scraps of food may fall between the planks of wood. It may be a good idea to ask your grounds maintenance teams to block any access to under the decking, or if a problem persists, install a patio instead.
Improve sanitation
If bins are kept outside your property, it is important to ensure your maintenance teams are keeping them clean. Leftover food particles or scents from the bins could be luring rodents into the space.
How Dependable can help
At Dependable, we are able to handle any rodent infestations that you may have. Our ground and property maintenance teams will be able to keep on top of the steps to reduce the possibility of attracting rodents, as well as clean up potential messes as a result of an infestation!
Get in touch for more information about our services, and always try to keep your outside spaces clean and tidy.
