squirrel/landlord question

[schpahky.livejournal.com]

ETA: I am asking about our legal rights as tenants, though we much appreciate the pest control recommendations too. Thanks!

For the last month or so, we've had squirrels in the walls and ceiling. The landlords finally sent someone to patch the hole under the eaves when the squirrels were out, though it took weeks for the guy to come. We're not sure if the hold-up was him or the landlords.

Two days later, after a lot of angry chattering outside and lots of chewing sounds, the squirrels came back. We called the landlords again, and they sent a second guy. The first guy was a general handyman. This second guy was something like the brother's sister-in-law's friend. The landlord didn't have his phone number and the guy didn't have ours. Apparently the message had to go down the chain of relatives. We sat home all Saturday waiting and he never came.

Yesterday, he finally came and patched up the hole again. He said squirrels went out in the day and now they couldn't come back in.

Well, an hour after he left we hear frantic scrabbling in the walls and near the hole. Turns out a squirrel WAS still home and couldn't get out.

We called the landlord yet again. She was upset to send someone else because the first two guys had cost $150 and $250. We offered to give her the info for two pest control companies we'd already talked to. She said no, she'd take care of it.

Meanwhile, we called 311 to talk to Animal Control. They told us they could do nothing until the squirrel was actually out of the walls and in our house. As long as it's inside the physical structure of the building, it's a landlord issue.

Around 6:30 last night, the squirrel finally got out of the wall and into one of our closets. We made sure the door was shut and called Animal Control. It turns out Animal Control leaves at 3pm. After much pleading, we got 311 to connect us with Somerville non-emergency police, if only for advice. I left some officer a message and he never called back.

We need to get this squirrel out of the house or walls today, before it dies of dehydration. The landlords have been very slow dealing with this issue and don't seem to understand either the dangers of the squirrels chewing up the innards of their house or dying in the walls. The living room, under where we think the nest is, now reeks of what we think is squirrel urine. The whole situation has been horrible.

We have a pest control company coming out this morning to give an estimate. If we just pay them to deal with this like real pest control people, putting a one-way tube thing in the hole and checking everything else, is the landlord liable to pay for it? We are desperate at this point but we also don't want to get stuck with a bill of several hundred dollars.

Thank you!

Comments

[larksdream]

Pest control people who actually do the job right are hella expensive. Unfortunately, doing the job even mostly right is just as useless as not doing it at all, because if there's any openings left the squirrels or birds WILL find them. They've got time on their hands.

Two summers ago I had a cheap pest control company come out for birds in the walls; they charged $400 and put up some screening. The next year, come nesting season, there were more birds in the walls, so I had the not-cheap-at-all company come out. They charged $1000 (three-story house so lots of ladders required), which makes me want to weep. But this summer, no more birds.

The one that actually got the job done was Bay State Wildlife.

[joylewis.livejournal.com]

We used Bay State Wildlife in our three story condo building to get squirrels out, and had a great experience. Maybe you could just pay and deduct that amount from your rent?

[miss-chance.livejournal.com]

Huh. I used Pest Pest of Elm Street. It was a few years ago, but I sort of remember it only costing $150. It was in the Fall like this and they said the price included coming back in the spring if we found any again.

Based on the prices you're listing, I'm thinking I must have misremembered, but I swear it was in that range. They were very careful to check inside all the eves before patching anything, saying that if there were squirrels trapped inside, especially baby squirrels, there was no patch in the world that would hold, but if everyone was out they would just move on.

[ron_newman]

Do you mean Best Pest?

[somerfriend.livejournal.com]

My experience was I paid a couple hundred dollars, don't quite remember. First they put a cage near the whole to catch the squirrels when they go outside to get food (which they will of course do, unless you have a bunch of nuts in your walls). Then they take the squirrels away and seal up the whole.

It was very effective.

Commonwealth Wildlife.

Can't say I was as impressed with their mouse work (which is admittedly harder, but other companies have been better), but for squirrels they were great.

[hikermtnbiker.livejournal.com]

I had the same experience when I had squirrels. They have to trap them first otherwise they will simply gnaw their way back in. You don't end up trapping all the neighborhood squirrels since they are territorial. The holes have to be covered before new squirrels move in.

It is very important that all possible entry points be covered, not just the one that they are currently using. It could be that there is rot in the fascia or gaps in trim where they will create new holes. My pest guy covered about 4-6 locations and ultimately I replaced my gutters and fascia.

I don't recall who I used but they were not local.

[laryu.livejournal.com]

I echo this: You have to trap the squirrels first and then you can seal it up. I used Critter Control in Watertown and they were great. There was a per-squirrel trap charge (5 in our case) and then a charge for sealing up. But they were great and we've had no issues since.

[smoterh.livejournal.com]

That's strange,

According to Somerville Animal Control, animals are only supposed be a nuisance between 8:30 and 3 PM.

[talonvaki.livejournal.com]

Hm. Someone should inform the animals of that.

[hrafn.livejournal.com]

And give them tiny wrist watches!

[vonelftinhaus.livejournal.com]

As others have said you need a Pest Control service, which will do it right- and who cares about the price including the landlord because his house is being eaten from the inside out!!

Best Pest in Somerville did mine

[lunarcamel.livejournal.com]

I'd call the Cambridge Consumers' Council. (http://www.cambridgema.gov/consumercouncil.aspx) I know Davis isn't Cambridge but they're a wealth of information about general landlord/tenant and who can help you if they can't. Good luck.

Have you tried these guys?

[bobobb.livejournal.com]

City of Somerville, Health Division

"In cases of indoor rodent complaints, the Health Division can conduct an inspection. If evidence of indoor rodents is found, the landlord must hire a licensed exterminator company."

http://www.somervillema.gov/departments/ospcd/isd/health-division

It sounds like the landlord is responsible and you should consider calling the health department.

[csbermack.livejournal.com]

I think that paying yourself and expecting the landlord to reimburse you is the wrong way to go. The cases where that's appropriate are limited and you don't want to get into that fight if it becomes necessary.

Also, you're not supposed to do Improvements on the property. I don't know if pest control counts.

Regardless, for positive landlord relations, saying you shelled out X hundred dollars and will be deducting it from the rent seems like a pretty bad plan. Finding the appropriate municipal office to require your landlord to take the appropriate action seems like a better plan.

dunno what to do about the one still in the wall, though. good luck.

[smammy]

Withhold rent!