Student flats at risk from mouse control epidemic

• Thousands of students suffer with mouse infestations every year

• Mouse control in student accommodation can be a difficult problem

• Shared accommodation can make it harder to remove mice from flats

• Student accommodation providers should consider mouse proofing as an effective mouse deterrence

With the stress of A-level results over, thousands of young people are leaving the parental nest to study at university, where they will experience another stressful experience – mice nests.

Both university and private landlords will be welcoming new students to mostly-shared accommodation across London, and other major cities across the UK. However, mouse control in student accommodation is fraught with problems, which makes this kind of property amongst the most risk from London’s mice epidemic.

Rodent nightlife

Many students will be looking forward to London’s vibrant culture and night life. What might surprise some and shock others more is that London has another nightlife – as the mouse and rat capital of Europe.

Students no longer glory in living in slum conditions, especially in university accommodation. There have been media reports of students seeking to sue their universities over mice and other nasty things, like mould, found in their flats.

Mice epidemic

A SUPERPROOF director said: “Mice and rats are endemic on London, where conditions are perfect for large rodent infestations to develop.

“This is all the more the case in shared accommodation, especially properties where students live, because home care can be more haphazard, and food and dirty dishes are often left lying about.

“That does not mean that students like to live with mice. They are often shocked by seeing them, especially foreign students, because house mice are less common in some other countries.

“The other thing about a lot of younger people is that they are more environmentally-conscious and don’t want to harm animals, so they would prefer a humane mouse control solution.”

From phobias to concerns about hygiene risks, mice infestations increase stress for many tenants, students or otherwise.

Mouse infestation complaints

Landlords of student accommodation, like all housing managers, are likely to place pest control close to the top of a list of the most difficult complaints they have to deal with, said Hill.

He added: “What student accommodation landlords need is a mouse control solution that is effective, long-term and is aligned with the values of their tenants, which is where SUPERPROOF comes in.”

 

SUPERPROOF, has developed what it believes is the UK’s most effective mouse proofing system. It does not use mice poisons or traps, which many students are likely to disapprove of.

Instead, a proven system is deployed, making use of advanced mouse behavior expertise and advanced proofing materials and technique, to block all potential entries into student living space.

SUPERPROOF’s expert said: “The inside of student flats is like a smorgasbord for mice. Food can be found everywhere, in cupboards, on work surfaces, in bedrooms, and on floors.

“Once the property is proofed, they can’t get access to this luxury banquet, so a key reason for living in cavities in the property has been denied them. That means they have to leave to find another food source.”

Poison-free mouse control

With SUPERPROOF, the mice are removed humanely. No mice are actively killed, which many students appreciate. Also, a long-term mouse control solution is put in place, with no need for further intervention, if the fabric of the building is not altered.

“Mice baiting and trapping doesn’t work for lots of different reasons, one being that most mice are physiologically and behaviourally resistant to both poisons and traps.

“Also for these pest control interventions to have any short-term effect, there must be cooperation from the people living in the property in terms of changing food management, and ensuring bait boxes and traps are in place and maintained.

“This is much harder in student accommodation where tenants are likely to deliberately or unintentionally undermine the baiting and trapping pest control regime, making it doubly worthless.”

Help for student landlords

Both university and private landlords are invited to contact SUPERPROOF so we can resolve their mouse control problems – or carry out preventative mouse proofing.

If you want to find out about mouse control in student accommodation, or want help getting rid of mice in student flats, call SUPERPROOF for a free no obligation quote.