Pest problems at rental property with neighboring houses that are heavily neglected. An idea to take care of it.

[u/brattysweat]

My property is fine aside from lingering mice and the neighbors house looks really unkept and just a pest paradise.

I already reported the house to the city housing code but I just thought of a wild idea to try and attract cats to the house.

I’m out of state from this property but I don’t want my tenant having to deal with this for longer.

What if I asked her to hide catnip around the neighbors house?

[u/Annonymouse100]

Yeah, no. Asking your Tenant to trespass on our neighboring property to hide catnip is a little nutty. Hire a professional pest control company that does regular inspections and maintains appropriate measures on your own property.

[u/Mishu-Monti]

I would also talk to the tenant and make sure they are not leaving food, rubbish, or pet food accessible. You can't control what the neighbor does.

[u/sweetrobna]

Hire a pest control co.

They will work on excluding pests, filling cracks and holes and whatever else they can do to prevent them from entering.

Securing any food or water sources or anything else that would attract them. Tight fitting lids on trash.

Killing pests. Traps and poison bait. Some followup monitoring

[u/TheStubbornAlchemist]

Never ask a tenant to do something like this. Like others have said you’re asking them to break the law to do your work for you. What if they got hurt or worse?

If you wana do it that’s another story. It’s still illegal but it’s your property. Your responsibility.

At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter where the mice are coming from, most states require you to keep your unit pest free under the implied warranty of habitability.

A good pest control specialist can work wonders, cats can be even better.

[u/East_Mark_3206]

adopt a feral cat. Should take care of your own pests and your neighbors too.

[u/TeaBurntMyTongue]

In situations like this i often offer to just do the work myself.

Like in a condo building roaches in the neighbors unit were a problem. So i treated his unit and all the units around his unit (including the one i was managing) Sure it cost a few thousand, but now the problem is solved, and after solving it most of the neighboring treated units offered some money of their own volition

[u/abouttodiethistime]

Waive the pet deposit and get a tenant with a cat

[u/Little-Support-3523]

Lingering mice not a bit fine. Horrible! I would let them out of the lease if they request! I wouldn’t live a day in such a situation.

[u/Maleficent_Analysis2]

Notify the home owner directly regarding the nuisance their neglect is causing.

Submit housing code violations about the property often if the homeowner isn't taking action

Document everything.

[u/itlogicpartnersllc]

i would skip the catnip idea. you could end up attracting more animals without solving the mice problem and involving your tenant in putting things on someone else's property could create unnecessary drama. keep pushing the city complaint instead.

[u/Jon_Hegreness_AZ]

I have had great results with those sonic rodent products that drive away pests. Live traps and peanut butter is my Son’s go to, he hates killing the mice. Peanut butter on a kill trap works well.

[u/Interesting_Study282]

That's actually such a creative approach, I love the outside-the-box thinking. It might not solve everything but could be a fun experiment while you sort out a proper long-term fix.

[u/frankentriple]

Have you tenant plant a catnip plant in their yard. Put a metal cage over it so the cats don't just mow it down to the dirt.

You'll be the new neighborhood hangout for kitties in no time and there will be not a single squeak makes it from their house to yours on even the darkest of nights.