Rodent proofing
Who Can Authorise Proofing in a Let House
Proofing means filling holes in the building itself, so it is the owner's decision. In a let house that is the landlord, or the agent acting for them. A tenant can report gaps and even book the visit if the landlord agrees, but should not arrange work on walls, floors or pipes without that agreement. Whether proofing comes before or after treatment explains the order: treat first, then proof.
Gaps Left by Conversion to Rooms
When a family house is let room by room, the changes tend to be practical rather than careful. The gaps they leave are small, often hidden and usually at floor level.
Extra sinks, washing machines and bathrooms
An extra sink in a bedroom, a second bathroom or a washing machine plumbed in under the stairs means new waste pipes through walls and floors, often in holes cut wider than the pipe. Boxing hides them but does not seal them. Proofing pipe and utility gaps goes into the detail.
Cables and sockets
Extra sockets, TV points and data cables for each room are often run through skirting boards and floors. The hole around the cable may be bigger than it looks, and what size hole a mouse can get through shows how little it needs.
The shared kitchen
Kitchens in let houses are often refitted cheaply, with gaps behind units where pipes run and kickboards that do not meet the floor. Stopping mice getting behind kitchen units covers the usual weak points.
Outside the House
- Cracked or missing air brick grilles at the base of the walls
- Holes where waste pipes leave the kitchen or bathroom
- Gaps under a back door or a side gate into the bin area
- Where a rear extension joins the original house
The most common entry points lists more. Rats are more likely to use outside routes, especially near overflowing bins, as rat control in Hendon explains.
Tenants are often the ones who spot these gaps first, because they see droppings by the washing machine or hear scratching behind a socket. Taking a photo and sending it to the landlord with a short note is the quickest way to get it looked at.
What the Hour Covers
The £180 service covers up to one hour of work on small, accessible gaps like the ones above. It is not building work: large holes, rotten timber, broken drains or failed brickwork are for a builder or drainage contractor. Proofing is best done once the rats or mice have been dealt with, so they are not sealed inside, which is why it follows mouse control in Hendon or rat treatment.
Telling us what you have found
When you book, say what kind of property it is, whether it is let by the room, whether treatment has already been done and where you think the rodents have been getting in. Photos of holes behind units or around pipes help the technician plan the hour. Let tenants know the date if the work is in their rooms, and clear the space under sinks and in front of kickboards beforehand.
If a landlord owns a pair of semis or neighbouring lets, it is worth checking both. Rodents shut out of one house by proofing will look for the same kind of gap next door, and a shared wall with open pipe runs on the other side is an easy route back.
Doing It in the Summer Gap
For a landlord, the weeks between tenancies are the easiest time. Rooms are empty, furniture can be moved, and there is no need to arrange access with each tenant. It is also the time to check what earlier building work left behind. For proofing across Barnet's interwar houses and blocks, see Rodent Proofing Barnet.
