Why Mice Move So Easily Through Wandsworth's Flats
Converted terraces in Earlsfield and Balham
Kitchens fitted into what was once a single house rarely seal every gap around new pipework and partition walls, and a mouse only needs a pencil-width opening to pass through. What looks like an isolated problem in one flat often carries on behind the kickboards into the flat next door.
Ex-GLC estates near Wandsworth Common
The postwar estates close to Wandsworth Common have long communal corridors and shared risers running through several floors, and mice use these the same way they use a terrace's party wall. A sighting in one flat is worth reporting to the managing agent as well, since the run is rarely confined to a single unit.
Signs to Look For
- Small, dark droppings the size of a grain of rice, often near food
- Scratching or scuttling in walls, ceilings or under floors at night
- Gnawed food packaging, skirting boards or cables
- A musky smell in cupboards, drawers or under appliances
- Greasy rub marks along frequently used routes
- Nesting material — shredded paper or fabric — tucked in quiet corners
Keeping Mice Out of Wandsworth Homes
Sealing the gaps they used to get in matters as much as dealing with the mice already inside.
