# Flies, mice and rats: managment co say there is no money alocated to vermon control!



## tina4 (4 Jun 2008)

We are over run with flies, up to 50 a day. Also lately we have mice and rats. They are inside and out. I caught 10 in the space of 2 days. And my neighbour caught a rat a couple of months ago and are now catching mice. Thing is managment co have said there is no money alocated to vermon control. Any advice. And also any advice on the fly issue its unbearable its been like this since we moved in.  Thanks in advance.


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## monos (4 Jun 2008)

*Re: Flies, mice and rats !!!!*

Oh my goodness, do you mind if I ask where you live?!


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## gnubbit (4 Jun 2008)

*Re: Flies, mice and rats !!!!*

Sounds horrible.  Would it be worth contacting your local authority?  It sounds serious enough to come under their remit.


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## Bubbly Scot (4 Jun 2008)

*Re: Flies, mice and rats !!!!*

Is there a refuse problem? Bags of rubbish etc left around a complex would certainly attract some of your more unwelcome "guests". Some provision might have been made in the budget for removal of such refuse, if it's illegally dumped your local authority may well investigate although in my experience they won't always remove the offending rubbish.
You might need to rally other residents together if you haven't already done so and then approach your management company/agent. At the end of the day, everyone is or will soon be, affected by this problem and so it's in their interests to act now.

Without knowing all the details (location, budget etc) I can't really make a more detailed comment.


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## Dee101 (4 Jun 2008)

*Re: Flies, mice and rats !!!!*

Oh my god that sounds horrible. If you are paying a hefty management fee (which you more than likely are if you are living in an apartment block in Dublin!) then I would demand that the managment company investigate this and do something about it. In my experience management companies mostly set aside money for "miscellaneous items" and in my opinion its just not good enough to say they don't have the money to sort this out.
50 flys a day?! - that is un natural and there has to be something out of the ordinary. And there has to be something attracting the mice and rats also. Could be a rubbish problem?

I agree with the poster above who said you should try and get a group of residents together to tackle this together.

I feel for your situation, if it was me I would be cracking up. Can't stand anything like that!


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## tina4 (4 Jun 2008)

*Re: Flies, mice and rats !!!!*

Thanks for the replys. Im in dublin 4. Were our complex is there is a council waste water depo behind us. We know the flies are coming from there and they have been aproched by directors of the mang co and they keep saying that they will spay something to keep the flies down but its not working. I got onto health inspector and he was no help said he wouldnt come down. There are 62 units and most of them are affected by the flies. I cant open my windows or doors. Its a nightmare cooking cause they seem to go straight to the kithchen. I was awake at 5.30 this morn cause of the flies buzzing in my ear, even when i was under the cover!! And now the rats we thought were mice, but they are in fact rats. 12 in less than 24 hours and then the one in my kitchen press. And my neighbour caught another one in her sitting room today. Im on the verge of a breackdown i cant live like this. Im constantly shouting at the kids to keep the doors closed its not fair on them. A few of us are going to get together. But were do we start!! It defo a health risk. And then theres the mang saying there no money!!!!!


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## PM1234 (5 Jun 2008)

*Re: Flies, mice and rats !!!!*

Good God I feel sick even reading your posts. I know I wouldn't be able to continue living there in those conditions.  Do you pay management fees? Is there a management committee? If there is then there must be residents on the committee who are experiencing the problems you're having? Quite seriously I'd knock on their doors until this problem is sorted and/or knock on everyone's door and collectively accumulate the funds needed to call in a pest control company.


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## Dee101 (5 Jun 2008)

*Re: Flies, mice and rats !!!!*



tina4 said:


> Thanks for the replys. Im in dublin 4. Were our complex is there is a council waste water depo behind us. We know the flies are coming from there and they have been aproched by directors of the mang co and they keep saying that they will spay something to keep the flies down but its not working. I got onto health inspector and he was no help said he wouldnt come down. There are 62 units and most of them are affected by the flies. I cant open my windows or doors. Its a nightmare cooking cause they seem to go straight to the kithchen. I was awake at 5.30 this morn cause of the flies buzzing in my ear, even when i was under the cover!! And now the rats we thought were mice, but they are in fact rats. 12 in less than 24 hours and then the one in my kitchen press. And my neighbour caught another one in her sitting room today. Im on the verge of a breackdown i cant live like this. Im constantly shouting at the kids to keep the doors closed its not fair on them. A few of us are going to get together. But were do we start!! It defo a health risk. And then theres the mang saying there no money!!!!!


 
Oh god help you that is really really awful. 
The water waste depo behind you definitely explains it a bit more - sounds like thats where its all coming from.
Right if I was you, the first thing I would do is get the neighbours altogether. 
Maybe get a small group of the ones you know/next door neighbours first, even about 5 or 6- and you can work with each other to get a meeting of all the residents together. 
Get the management company involved more - get them to print off leaflets advertising a time and a place for a meeting and literally go and put one under everyones door. 
Also contact your local County Councillor and TD and get them involved. 
There needs to be a solution found to this immediately. You can't go on living like this especially if you have kiddies - its a health and safety risk for sure. Especially rats, they are so dangerous.


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## Bronte (5 Jun 2008)

*Re: Flies, mice and rats*

Can you put up insect screens that would solve the fly problem but the rats, that's serious, surely the environmental health officer must act in these circumstances, why did the health inspector refuse to come down?  Did you put your complaint in writing to him and send it by registered post.  You're more likely to get a response that way.  Or go to the council and find out exactly who is responsibly for dealing with the situation.


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## Bill Struth (5 Jun 2008)

*Re: Flies, mice and rats*

Get on to your TD right away!


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## so-crates (5 Jun 2008)

*Re: Flies, mice and rats*

Insect screens and pest control are the only way to go I think, you definitely need vermin traps. Are there any currently sited around your development? (Usually unobtrusive boxes with a round hole either side and rather more obtrusive warnings on top about not touching them). If nothing else for your own health and safety it would be worth your while getting someone in privately to set suitable traps on your own property while you are trying to deal with the issue in the general development, you need to try to protect your family yourself rather than waiting on action from outside agencies. This is not to say don't keep up the pressure but rather while doing so protect your own.

Is this a recent problem? Rats don't tend to suddenly appear in such volumes without good reason. Is there any newly started construction or site clearance going on in your vicinity, that may have disturbed rats and they are on the move? Waste-water works probably may explain the sudden influx of flies in good weather but is less likely to be the cause of the rats.


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## tina4 (5 Jun 2008)

*Re: Flies, mice and rats*

Hi all, i have the fly screens. They help a small bit. But its more the back door with the kids going in and out and i have screens on that aswell.
 The flies have been an issue since we moved in its just getting worse. And so-crates your right they have been doing work in the depo behind us. And there is a huge site near us that has just been leveled and they are doing work this seems to have disturbed the vermin. Other residents have had issues with vermin before but never to this extent.  
I spoke to a director earlier and she said because they are in my back yard its my responsability even tho i pay managment fees. 
But the fact that they are not orignating in my back yard that for me to hand out money for vermin control and then they come back as its not getting to the root of the cause. Thats why i feel it is in the managment remit. In total so far 9 residents have been affected that we know of 4 in the houses on the bottom and 5 in the apats above!!!! But i have had the most but maybe thats because iv been more vigilant and im constantly setting more traps in different areas around my back!!!! Caught another one last nite 15 in less than a week!!
Im worn out nobody should have to live like this.


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## Brianne (6 Jun 2008)

*Re: Flies, mice and rats*

This is a public health problem and this time demand attention and threaten them with Joe Duffy. As you say, the problem needs to be investigated and the source of the rats sorted out. Over the weekend try and get the rest of the neighbours involved; if it's not their problem now , it will be shortly.
The list of diseases that can be caught from flies and rats e.g . Weil's disease from rats, is frightening.
I had a problem with head lice in a school and was getting nowhere with public health until I threatened them with Joe Duffy , then it was all action.


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## sam h (6 Jun 2008)

*Re: Flies, mice and rats*

Because of the amount of germs & diseases which can be carried by rats & flies....I don't think I could stay there with kids.  15 in a week is definately not normal.  There is no point in getting verim control for just your garden as it is the source that needs to be tackled.

Is there anyone you can stay with which you go shouting to the mgmt co/water co/county council & media?  

Good luck


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## Bronte (6 Jun 2008)

*Re: Flies, mice and rats*

15 rats ! this is a very serious problem indeed.  I wouldn't be able to stay there.  Joe Duffy is what you need, and have the details of all the officials you asked to sort out the problem.  You could in fact threaten the council with ringing RTE, might get some action.


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## so-crates (6 Jun 2008)

*Re: Flies, mice and rats*

I entirely agree that the management company should be acting on your behalf. I think that you need to canvass a set of residents and operate as a cabal rather than individually. Insist with you director that pest control be immediately provided for the whole development. Harangue the management agency on the matter two. If the response is that the management company can't afford it, I think that you need to have an EGM called regarding emergency funding specifically for this problem.

Another approach that I think ought to be tried is with the depot (I am assuming you mean the Dublin Bus Depot?). Their work is directly causing an influx of rats into your development, this is a serious health issue. I would suggest that the managing company and agent should be approaching Dublin Bus and the contractor they have in working to resolve this. I would also keep chasing the environmental health officer, but again I would insist that my management company does so also.


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## MrMan (6 Jun 2008)

*Re: Flies, mice and rats*

Start taking pictures aswell, especially if there is a pile of rats. The headlines and mr duffy would soon see some level of action taken.


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## so-crates (6 Jun 2008)

*Re: Flies, mice and rats*

I'd suggest taking the pictures in situ where you have caught them rather than gathering them together. Again get your neighbours to do the same.


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## FredBloggs (6 Jun 2008)

*Re: Flies, mice and rats*

There are small electrical gadgets you can buy in hardware outlets (places like Woodies etc) which are small plug in devices costing about €10 which are designed to keep insects and rodents away.  They send out electronical signals which are inaudible to humans but apparently drive pests wild.   I used one about three years ago and it had the desired effects.  Won't solve the underlying problem but at least might do for your appartment.  Takes about a week to kick in as far as I remember


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## Dee101 (6 Jun 2008)

*Re: Flies, mice and rats*



FredBloggs said:


> There are small electrical gadgets you can buy in hardware outlets (places like Woodies etc) which are small plug in devices costing about €10 which are designed to keep insects and rodents away. They send out electronical signals which are inaudible to humans but apparently drive pests wild. I used one about three years ago and it had the desired effects. Won't solve the underlying problem but at least might do for your appartment. Takes about a week to kick in as far as I remember


 
They are a good idea but if you have any pet birds or anything like that, be careful as it will drive them mad aswell!


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## tina4 (9 Jun 2008)

*Re: Flies, mice and rats*

Thanks guys, I have the plug ins the one i caught in the kitchen press actually wa getting in right beside it!!!
I thought that last year sm1 had a vermin problem and managment co sent sm1 down it was in here back. So i was away for weekend a when i came bk i asked around and sure enough she saw 1 rat and rang mang and they sent some1 down asap, but for some reason this time its diferentso now that i know i have them by the short and curlys. 
The depo behind us is a council waste water depo. Have been onto them and he got onto envrn health but was told that because we are "managment run" they would only deal with it o thier side.
My neighbour typed up letters today to set up a residents comitty to deal with these type of problems as theres no active one at present. I been in touch with Gormleys office and if needs be il be knocking on his door as he just lives around the corner. The first thing we intend doing when a commity is set up is to demand an urgent meeting with tds. 
Any idea who we would contact in DCC offices it needs to be a top person and i could say im getting onto joe duffy if its not sorted asap. I will be calling down to one of the directors later and telling her that because i know another neighbour garden was treated that mine will be too or in going to take leagle action. Lets face it if they were out her back you can be sure its would be sorted by now. 
A guy from vermin control came out today to treat the " common" areas. My hubby had filled in a gap ot the back with compost were we had caugt most of them, WELL you should see the size of the hole they have dug its frightning its huge. So hen the guy was out the front today hubby asked him to have a look to confirm it isnt mice but rats and sure enough its rats. We have decking out the back that cost thousands it going to cost thousands to lift it and replace it with slabs cause the rats would be living under it. IM ragig i never too phots of al the rats i never thought of it!!!

Thanks again guys.


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## sparkeee (10 Jun 2008)

*Re: Flies, mice and rats*

If they wont move the depot you will have to move,there will be rats and flies aas long as there is food for them.


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## tina4 (18 Jun 2008)

*Re: Flies, mice and rats*

Hi all, I had 2 envirn health inspectors down today. When i was talking to them i said i had man holes and the main drain out my back. We hadnt even thought thought about the drains before now. They think that the drains are not sealed properly and thats how the rats are getting in. They said i should insist that the managment co get them investigated and sorted. And for vermin contol to do a risk assesment. Which seemingly should have been done in the common areas instead of just putting traps down.  I find it amazing that at least 10 units have been afected and the mangment dont seem to give a s***, all they care about is saving money but by doing that it will prob end up costing more becuse its just going to get worse. And i honestly cant see that if this had happened in the one of the directors back yard that it would have been sorted asap. And also the fact that back yards have been treated in the past.

I have decking out my back that all has to be lifted and replaced as its a haven for rats, i have been told that i can claim on the block policy. Anyone know if i can? Thanks


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## JJ1982 (18 Jun 2008)

*Re: Flies, mice and rats*

Tina4,

Its seems you are being bounced pillar to pole over who is going to be responsible for this. I hope those signed letters from the residence have an impact, If not, name and shame on the radio!


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## xb_deai (18 Jun 2008)

*Re: Flies, mice and rats*

Ok if it is or not a common area it is affecting the whole development if a person was climbing in and out of gardens the company would do something about it. Have a meeting with your concerned neighbours and invite MA directors, enviromental health etc have it in a nutral place not your house if they turn up great if not propose having an independent vermin expert carry out a survey of the entire development and make reccomendations. If the Managment company are not willing to do this ask for a copy of the lease  & memo  & Arts and see how many shareholders are necessary to call an  EGM .  Take photos and keep receipts for the traps you bought start keeping a log and tell neighbours to do same of when you see vermin. You need as much evidence as possible to force their hand in this. Try and not seem emotional or unreasonable as the more you seem reasonable and like you have a plan the more unreasonable they will seem. You need to convince as many shareholders as possible that this is a real problem and will affect their ability to let / sell their property in the future i.e. it will hit them in the pocket. If your MA is still not helping (take note of all telephone calls e-mails etc) go to their manager, TD everybody.


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