A squirrel in the roof of a let property is not a housekeeping matter. It is a problem with the structure of the building, and that is what puts it on the landlord's side of the line.
Why it is a structural matter
The animal is in the roof space, and it got in through the roof. The openings are in the eaves, the verge, the soffit or a junction — all parts of the structure and exterior of the building. Nothing about how the property is being occupied caused it, and nothing a tenant does day to day would have prevented it.
That is quite different from, say, an insect problem arising from how a kitchen is kept. It is the reason this ordinarily sits with the landlord rather than the tenant.
The obligations in outline
A landlord's repairing responsibilities for the structure and exterior of a dwelling are long established in law, and there is a separate and more recent requirement that a let home is fit for human habitation throughout the tenancy — with the condition of the property, freedom from damp and the state of repair among the matters that bear on that.
The detail of how those apply, and the routes a tenant has if they are not met, change from time to time and are set out in current government guidance for landlords and tenants. Anyone relying on the position should check that guidance rather than a general description, and take advice where a dispute is developing.
What acting promptly actually protects
- The building. Cabling, insulation, pipework, timber and ceilings — and the damage accumulates daily
- The energy rating. A loft with a season of damage in it works against the minimum efficiency standards that apply to let property
- The tenancy. A tenant kept awake at four in the morning by a problem nobody is addressing does not renew
- The position if anything escalates. A documented prompt response is worth a great deal
The commercial point stands on its own. Squirrel control is £280 fixed and proofing is £180. A loft rewire alone is generally more than both, before anybody has looked at the insulation. Acting quickly is in the landlord's interest before it is anything else.
The practical sequence
- Acknowledge the report in writing, with the date
- Ask the tenant for the times the noise is heard, and any photographs
- Arrange the control work. The fixed figure means it can be authorised from a phone call rather than after a survey
- Deal with anything electrical immediately and separately
- Arrange the proofing once the roof is clear, so it does not recur
- Reinstate the insulation, which is part of the structure and part of the rating
What the tenant is responsible for
Reporting it promptly, and giving reasonable access for the work. Their own belongings stored in the loft are ordinarily a matter for their contents cover rather than the landlord.
Questions
Is a squirrel in the loft the landlord's responsibility?
It ordinarily is, because it is a problem with the structure and exterior rather than with occupation. Check current guidance for the detail.
What if the tenant left the loft hatch open?
Squirrels enter at roof level from outside. A hatch is not how they get into the building.
How quickly should a landlord act?
Promptly. The damage is to the building, it accumulates daily, and a documented quick response protects the position.
Squirrel Control Newmarket
Squirrel control in Newmarket is £280 fixed cost. Proofing work, where it is needed afterwards, is £180. Call 01502 630 122 and tell us what you have heard or seen.
For squirrel control in Newmarket, call 01502 630 122, or read the Newmarket squirrel control page.