Hap moving house

Mountain34

Hi everyone me my partner and baby have been living in a house renting and just applied for hap and in the process of waiting on a decision which we were told high possibility we will get it. My question is we have a massive mouse problem in on the house, which has been like this since the first night we moved in, the landlord knew it was a problem before we moved in and decided not to tell us which is annoying as we have a baby (I was heavily pregnant at the time of moving and mouse droppings are highly dangerous to pregnant women)and now we thinking their in the wardrobes aswell as tearing in the attic and walls at night even the exterminator said he can’t do anymore to get rid of them as we are living right next to their breeding ground it says on the Hap site you must stay in property for 2 years once accepted but wondering if we ring Hap office and explain our rodent problem and wer worried about it because of our baby would they be ok with us moving even though our current landlord has filled out the Hap forms and everything’s in motion. Just to clarify we’ve only been living in this house a few months and didn’t think the mouse problem would get worse and thought the exterminator would get rid of them hence why we applied for Hap while living here.

spaceHopper

I know nothing about HAP sorry.

Did you LL get rent a kill out, he shouldn't be so passive about it. He should do something. So should you though, set traps no stop and keep on of them, get bait boxes and out them out side. Keep tying eventually you will get there. Also keep a diary of how many mice you catch so that you have evidence should you need it.

Mountain34

spaceHopper wrote: »

I know nothing about HAP sorry.

Did you LL get rent a kill out, he shouldn't be so passive about it. He should do something. So should you though, set traps no stop and keep on of them, get bait boxes and out them out side. Keep tying eventually you will get there. Also keep a diary of how many mice you catch so that you have evidence should you need it.

Thanks for the reply but yes of course we have poison down traps EVERYWHERE bait traps outside and inside 5 months on as I was saying even exterminator said he’s finding it difficult to get rid as wer beside the breeding ground. Thanks anyway I was hoping advice on hap though but thanks all the same

Nomis21

I had a truly massive mouse problem renting a 100 year old cottage. The simplest solutions are often the best. I got a cat. Not a mouse to be seen now...

Del2005

If the house has a vermin problem it most likely won't pass HAP inspection and then you'll have to move out. Start looking now as it's not easy to get a landlord willing to accept rent in arrears from HAP.

The_Conductor

Talk to the environmental health officer in the local council. Often the EHO and the Housing and Tenancy Officers sit down with one another and touch base on a regular basis (and in at least one of the local authorities- the same person holds both roles). The HAP rule is once you're accepted in the scheme- you have to stay in a property for at least 2 years- however, a property has to be habitable- and it has to capable of passing a HAP inspection- your current abode- would most certainly fail.

If the property fails the HAP inspection- you are free of the requirement to stay there- and normally will be assisted, insofar as is possible, to find alternate accommodation.

Local Authority Environmental Health Officer- is the route to go on this one.

spaceHopper

Cat sounds like the way to go

stinkbomb

Del2005 wrote: »

If the house has a vermin problem it most likely won't pass HAP inspection and then you'll have to move out. Start looking now as it's not easy to get a landlord willing to accept rent in arrears from HAP.

But also remember that they are not allowed to discriminate against you because of HAP so get an agreement from them to rent to you in writing and then tell them you are on HAP.

Caranica

stinkbomb wrote: »

But also remember that they are not allowed to discriminate against you because of HAP so get an agreement from them to rent to you in writing and then tell them you are on HAP.

Agreement following payment of rent plus two months deposit. Deception is no way to start a tenancy.

stinkbomb

Caranica wrote: »

Agreement following payment of rent plus two months deposit. Deception is no way to start a tenancy.

Its the only way if the landlord seeks to illegally discriminate against you, wouldn't you say? Or should the tenant meekly allow themselves to be turned down for every property and be homeless instead?

The_Conductor

stinkbomb wrote: »

Its the only way if the landlord seeks to illegally discriminate against you, wouldn't you say? Or should the tenant meekly allow themselves to be turned down for every property and be homeless instead?

Depending on the area- there could be 30 or 40 prospective tenants for any available rental dwelling (most of Dublin, Cork- and esp. Galway city for example). Just because you're a HAP tenant- and get turned down- does not equate with you being discriminated against. Also- a landlord can terminate a tenancy in the first 6 months, legitimately, under the Act- so if you deliberately play mindgames- they can come back to bite you in the arse.

If there are 30-40 people seeking a property- and one person gets it- the other 29-39 people were discriminated against- in favour of the person who did get it. It doesn't mean the discrimination is illegal- it means the landlord evaluated the tenants and decided that the one who was offered the property- was the best fit with his/her idea of the type of tenant they want. As long as they do not overtly discriminate on one of the grounds under the Act- they can discriminate, and do, according to whatsoever criteria they so choose.

Also- according to Threshold- 65% of all rental stock in Ireland is not compliant with current HAP standards- if a property is not compliant- a prospective tenant will not get a HAP payment to rent it, period. In a lot of cases- like the OP's current case- where an exterminator has now declared failure- I'm not entirely sure what the landlord is supposed to do- control seems to have been declared an exercise in futility- which means, the property is uninhabitable- period.

Just because you're a HAP tenant, or a prospective HAP tenant- and do not get a property- does not equate with discrimination under the Act.

Mountain34

Thanks to everyone for reply’s we have cats already but don’t have them in the house because of the baby we are now looking for alternative accommodation:)

Discussion is now closed thank you everyone

The_Conductor

Thread closed.