[Lardman]

No bodies found - just lots and lots of rat and mouse mess which Im guessing was the source of the smell.  The space itself has 2 airbricks to the outside world, one either side to allow for ventilation but Roland is moving about in the wall cavity itself and coming in via the internal blockwork where the builders have just left a gap opposite the air bricks rather than installing a cavity sleeve.   I've been watching it come and go on the camera, if I could get anywhere near it I would screw a bit of 1/2inch wire mesh over the gap that would stop that it getting access completely at least via that way.

It's been back twice since I cleared things out, it sets the motion detection on the camera off which sends me an alert but it doesn't stay - shame. 

I'd been planning to move the kitchen back to the original room which would leave this space empty. I could drop the ceiling and fix things, making it rodent proof and then put some kingspan in there as it's now uninsulated.  All subject to the usual Time, Money and Energy triangle though.

[mumofstig]

Often it's energy that's hardest to find....

[snowdrops]

Often it's energy that's hardest to find....

So true, & when everything is stacked up against you even harder

[wighty]

Paul found a large dead rat inside the shop this morning in the middle of the floor.  We've never had an y problems with them before.  He had to get a customer to shovel it up as he couldn't cope with it (he is very squeamish really).  We just presume that the recent heavy rain and the level of water in the stream that runs behind the shop is to blame.

[MrsPea]

 Certainly not my favorite animal i dont even like mice 

[Lardman]

Certainly not my favorite animal i dont even like mice 

Im of the opinion if you're not helping with the mortgage then you don't get to live here. Mice, rats, spiders and wasps all not welcome.

I've not seen Roland for a week now, none of the traps have been triggered and I can still see one of the bait blocks. This coincides to the day with next door clearing their back yard to have it block paved, Im wondering if he was living there and just visiting me.  Not sure if I should leave anything up there or bring it all down so that it doesn't encourage anything in ?

[New shoot]

It could be the rat apartments were next door.  I have an on and off problem with my neighbour’s tumbledown shed.  Her garden is so overgrown she can’t get to it and there is a Steptoe’s yard of rubbish piled up round it - old tyres in a stack, wood propped up against it, various tubs and planters in a heap.  I poison them, they disappear for a few months and then someone else moves in 

And yes I have spoken to her about it and she blames the people next door to her and their pile of builder’s rubbish in the back garden 

Maybe hang on a week or two more and see if you see any signs of him.

[Lardman]

  I poison them, they disappear for a few months and then someone else moves in 

Really hope you're talking about the rats and not the neighbours there   

My back yard isn't in the best state at the moment, as I still can't get into the garden safely after next door ripped out my steps, I expect Max would take care of anything trying to take up residence out there as he has in the past.  I'll leave things as they are as for now then, the only thing to have set the camera off this week was a huge spider 

[New shoot]

  I poison them, they disappear for a few months and then someone else moves in 

Really hope you're talking about the rats and not the neighbours there   

We get on quite well … honest     

She is one of life’s eccentrics, but it could be worse.  The woman who lived there before her was as mad as a box of frogs.  Maybe the house attracts them   

[jezza]

Hello if its flick insulation it should have gone round every thing in the cavity unless it's got wet and settled,as it did in my bedroom when the idiot asbestos removal men left the tiles off in Storm Cara and let water run down the walls and into the electrics ,try to get hold of some tube rat poison feeders and place them around the loft ,then you need to find some one to  get the rat poison ,you'll need some one with a licence,or an air pistol is effective   jezza

[Lardman]

It's kingspan in the cavity so there would have been no reason for them not to have cut to the roof line, other than the fact they couldn't be bothered. Timely that you brought this back up as Roland is back  and fit as a fiddle despite eating another box of poison. I think I've found where it's getting in though as the rubber/silicone collar around the boiler flue has been nibbled away despite being 6ft up the wall. I filled the gap around it with a stiff mortar mix this morning - fingers crossed.