Responsibilities of storage provider?

Caggsie1

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I was wondering whether I could ask one of the legal peeps on the forum a question about what are the responsibilities relating to a storage provider ensuring that the grounds are kept clear of rodents to stop infiltration into ones motorhome and now a new car. Also solutions to cover the ruddy big hole under the engine bay.

We store the MH on a CMC storage site in Chirk. Paying over £400+ a year to use too.

We had a while ago, prob 3-4 years, an escapee which caused damage to the inside of the mh, but luckily not to the important electrical cables etc, anyway put it down to experience. Now several years on, we have had rodent damage again, not to the inside but within the engine bay, requiring two breakdown call outs. Christmas and this half term respectively and now our new car. Each time the cause being large rodent damage, either rats or squirrels, don’t know which as they ain’t there when we come to get van, Just leave their calling card of chewed pipes etc, the engine management light comes on, requiring return to base. The great break down guy plays around, tells us it’s animal damage, and gets us going again. When we collect the van we sometimes leave a car in the spot of MH. This half term we left our new Aygo, 68 reg, less than 4 months old. The little blighters have chewed through pipe work between the refill point and petrol tank warranting a bill in excess of £300. I am making an assumption here now, but the little shits are now thinking we’re their des res! Having left smells on the ground to locate their little home from home and whilst away during half term they thought “ooo, this is a bit smaller” but hey ho! in for a penny and all that, “very nice of those lovely peeps to leave us something else warm and dry to rest our weary bones and new bits to chew on!”

I’m livid, so I contact the CMC site to enquire about recent rat man visits and explain what has happened. I’ve asked to be moved away from our pitch but have been to,d there isn’t any room at the moment. They have just has a recent change over from temp staff to the summer teams. Well apparently we are the only ones complaining and that no one else has had issue with visitors. I also asked about putting down traps etc. To be told were not allowed to put down for mice as it’s a rural site. But they can obliterate rats.

There was no aggressive talk on either side but I do feel somewhat “oh never mind dear, what do you expect on a rural site” but wasn’t actually said from the tone from Mr warden. So there’s the bug bear, it is rural, surrounded by trees, Do the CMC have any responsibility for any of the damage incurred, keep the area free of pests? Other than upping sticks and trying to find another storage facility, I don’t know how to stop them using our des res as their des res. Or whether I can hold the site partly, if not fully responsible.

My thoughts on prevention is to get some chicken wire create something that can be suspended under the engine bay, covering the gap at the bottom to block there access route, how feasible do people think this is? I am also concerned that the insurance who provide the break down are going to gte tetchy if this should happen again.
 
not much you can do except change your storage venue if they will not give you another pitch. We caught 7 mice in our old motorhome within 2 months with conventional traps. They leave a trail of pee which attracts other mice. have you made sure all food stuff except tins stuff have been removed plus any paper - toilet rolls and kitchen towels?
 
@pandas, nothing of interest is left in the van. Last time they eat, duvet, mesh that prevents falling out of bed, chewed to pieces. But this is the engine bay, they have used some of the cotton noise dampening to make a cosy bed, so as yet they’re not coming inside. There are traps inside, and apart from the original incident not caught anything or seem damage like the original ocurrence. We do like the location, there’s room to move amongst the pitches, can open doors etc. In all fairness, I don’t think it’s a case of won’t, but there isn’t a spare pitch to move to.
 
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@pappajohn, surely they have some sort of responsibility for something.

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I think you will struggle with that one.

We stored ours at Abbey Wood in London and we had mice a few years back. We were parked next to woods and I think it’s a bit much to expect the CMC to control all rodents in the area.

When we reported it to the wardens though they did say they would get their rodent contractor to look into more traps etc.

We left the storage before finding out if there was an improvement.
 
@pappajohn, surely they have some sort of responsibility for something.
Sorry, not meaning to sound flippant but I can only see two solutions. . Both impractical.
1....traps...may get a few rodents but won't irradicate them.
2..a load of people walking around banging sticks on dustbin lids 24 hours a day..... Isnt going to happen.

I had mice in my RV a couple of years, mainly wiring hidden in conduits behind furniture... Absolute bugger to get at to repair...some soft furnishings and carpet glued on cupboard bottoms and shelves.
In the end, as traps proved useless I resorted to loads of glue mats.
Placed around every entry point I could find I didn't have a problem again.
Once on the mat they DON'T get off.
I tried to pull a mouse off the first time and ripped its skin off.
 
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OP - as you have been aware of the issue for some time you have accepted it.

Perhaps you could leave a Jack Russell in situ?
 
@pappajohn - see I’m not all bad, poor thing. Actually thanks I hadn’t thought of glue mats. They’re proving too costly now the beasties
 
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I’ve calmed down a bit now, but genuinely feel that they do have a modicum of responsibility to at least put our mind at rest and get the rodent person in. Yes I know it’s unrealistic to expect a high voltage line laid on floor to zap anything that happened upon it or at least around our van to show they give a damn, but that would be indiscriminate. Do the rodent peeps spray, not least to get rid of the flight path of urine etc showing a direct line to 5star accommodation? Or does anyone have an idea of what we could be put down to eliminate the smellies?

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To be fair at a little over £1 a day they dont have much to work with to protect your motorhome from the local wildlife

Also the truth of it is that if they had a bloke there with a couple of Jack Russells pouncing on every rat, mouse or squirrel that was daft enough to show itself, the squealing that came from the rodents as they were ripped to peices, literally pulled to bits, savaged by a couple of terriors, the bits of bloodied bodies being tossed around in full view of other customers who may not agree that wildlife should be destroyed

A couple of tearful children pictures, holding up a ravaged, bloodied Squirrels body on Social Media and I suspect you'd be off the site before someone in Head Office can say "All this crap for just over a pound a day"

Just another prospective ;)
 
Then add the costs for damage, starts to mount up. I am going to try the sticky mats, I’m just trying to think how they can be laid in engine bay.
 
We had a problem with rodents in our van a couple of years ago, we purchased several battery operated ultra sonic deterrents and to date we have had no more visitors.
 
Not us luckily enough, but when others near us in the same storage site (very rural) were affected by rodents, I got my self one of those Gardenia/Hozelock pump spray bottles, filled it with a Jeyes fluid solution, and sprayed the gravel standing, right round the MH, paying special attention to the area around the tyres, but also included the treads where I could access them. We never had a problem, and I have never seen evidence of rodent infestation anywhere near our MH..................though nowadays, it spends more time on the road, than it does in storage. ;)

Some may prefer to use peppermint oil, which would be impractical for our scenario, due to the amount needed.

I also use the Jeyes solution in and around our refuse bins, for the same precautionary reasons.

Cheers,

Jock. :)
 
We had a problem with rodents in our van a couple of years ago, we purchased several battery operated ultra sonic deterrents and to date we have had no more visitors.
We've had a sonic rodent repeller in all our vans over the years and, although we live in a rural village backing on to fields, we've never had any rodent damage ...................... so far. Reminder to self - go out and check the battery in it!

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Aside of rodents and no liability of compound owner, mate had his van pinched from a casa gold site and no liability !!
 
Why can't they control the rodents? Just because its rural it shouldn't make a difference.

When I ran my livery yard I had poison boxes dotted around the place. They were the sort that have an entrance/exit and a tunnel in the middle where the poison was placed. The boxes were secured in place by a wire. They were pretty effective. Perhaps you could secure a couple under your vehicle?

By the way, I don't think that you'd be the only person to be affected.
 
Here is a piccy of damage, now bear in mind this this the 3rd occurance since Dec 22 when we toddled off to Baltic wharf. 4 th overall in 5 yrs
 

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We,us, went to site today to load van for next wkend, also took piccy above. They were, wardens, very supportive, allowing us to move onto a pitch site until another comes free. WArdens have sent a piccy to area manager. Further piccies have to be sent. Will keep you informed, but do now feel, right or wrong, that I am being listened to.

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Why can't they control the rodents? Just because its rural it shouldn't make a difference.

When I ran my livery yard I had poison boxes dotted around the place. They were the sort that have an entrance/exit and a tunnel in the middle where the poison was placed. The boxes were secured in place by a wire. They were pretty effective. Perhaps you could secure a couple under your vehicle?

By the way, I don't think that you'd be the only person to be affected.
I have to agree. Have you seen size of teeth in recently uploaded piccy? But have to say not admitting any responsibility but have been moved out of compound- happy, but would like to return to same spot, subject to spraying, did suggest this today and was told, they would do it!
 
Then add the costs for damage, starts to mount up. I am going to try the sticky mats, I’m just trying to think how they can be laid in engine bay.
I always leave a couple of bated mouse traps in my van when laid up and have a cut down plastic cup with rat poison "glued" in engine bay (NOT on engine ) as mice/rats do get on in engine bay (have found droppings ) .Might pay to put traps under van as well-before they get in.
 
I was wondering whether I could ask one of the legal peeps on the forum a question about what are the responsibilities relating to a storage provider ensuring that the grounds are kept clear of rodents to stop infiltration into ones motorhome and now a new car. Also solutions to cover the ruddy big hole under the engine bay.

We store the MH on a CMC storage site in Chirk. Paying over £400+ a year to use too.

We had a while ago, prob 3-4 years, an escapee which caused damage to the inside of the mh, but luckily not to the important electrical cables etc, anyway put it down to experience. Now several years on, we have had rodent damage again, not to the inside but within the engine bay, requiring two breakdown call outs. Christmas and this half term respectively and now our new car. Each time the cause being large rodent damage, either rats or squirrels, don’t know which as they ain’t there when we come to get van, Just leave their calling card of chewed pipes etc, the engine management light comes on, requiring return to base. The great break down guy plays around, tells us it’s animal damage, and gets us going again. When we collect the van we sometimes leave a car in the spot of MH. This half term we left our new Aygo, 68 reg, less than 4 months old. The little blighters have chewed through pipe work between the refill point and petrol tank warranting a bill in excess of £300. I am making an assumption here now, but the little shits are now thinking we’re their des res! Having left smells on the ground to locate their little home from home and whilst away during half term they thought “ooo, this is a bit smaller” but hey ho! in for a penny and all that, “very nice of those lovely peeps to leave us something else warm and dry to rest our weary bones and new bits to chew on!”

I’m livid, so I contact the CMC site to enquire about recent rat man visits and explain what has happened. I’ve asked to be moved away from our pitch but have been to,d there isn’t any room at the moment. They have just has a recent change over from temp staff to the summer teams. Well apparently we are the only ones complaining and that no one else has had issue with visitors. I also asked about putting down traps etc. To be told were not allowed to put down for mice as it’s a rural site. But they can obliterate rats.

There was no aggressive talk on either side but I do feel somewhat “oh never mind dear, what do you expect on a rural site” but wasn’t actually said from the tone from Mr warden. So there’s the bug bear, it is rural, surrounded by trees, Do the CMC have any responsibility for any of the damage incurred, keep the area free of pests? Other than upping sticks and trying to find another storage facility, I don’t know how to stop them using our des res as their des res. Or whether I can hold the site partly, if not fully responsible.

My thoughts on prevention is to get some chicken wire create something that can be suspended under the engine bay, covering the gap at the bottom to block there access route, how feasible do people think this is? I am also concerned that the insurance who provide the break down are going to gte tetchy if this should happen again.
Call James Cagney.
 
I always leave a couple of bated mouse traps in my van when laid up and have a cut down plastic cup with rat poison "glued" in engine bay (NOT on engine ) as mice/rats do get on in engine bay (have found droppings ) .Might pay to put traps under van as well-before they get in.

Isn’t that a food source inducement for them though?

I know nothing about this stuff really but I thought it’s best to keep the traps and poison outside the van.
 
Isn’t that a food source inducement for them though?

I know nothing about this stuff really but I thought it’s best to keep the traps and poison outside the van.
Traps inside the van--I had mice a few years ago -ruined my Autosleepers cushions so set traps and caught all of them.The bated traps (not poison in them ) don't give them a second chance!

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Traps inside the van--I had mice a few years ago -ruined my Autosleepers cushions so set traps and caught all of them.The bated traps (not poison in them ) don't give them a second chance!

I agree once they have been in the van, but I thought outside the van beforehand.

I am no expert though
 
I had a mouse in trap last week , the only one this year but several last year. We have an ultrasonic repellent too.
 
I used to find it an issue but found that baited traps only invited them in. Now we take everything out and I mean everything. Then we wash all surfaces and floors down with diluted Dettol and this seems to work.
 
I used to find it an issue but found that baited traps only invited them in. Now we take everything out and I mean everything. Then we wash all surfaces and floors down with diluted Dettol and this seems to work.

That’s why you need traps outside the vehicle. Once they’re in the damage is already done.

If the owner is offering storage and taking payment for it I think it should be their responsibility to ensure it is free from rodents.
 
That’s why you need traps outside the vehicle. Once they’re in the damage is already done.

If the owner is offering storage and taking payment for it I think it should be their responsibility to ensure it is free from rodents.
You can’t expect a rural site to be free of rodents.

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