My guest found a mouse in the house

[Miglena0]

My guest just wrote to me that he has seen a mouse in the house. 

He only has one day left to stay but wants to relocate.

What can I do to avoid a bad review?

[Clare0]

In your situation, I'd contact Airbnb right away and discuss options for helping your guest relocate.  Assuming there really was a mouse, the only thing you can do is to try and be as helpful as you possibly can in getting him resettled.  Might consider some sort of refund?

Hopefully your guest won't mention the mouse in his review!

[Evelyn0]

Call an exterminator and make sure your guest is aware of the exterminator coming by. Contact Airbnb to relocate them, you might need to refund them. I know it sucks but by handling the situation in a very honorable way you could avoid a bad review. Have I mention the story of my guest having to pick up a dead mouse? No? Well he did and no bad review.

[Deborah0]

A mouse in a house is a pretty minor thing, and really, for most everyone, an unavoidable thing to have happen from time to time.  I would prefer not to have a guest who didn't understand how nature works -- eg, once in a while mouse enters human house!!

I would feel annoyed if a guest felt the need to relocate (particularly with only one day left on the stay!) or expected me to call an exterminator immediately just over one mouse-- quite likely, the exterminator would say what common sense will say -- one mouse isn't worth doing a whole house extermination.  MIght be better to try a mousetrap first or mouse bait.  An exterminator is generally called not for ONE mouse but when there is a somewhat larger problem.   I would either go over there myself, or send someone over, to put out mousetrap and/or bait, and check the area where mouse was spotted for any entry holes, and try to patch them with sheet metal.  

[Anja120]

 What about for someone that has lost two night sleep cause of a scurrying mouse in and out of their room. 

Sitting here writing this at 3am after chasing out this mouse for the 7th time this night. 

Noisy bugger. Just want some sleep! 

[Sarah977]

@Anja120   Try earplugs.

[Jennifer1994]

I'm in the same situation. My house is in nature and doesn't have mice. This place needs an exterminator and an inspection to locate where the rodents are accessing the building. Don't charge money for an infested place. We have seen multiple today and can't leave until tomorrow! 

[Annies0]

I think I'd freak out if I saw a mouse where I was staying too. Definitely book an exterminator/pest controller asap and I'd approach your guest and ask what resolution they would be happy with - staying elsewhere, refund etc. 

[Helga0]

@Annies0, you would freak out over a mouse? Really? I'd prefer a mouse over poison in the house. Maybe get a tame cobra to hunt for them, as I'm allergic to cat hair 😉

[Monica4]

Wow, I can see that many people today are so far removed from nature. What if there is a "a" mouse in house? It happens all the time in the country, especially when it starts getting cold outside. We set traps and bait and they are soon gone. No need for panic. If they get into the kitchen anywhere where food is stored then that is a concern. That really only happens when food is not put away properly.

Sad, though, that some people think one mouse is a huge problem. I would never want a guest like that. They probably would be "safer" staying at a high rise apartment in the city.

[Clare0]

I agree with you @Monica4! I'm out in the country too. A mouse? That's nothing...I get snakes in the spring.  But not in the house.

[Judith57]

I agree that one mouse or even a single case of mouse droppings, is no reason to condem an otherwise clean and tidy house. Perhaps a reminder to guests that all food should be stored securely. I have a large garden and outdoor cats who delight in catching mice and occasionally bring one to the back door as a gift or as evidence of their hunding prowess. I am still not sure how to bring this matter to my guests' attention in a way that will not deter them from submitting a reservation. Any ideas?

[Eric321]

As a guest, finding rodents in a rental that you've paid for is quite disturbing.  This happened to me this past Mother's Day weekend. For those of you who doubt the renters' stories, here is video evidence of the rodent infestation at the Airbnb my family was staying at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4MoBsRU0iQ

Hosts should take these complaints very seriously as there are many health risks associated with rodent droppings and urination: https://www.cdc.gov/rodents/diseases/direct.html

[Mandi-S-Just-Business-Ro0]

Most Hosts take mice seriously.That's why my rules include the fact that all food should be covered. I have a 120-year old house, and when the weather cools off, they have been known to come in. Usually it's one or two - if they come at all. I set traps, bait, and even use heat treatment. I also ask permission to come in and check the traps. And yes, I have cats. The smell of cats alone is a deterrent.

Usually it takes about a month of vigilance before they hibernate (the mice, that is.)

Living in an apartment or condo is no guarantee. In a previous life, one of my cats nailed some on the 10th floor!

if an Airbnb guest of mine enountered a mouse, I would ask him or her what they would want to do - relocate, or allow me to continue setting traps and inspecting them. I would offer to refund them for the day affected.

[Paul154]

In your video, those mice are sooo cute.

I once was greeting a guest with a chat over tea in my living room. During the chat, the rat trap I had placed  in the chimeny above the fireplace caught a rat. In the 10 seconds of its death convultions, it was banging and scraping against the metal - all 5 feet from my guest.  Boy it was loud!

The guest did not miss a beat.  He took it in stride and understood that I was taking steps toward improvement.