How Do I List a Cottage With the Odd Mouse?

[Andrew1050]

I've recently listed my cottage and it is a great little cabin on a lake but on occasion a mouse does show up inside. It is fairly easy to mitigate if no food is ever left out and cleaned regularly, but worried that guests will not do this and then possibly blame me as a host if a mouse does show up. Even doing the above there is still a chance a mouse might show up. It is in a wooded area and this is common to all cottages on the lake that aren't recently built. I am worried that the reviews will be horrendous if a mouse is seen. My thinking is to communicate before arrival that putting away food/daily kitchen cleaning is essential to avoid mice. 

Any helpful tips are appreciated, thanks in advance!

Cheers,

Andrew 

[Sarah977]

@Andrew1050  Make mention of it in your listing description, i.e. "This listing is in a natural area, where wildlife is present. Field mice are common and attracted to any food left out, and can scurry in unnoticed when the door is left open. We advise to not book here if possibly seeing a mouse will cause you distress."

It's much better to head off the guests who will have a melt down and leave bad reviews than to feel worried about it. That goes for all listings- no place is perfect- some are noisy, some are in areas with lots of insects, some have lots of stairs to climb. Mentioning the warts along with the attractions is a good idea.

I'd also put a framed note on the wall in the kitchen, with a cute graphic of a mouse, and the warning to not leave out any food and to keep countertops clean and sweep up any food that falls on the floor.  Provide well-sealing containers for guests to store whatever non-refrigerated food they have.

And do your part as far as using mouse traps and such. Having a feral cat around (spayed female) would also be great. I have a cat who was feral in my neighborhood for a couple years until she decided one day that my outside chair cushions were real cozy. So I resigned myself to her even though I'm not a cat person. She is an awesome mouser and has decimated the rodent population around my place. She leaves me "gifts" all the time.

If you are going to be checking guests in personally, you could use my strategy, as I live in the tropics where the insects are prolific. When orienting guests around, I just drop it in casually - "So as this is the tropics, there's ants, spiders, roaches, scorpions, etc. Of course I've cleaned your room thoroughly, but those critters can come in easily- make sure not to leave any food, or food wrappers out and shake out your clothes and shoes before you put them on. Now here's the light switch for the bathroom...."

I find if I talk about it casually, because it is a fact of life here, that guests take it in stride. If you make a big apologetic deal of it, guests are more likely to use it as cause for complaint. 

And if anyone mentions it in the review, you can leave a response that makes it clear that you are very forthcoming about the local critters in the area and that the guests booked fully aware of that.

[Andrew1050]

@Sarah977 @Kia8 @Mike-And-Jane0 

Thank you all for your advice! Will definitely use it and agree being upfront about it is best. I feel a lot better now.

Cheers!

Andrew 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Andrew1050 I think I would follow @Sarah977 's advice but make it clear it is rare for mice to come in. Youmay lose one or two bookings but they are probably bookings you wouldn't want anyway.

[Anna10126]

They may have made a nest near your house or on the roof of your house, so put mouse traps or rat baits, using sprays are often ineffective.

**[Link removed due to safety reasons - Community Center Guidelines

[Anonymous]

@Anna10126  Why do you feel the need to close all your posts with spam links that are irrelevant to the topic?

[Kia272]

@Andrew1050  What @Sarah977  said.

Personally, I think a good listing is all about managing expectations. If you mention any oddities or quirks  that your cabin may have (a potential for critters, noises, maybe a door that doesn't close easily), guests are prepared. You've put it right out in front of them, and they've agreed to take it in stride by renting from you. They can't claim shock and dismay if and when it does happen. Well- they can, but then you say that it's mentioned in the listing. 

I have a quirky old place, and I've been quite up front about what they might encounter. The message is, if you like drywall and plumb-square walls and floors, you might be better suited to another location. 

I've had one guest-mouse encounter, and they were so chill about it I couldn't believe it. They told me that they had mice at home, and they knew it was just a fact of life sometimes. I offered them some small compensation for the disturbance and they turned it down. 

Preparation is key. Good luck! Kia

[Michelle53]

@Andrew1050   I created a "bug disclaimer" for people who book my space - a garden space - but have an aversion to "critters". 

"Since my space is a Certified Wildlife Habitat through the National Wildlife Foundation, all kinds of wildlife may visit my property. I do not use chemical sprays or treatments of any kind in the garden. I am conscientious about manually removing bugs that may gain entry to the house. If you happen to be visited by a bug, let me know, and I will humanely remove it as soon as possible."

Never had an issue since then. 

[Andrew1050]

Great tip! Will follow something similar but for mice. Thanks @Michelle53