Wall opening for mice. SAM Conveyancing answers the question: can you sell a house with rodents?
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Can You Sell A House With Rodents?

Andrew Boast of Sam Conveyancing
Last Updated: 10/06/2026
3 min read
Rats and mice are very common in the UK. They can easily live in most houses and they can reproduce many times throughout the year. As they grow in population, they can gnaw through wood, pipes, wires and other structures, leaving vast amounts of droppings as they do so. Not only are they a fire hazard, but rats are also known to spread diseases such as Weil's Disease, which can be fatal.

With mice being such a common occurrence, this leaves homeowners with a very important question: can you sell a house with rodents?

Do you have to disclose a rat problem when selling a house?

When selling your property, you are liable to disclose any infestation problems to your potential buyers. If the infestation is ongoing, the structural integrity of the house could be compromised, so buyers should be made aware of this risk.

Similarly, if you are buying a house, it is essential you get a home buyers survey. This is a good way to find out if your property has rat and mice infestation - your RICS surveyor has training and years of experience in noticing any tell-tale signs.

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What do you do with a rat infested house?


Professional fees for dealing with rat and mice infestation can cost as much as £500 or more if repeat visits are required. The cost of repairing structural damage - including replacing damaged furniture, clothes and textiles - can be much more, possibly many £1,000s.

If a surveyor finds evidence of rat or mice infestation, the buyer can demand, on average, a 9% reduction in asking price; for an averagely priced property in the UK, this is equivalent to £20,000 and upwards.

A valuer who finds evidence of rat and mice infestation might advise a lender to insist on a specialist report as a condition of the mortgage. A retention can be put on the loan until eradication work is carried out and verified.

How do you prove your house is against mice?

To prove that your house does not have a mice infestation problem, you will need to book a house survey. When valuing a property, a surveyor will make a thorough investigation and will be able to recognize if there is an infestation or not.

Based on their findings, they will be able to refer you to a specialist. When dealing with pest control on your property, you need to be careful with how you proceed.

It is recommended to get the help of an expert, since causing unnecessary harm to an animal can get you fined or even imprisoned. Are you unsure how to proceed? We can help you with that.


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Andrew Boast of Sam Conveyancing
Written by:

Andrew Boast FMAAT is a qualified accountant, conveyancing specialist and author with over 25 years of experience in the UK property sector. Since beginning his career in 2000 within established SRA and CLC-regulated conveyancing solicitor firms, Andrew has overseen the legal journeys of more than 75,000 clients.

He is the self-published author of the first-time buyer guide: How to Buy a House Without Killing Anyone, and a frequent contributor to mainstream UK media on legislative updates, property law, first-time buyer guides, conveyancing best practices, and stamp duty changes. Andrew specialises in resolving complex title issues, property conflict disputes, and property tax options, streamlining the enquiry process to reduce transaction times and maintaining a client-friendly focus.
Amanda Ambler Legal Content Reviewer & Senior Conveyancing Consultant
Reviewed by:

Amanda Ambler is a highly accomplished conveyancing specialist with over 15 years of dedicated experience across residential property law, legal compliance, and practice management. Having held senior roles, including Head of Legal Practice and Head of Conveyancing at established UK law firms, Amanda possesses a profound, hands-on understanding of the technical intricacies of the property market.

As the designated Legal Content Reviewer for SAM Conveyancing, Amanda ensures that every guide, legal update, and resource published meets the absolute highest standards of accuracy, regulatory compliance, and factual integrity. Her rigorous review process guarantees that complex property legislation and industry processes are communicated clearly, transparently, and safely for home buyers and sellers alike.

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