How to Evict a Mouse from Your Home

As a landlord, it's inevitable that, on occasion, you will have problems with a tenant. When a mouse moves into your property and you find that you are unwilling to enter into a landlord/tenant relationship with said vermin, your thoughts may immediately turn to eviction. How does one evict, though? According to the law, a landlord cannot simply order a tenant to vacate the premises. A landlord must follow certain procedures, as detailed in your state's Vermin Residential Landlord/Tenant Act. If a landlord does not strictly adhere to the guidelines as defined by the state's code, the landlord may find themself financially liable to the mouse tenant and/or unable to legally evict them.

First, identify a legal reason for evicting the mouse. Is the mouse pooping in your cupboards or chewing holes in your walls? In legal terms, this is called, "failing to keep the premises in a habitable condition" or "destruction or damage of rental property". Is the mouse making scrabbling and crunching noises at night? Here you may have a "noise disturbance" or "nuisance" that "diminishes the peaceful enjoyment of other tenants". Does your mouse operate a meth lab in your home? Clearly, your tenant is "conducting illegal or disallowed activities on the premises". It is important to have a legitimate reason to evict your tenant(s).