Hi
Anyone else had problems Lerots?
I know they’re protected but my main problem is my neighbour. He owns the grenier above my bedroom. So far he’s refused to help with the leaks when it rains my ceiling is wet through, there is no insulation and it is not sealed under the eaves.
So I may be in a losing battle, but the lerots are waking me up constantly at night. As soon as I fall asleep they start scratching and running again. I told my neighbours wife too and she seemed disinterested.
I’ve no access to the grenier to make any repairs etc and have to put up with the leaks and a wet ceiling when it rains but sleep below it so I need to try and find a solution as the lack of sleep making me ill.
There is no official copropriétaire set up and any house problems are brushed under the carpet by the upstairs owners.
Even if no copro is there anything set out about shared responsibilities for maintenance? What had you understood when you bought the place? As odd not to have anything set out even if not a formal copro.
Anyway, sounds like you have to embark on the formal process if talking to them has produced no results. So keep a detailed diary, with photos and sound recordings. Write formally by registered post asking them to fix the problems. And then if that doesn’t work your next step is probably mediation
I know I have them in my loft space too, but seldom hear them and they cause no trouble. Very occasionally, and this happened just the other night, when I shut the front shutters I see one on the wall behind it. He immediately runs up the wall…and under the tiles, and home. 
I can’t imagine being in your situation @chezsarah, I long ago made a vow to myself that I would never again share a wall, a ceiling or a floor with anyone else. I hope you can get it sorted satisfactorally. 
Could you buy the piece of the loft over your bedroom from your neighbour?
I don’t suppose buying humane traps (cages actually), that you could put around the base of the house, or near drainpipes, would be a solution ? That might at least reduce the number of animals getting into the loft in the first place ? If you catch any, you could release them alive somewhere much further away. Obviously, not a definitive cure, as others would probably come back again at some stage, but it might give you some peace for a while.
Not sure if Lerot would be driven out by the ultrasonic devices, but for us it has had a positive effect with what we presume are mice in our loft space (gap between the tiles and the boarded ceiling).
It may be worth having a look in a brico or similar for the devices and perhaps asking the advice of the usually helpful staff.
Most of the brico shed ultrasonic devices are just toys. A more industrial unit may work as they have for us and rellies but not in every case.
There is a company in Spain who made something similar if that is easier for importing
I think we may have an occasional lerot. I’ve read that a lerot will enter a trap to take fruit if it thinks it can get out at the other end. It’s best to capture and rehome them ! Here’s the type of thing you could try… I found it on https://maison-aurouze.fr.
That looks useful thanks. I could try it near the drainpipe.
The issue is not being able to get to the attic room as accès is via my neighbours apartment. They come in through my roof (their roof)
I could try a ladder out one on roof.
If there are problems which need attention, such as you mention… access should be granted.
Have a quiet word at your Mairie… ask their advice on how to proceed… if they can’t give a difinitive answer, they should point you in the right direction.
Do you have an Insurance: “Protection Juridique vie Quotidienne” ??
If you do, notify them of what is happening and let them get to work.
Interesting to hear the follow-up,
That’s a thought Stella - if the rodent/water ingress is damaging, or might damage insured buildings/belongings, I guess the insurer might well be sympathetic.
Ah… I was talking about the “legal help” Insurance (special policy) for things which happen like a neighbour’s tree threatening your garage or (why not) rodent/water damage which is neighbour’s responsibility…
they arrange official letters to be sent and can continue to court proceedings… (I believe)… under the Policy.
Yes - we have this legal cover - but it’s linked with our buildings insurance.
Mine is a separate policy (over and above)… I’ve seen “it” at work during heated debates during Insurance Claims… which is why I pay the 75€ per year.
Currently, an elderly lady (with a similar policy) is driving her neighbours mad… legal letters arriving like snow in winter… I should imagine she is also driving the Legal Ins folk mad … they must easily have spent much, much more than they are getting from her… and the charges are lost causes (trumped up) 'cos she’s losing her marbles… sadly…
I think we may have an occasional lerot. I’ve read that a lerot will enter a trap to take fruit if it thinks it can get out at the other end. It’s best to capture and rehome them ! Here’s the type of thing you could try… I found it on https://maison-aurouze.fr.
I have avoided such traps for many years for mice, and believe the same reason would apply to anything else as well.
This was since a mouse too fast for its own good got halfway out as the door was closing and recieved a non-fatal broken back as a reward.
I had to take the poor thing, paralysed from the injury down, outside and kill it with an axe.
The most humane trap for a real nuisance or health danger is what I use at the moment. It is called The Big Cheese and has an entrance leading the mouse over 2 metal plates to get to the bait beyond.
The moment it touches the 2nd plate a circuit powered by small batteries electrocutes it instantly.
Good point. In fact I have a single door trap that worked well for campagnols that I re-homed a few miles away. No injuries and no electricity.
I was haunted by that mouse, and what I was forced to do with it. Before that I had caught plenty in the humane trap and took them with me on my dog journeys as far away as I could. They are rumoured to have a good homing instinct (like snails apparently 
) but nobody specified any distance. 