Hallam and the City of Casey
Rats and mice are on you
Clause 30 of Casey's local law says an owner or occupier who finds mice or rats on private land must take immediate steps to destroy them, and to fix the conditions that shelter, breed or feed them.
Nests and swarms too
The same clause covers an unmanaged beehive or swarm, which you must have removed, and a wasp nest, which you must have destroyed. Casey points you to a beekeeper or pest controller for both.
Baiting goes to a pest controller
Casey's own advice is to leave baiting to a pest controller holding a licence, to keep children and pets out of harm's way.
A long way from Western Port
Casey runs from the Dandenong foothills to the Western Port villages, and its biting midge advice is about coastal habitats. In Hallam, the likely jobs are closer to home: the walls, the roof and the yard.
If you've found signs of rats or mice
Note what you've got
Droppings, gnawing, sounds in the wall, missing pet food. Write down where and when.
Take away the food
Bins with lids that fit, pet food put away, nothing left on the floor overnight.
Close the gaps you can reach
Casey suggests repairing holes, and sealing gaps and cracks under external doors.
Get it inspected
A pest business finds the entry points you can't see and treats what's there. Mention children, pets and allergies so they can plan around them.
What if it's coming from next door?
Casey says to talk to your neighbour first. If they don't act, you can contact council. It's the same for bees or wasps, and council wants to know if they're a risk to the public. Bees or wasps on a nature strip or other council property go straight to council.
Renting? Consumer Affairs Victoria says the law doesn't always say who's responsible for a pest problem. Tell your rental provider early, in writing, and read our end of lease guide before you assume either way.
Possums
Possums are protected under the Wildlife Act 1975, so they sit outside that local law's pest list. For anyone searching possum removal in Hallam, the lawful version is roof proofing, with any catch and release on the same property, no more than 50 metres away, after sunset. Our Melbourne possum page explains it.
What we'd do about pests in Hallam
We wouldn't wait to see if the rats move on. The local law asks you to act, and a small job is easier to fix. Clear the food, close what you can, then tap what you've found and your postcode.
Want someone to look at it?
Tell us what you've seen and your postcode, and a local pest business that handles exactly that calls you to talk it through.
