bad smell

[MollyMalone]

I've noticed a very bad smell coming from under the floor in my Victorian terraced house. I've lifted a few floorboards in the area where the smell is worse to see if there's a dead rat or something else, and can't see anything like that down there. It's not a gas smell, and doesn't seem to be a sewer-like smell either. Has anyone got any ideas what it might be and who I should call to try and get it sorted out? It started a couple of days ago and then seemed to be intermittent. Now it's constant.

thanks

[nuoyg]

Hi MollyMalone, that can't be very nice for you. I am not 100% sure, but am wondering if you'd be able to call the council to help. Although it is your own home, if you pay your council tax, surely they may be able to assist or point in the right direction?

Alternatively, you could ask your local library if they have any informantion on who assists in these situations. good luck.

[WendyS]

Could it be damp? Do you have dampcourse in your house? Possibly a surveyor might be able to help if this were the case but using air fresheners isn't the answer as you want to discover the cause, not mask the effects. The only other thing I can think of is a leaking pipe, washing machine or dish water which is leaking water through the floor and causing water to accumulate at a lower level which is going stagnant. Do you get it sorted out soon.

[joko]

the smell of a rat would disappear after a short while, once all the flesh is gone.

I get a strange smell occasionally too, and after much annoyance and confusion I have realised it is coming through the floorboards and little gaps in the skirting boards in the hallway (its a big old house) from my next door neighbours. I think its either some kind of long cooking or boiling food or perhaps a rubbery smell from the dryer or dishwasher or something - i don't know. I would like to ask them but i suspect they may not know either or be offended.

make a note of the times it happens over a week or two and ask the neighbours if they were cooking or whatever at those times

otherwise get some sealant and block any holes in your skirting boards and see if it helps

[fasc]

phone environmental health at your local council they should send somebody around to assess where the smell is coming from