HAINES CITY – A Tampa Bay area mother says squirrels have moved into the
condominium she’s renting near Kokomo and Marion Roads in Haines City.
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“He normally likes to stay on the back of my couch and
the other one likes the chair,” said Peavey.
Cell phone pictures and videos show the squirrels hanging out in the living
room on Dec. 20.
8 On Your Side stopped by the home to see the problem firsthand. We found
the place was ransacked by rodents.
“You can see what he’s done to the bottom of the chair,” said Peavey. “Down
here you can see the stuffing, the feces.”
The mother says she is worried about her son.
“Now that they’re being more aggressive, what if they bite him?” she said.
Peavey says, after days of complaints, the property manager Leif Olander and
the HOA finally put up traps. However, the squirrels are not falling for it
or stepping into it.
“They put traps up five days ago and the squirrels are still there,”
investigative reporter Mahsa Saeidi told Mr. Olander on a phone call.
According to Mr. Olander, the squirrels got in through a hole on the outside
of the property. The property manager claims the HOA closed the hole,
trapping the squirrels – so now, the HOA is responsible.
Meanwhile, the HOA tells 8 On Your Side they’re not responsible for problems
inside the unit. Legally, they are only responsible for fixing issues in
common areas.
“How would you like to live with squirrels for 25 days?” Saeidi asked Mr.
Olander.
In a phone call, Mr. Olander promised to hire a professional to come and
safely remove the rodents.
8 On Your Side will continue to follow this story until the pests are out of
the home.