hi all!!

ok, for a while now in our backyard, or more so the carport it STINKS, like seriously smells like something had died out there...we have sort of shrugged it off thinking it could be the old grass clippings and cause its been wet and floody and now 41degree heat, we put it off to that. and i have had a quick brief look and nothing obvious stands out to be causing it.

well today, DH came home from the shops and saw mice running from the fence towards our house, right through the mysterious smell area. now whether it is them that has cause it, or they have been attracted by the smell or what we dont know, but i dont want them in the house!!!!!

now to the 2nd problem...when the r/e installed our new air con (because they were selling the place) they took out the old one that was on the wall. now when they did they left a hole in our wall. it's at ground level, but is a good 10cm by 10cm and goes right from the inside all the way to the outside. despite them being aware of it for over a month they still havent done anything about it...(and now the place is sold and under a new realestate, both the old r/e and new one know about the hole but are fighting over whos job it is to fix it... a HOLE (ha see what i did there ) problem.. anyway..

so this hole is a perfect front door for said mice that have been seen sniffing around (and here i was paranoid snakes would come in..) we have stuffed it with plastic bags, but mice will get through them..

so is there anything i can put at the hole that will repell them? i dont particually want to put a trap there...just want them to not see it as a front door...more a gateway to impending doom so they stay away from it.

any ideas??

(man this sounds like we live in a slum...)

thanks in advance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!