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Original poster

WIBU to tell my neighbours what to do with their garden?

34 replies

NotASoccerMum · 12/02/2025 08:47

So, we noticed we had rats appearing in our garden a while ago. A couple of very big ones. So we got pest control in and they are currently trying to sort the issue before they end up in our house.

Thing is, i'm fairly certain they are coming from our next door neighbour. They are constantly throwing leftover food in their garden - just all over the grass, feeding ever problematic foxes (that's a whole other issue) and birds and of course also rats.

The pest control people agree the problem is likely coming from there. We redid our whole garden to make it a child friendly space for our young kids but now I don't feel they are safe out there.

They are nice enough neighbours (seems to be three generations of a family that live there) and I don't want to cause issues between us but I've literally just popped my head out of the bathroom window to see 5/6 rats running around their wilderness of a garden. I want to tell them to stop putting all the food out but I guess legally it's their property to do what they like.

I just feel like us paying for pest control is a waste of time as long as they keep doing this. I'd even be willing to offer to pay to get pest control round to theirs. Don't want to offend anyone just so sick of this situation.

OP posts:
lightsandtunnels · 12/02/2025 09:03

Have you told them you have rats in your garden and have seen them in theirs? I would go round to see them and let them know that you have pest control in at the moment sorting out a rat problem in your garden and you noticed rats in their garden too. Absolutely fine to do this, no blame, no accusations, just factual.

Edit to say we got rid of our compost bin as pest control said this would encourage them so you could mention this to the neighbours too who may (hopefully) realise that the food they are putting out is causing the problem!

We had rats in our garden a couple of years ago and suspected they were from a neighbour who is a bit of a hoarder. I was horrified - I absolutely hate them! We just told neighbour what was happening and suggested they might want to use the same pest control to sort the problem in their garden. I'm not sure they did, but for us, pest control came three times and we put down extra poison ourselves that we got from B&Q. We have had no sign of any rats since, it took maybe three weeks for us to stop seeing them. The poison does work quickly and is very effective so I'd just keep going with it then hopefully by the time the nice weather comes back your garden will be safe for your kids again.

BoiledOrRoastPotatoes · 12/02/2025 09:00

I had similar problems when I lived next door to a friend. She feeds the birds which is lovely as the birds often need a helping hand, especially in the winter. But it was also attracting the rats. She kept trapping and releasing them a few miles away but there was so many of them. Then she has the audacity to blame it on them living under my shed!

Anyway. One day I saw a pest van outside the house the other side of me. The problem soon disappeared. I never told my friend about it as she would have been livid. She thought her trapping and releasing was working.

bluesatin · 12/02/2025 08:55

Buy a cat. My friend had rats coming in from the left hand neighbour. Her right hand neighbour recently bought a couple of kittens; they have grown into very efficient rat exterminators.

Blueglazzier · 12/02/2025 08:54

A polite letter asking them not to leave food out may help . I did this when neighbour kept leaving trays of food for the birds . Some people just don't think . Try this first . Best wishes .

Samesame47 · 12/02/2025 08:53

NotASoccerMum · 12/02/2025 08:47

So, we noticed we had rats appearing in our garden a while ago. A couple of very big ones. So we got pest control in and they are currently trying to sort the issue before they end up in our house.

Thing is, i'm fairly certain they are coming from our next door neighbour. They are constantly throwing leftover food in their garden - just all over the grass, feeding ever problematic foxes (that's a whole other issue) and birds and of course also rats.

The pest control people agree the problem is likely coming from there. We redid our whole garden to make it a child friendly space for our young kids but now I don't feel they are safe out there.

They are nice enough neighbours (seems to be three generations of a family that live there) and I don't want to cause issues between us but I've literally just popped my head out of the bathroom window to see 5/6 rats running around their wilderness of a garden. I want to tell them to stop putting all the food out but I guess legally it's their property to do what they like.

I just feel like us paying for pest control is a waste of time as long as they keep doing this. I'd even be willing to offer to pay to get pest control round to theirs. Don't want to offend anyone just so sick of this situation.

Contact environmental health at your local council with evidence and let them deal with it

Julen7 · 12/02/2025 08:53

Environmental health department at your council. If you can take any photos that would help your case.

AlisonDonut · 12/02/2025 08:51

I'd take advice from the council in this respect. And film those rats.

Stalked476 · 12/02/2025 08:51

Report them to the council. It is a health hazard.

Funykeudfh · 12/02/2025 08:50

If they're feeding foxes and probably know rats are there too they won't be the type of people who agree with pest control so I wouldn't go down that route. If they're family people I'd probably word it as something along the lines of you can't currently have any young children out in the garden due to the rat problem and would they consider not throwing any food out into their garden for a few months to just stop the rats coming through. Something along those lines anyway. You have to find a way to get on their page where as talking about pest control is likely to get their backs up.