To think my neighbour was being a cheeky bitch ?

[lovelyannie]

So my neighbour from down the street who I've never met, but know who she is just knocked on my door and said to me 'you've got rats'. I was a bit shocked and was like excuse me? She said they are like the size of cats but u have rats. I just wanted to let u know as my daughter in law mentioned u were pregnant and thought be best to tell you.

Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but we have no outbuildings. No sheds. Nothing. Our garden is only grass with fences round for the dogs to be kept secure in garden. The driveway is all dig out completely with just type 1 stones down really for driveway being laid. So how can I have the rats ?

She continued to tell me her and her son seen them come from my garden over the street to the other houses. I politely pointed out that next door (at the back of my fence) have two pigeon sheds with tons of pigeons no joke, so isn't it more likely them? Her response was 'could be but they were seen in your driveway'. She also told me she'd phoned the council.

I'm going to phone the council on Monday as well obviously as I don't want that in the street - but I just found it so cheeky she came to my door but not the owners of the two pigeon sheds ? And the garden full of trees / shrubs and so forth ....

She's not a CF she's just being helpful . There is a saying 'you're never more than 10feet from a rat'. They're everywhere, & getting bigger according to rat guy who was out to my old 'naice' modern block of flats all the time, when I lived somewhere posher. I've seen them in our huge Tesco's car park quite often too now I'm in North London.

I don't think she was being neighbourly or caring at all, I can picture the scenario well. If you've called environmental health on her (not saying you shouldn't have if she's leaving dog muck on your property, yuck) she sounds like she was getting her own back and couldn't wait to march over and announce to you that you have a rat problem. Very unpleasant and snide. I'd be killing her with kindness from now on so you can't be accused of anything. Go round with a bunch of flowers to thank her for being so caring ...

You definitely shouldn't have to pay if it's next doors birds causing the problem. Then again how can the problem be solved unless he gives up his birds?

Give the poor girl a break! By the sounds of the tone and manner this woman used she was being arsey.

I'm good with the idea of the pigeons going, personally. If they're not kept immaculately clean at all times, the stench is something else and the levels of shit on your garden, your car, your washing, your windows, your kids, your roof are absolutely unbelievable.

And, as a bonus, once the flying shit machines are gone, there is less of an All You Can Eat Buffet for the rats.

(NB: Chickens stink and attract rats if they aren't kept clean at all times, too, as do any birds kept in aviaries, but most people who keep them want to eat the eggs without poisoning themselves, so tend to do more thorough cleaning)

if you've called environmental health on her
OP hasn't.

(not saying you shouldn't have if she's leaving dog muck on your property, yuck)
Nieghbour didn't.

she sounds like she was getting her own back
Hardly - considering they discussed the fact that a 2nd call to council from OP about rats might produce quicker action.

Rats often have a certain route known as run ways. So they could be using your garden as a through run if you know what I mean.

There are rats everywhere. If they are getting plenty to eat, they will grow big, they aren't mutants, it's just what they are designed to do.

Can you try putting your dogs out more often into your garden? I don't know much about the 'decorative' breeds, but most dogs will chase rats and the rats will learn there are dogs and not go through your property.

Or get a terrier. You'll never have a rat problem if you've got a terrier (a proper one, JRT or Patterdale, not something that's all fur and no face).

@Zaphodsotherhead yeah here what your saying about a terrier, thought we already have 2 dogs and with a baby on the way a 3rd wouldn't ideal, so unfortunately not an option. Although I have to say our dogs go out to toilet at 5-6am every morning at some point for the toilet and I've never seen a thing. Which makes me think it's in the driveway only, coming maybe from under the fence where pigeons are sat over my driveway

@TabbyMumz I reckon they might be in the pigeon huts if anywhere feeding etc then using our driveway as a route potentially to cut across the street as if they tried to go anywhere from pigeon huts there doesn't seem to be much more of an escape plan

Thank you @Bambi1980 x

@MitziK thing is I've never actually had any bad smells from the pigeons - the gent is retired and he cleans them regularly (I think). But the shit on the cars and windows and clothes like you say is a bit of a nuisance but 2 years in we are used to it and isn't as bad as I originally thought it would be