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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Rats in next doors garden

69 replies

Lorddenning1 · 23/07/2021 14:49

We are currently having building work at the moment so we don't live at our new house, I was looking out the window from the new extension and saw a massive rat in next doors garden, she has a lot of dogs (she breeds them) so my heart was in my mouth thinking her dogs were going to get injured, as they are only small dogs, but luckily the rat vanished when they came outside. I mentioned this to the builder and he said he has seen loads of them next door and he went to speak to her. Turns out, she knows she has them and has had them for a while, she calls them her pets and doesn't want to get a pest controller in as she doesn't want to harm any animals Confused
I don't want to move into my new house with lots of rats living next door as I have children and also a dog myself. I spoke to my local council who said it's not their problem and I need to speak to citizens advice as it's a legal problem and I will need to take her to court for an enforcement order. Surely this isn't right, isn't it an environmental problem, any advice on what to do?

OP posts:
AbstractHeart · 23/07/2021 15:00

I wouldn't worry. Rats are everywhere anyway, but they'll keep out of your way, especially since you have a dog.

PerseverancePays · 23/07/2021 15:02

If the rats are able to run around your garden as well I would make them a ‘special’ breakfast. I used to do this once a year when the rats started taking the piss and running around in broad daylight and climbing the plum tree!
I bought the rat poison from the hardware shop which is bright blue and coated onto wheat. But they recognise that as they are smart. So I would tip it into a margarine box and mix in some melted bacon fat and then they would eat it and the numbers would greatly decrease until the next year.
I would ring the council again and talk to someone else, I’m pretty sure it is an environmental issue. Let them deal with it on your side of the fence.

Dobbyafreeelf · 23/07/2021 15:04

@PerseverancePays

If the rats are able to run around your garden as well I would make them a ‘special’ breakfast. I used to do this once a year when the rats started taking the piss and running around in broad daylight and climbing the plum tree! I bought the rat poison from the hardware shop which is bright blue and coated onto wheat. But they recognise that as they are smart. So I would tip it into a margarine box and mix in some melted bacon fat and then they would eat it and the numbers would greatly decrease until the next year. I would ring the council again and talk to someone else, I’m pretty sure it is an environmental issue. Let them deal with it on your side of the fence.
Don't do this with dogs around!!!! 🙄
MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 23/07/2021 15:05

Rats always come out when there's building work going on.

Original poster
Lorddenning1 · 23/07/2021 15:08

We put poison in our garden and half had been eaten, we haven't moved in yet as the house isn't ready. Her garden is very messing and cluttered and the builder has been watching them and they seem to be living in her garage. He said there is loads of them, big and small. I don't understand how she can leave them there while she has her own dogs. They also go into her house too through her fire place. My dog is a jack Russel cross poodle and we are going to get a cat once we move in, hoping this will help.

OP posts:
Iggly · 23/07/2021 15:08

@PerseverancePays

If the rats are able to run around your garden as well I would make them a ‘special’ breakfast. I used to do this once a year when the rats started taking the piss and running around in broad daylight and climbing the plum tree! I bought the rat poison from the hardware shop which is bright blue and coated onto wheat. But they recognise that as they are smart. So I would tip it into a margarine box and mix in some melted bacon fat and then they would eat it and the numbers would greatly decrease until the next year. I would ring the council again and talk to someone else, I’m pretty sure it is an environmental issue. Let them deal with it on your side of the fence.
Dogs could eat it though!!

Or they could eat the poisoned rat and also be poisoned.

Call pest control for advice. Have your house checked thoroughly for entrance points. Is it detached/semi/terrace?

Original poster
Lorddenning1 · 23/07/2021 15:11

It's a semi, the builder says he hasn't seen them in our house or garden but it's hard to know as he leaves at the end of the day and we don't live there yet.

OP posts:
Dontforgetyourbrolly · 23/07/2021 15:14

I'd report her to environmental health, did you say she was a dog breeder? Are they living in absolute squalor? Animal welfare? I absolutely hate rats , I don't care if they are supposedly everywhere and unavoidable. It sounds like she's infested and they will be coming in your house and garden make no mistake about that

viques · 23/07/2021 15:17

A jack russell will see them off!

safariboot · 23/07/2021 15:18

You've been fobbed off by the council. Speak to someone else. Councils have both the power and the duty to make an owner or occupier deal with a rat or mouse problem on their property, under the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949.

england.shelter.org.uk/professional_resources/legal/housing_conditions/local_authority_duties_to_deal_with_poor_conditions/local_authority_powers_to_deal_with_refuse_and_pests

Original poster
Lorddenning1 · 23/07/2021 15:20

i dont think she is an official breeder. she has around 4/5 dogs, but at certain times of the year she has around 10, so im assuming they are puppies, as the noise is so bad, they bark every time you park at the front. i dont hear her telling them off etc. we have been in the house sometimes and we cant hear the tv as they are so loud with the barking. we havent said anything to her as we knew we was starting building work and we didnt want any bad blood in case she objected with Planning etc. the house belonged to my OH, and i have never actually lived there yet, but we will be soon, all of us.

OP posts:
Original poster
Lorddenning1 · 23/07/2021 15:23

@safariboot the impression i got was, because its not a council house, but private owned, they wont help us, i mean we do pay our council tax!

OP posts:
thecatneuterer · 23/07/2021 15:26

Rats are everywhere. If they're in her garden then I can't see the problem. Even in your garden then I can't see the problem. As long as they can't get into your house I would just ignore.

lifeinlimbo2020 · 23/07/2021 15:31

They are a council issue as PP said, not just where council houses are concerned. Also all dog breeders need a license so you can speak to them about that at the same time. Where I live it's all dealt with in the same department.

Original poster
Lorddenning1 · 23/07/2021 15:37

after looking on the council website, i am going to book a pest controller to come out and look at our side of the house, but tell him they are from next door, they might have a word with her or point me in the right direction of what i need to do.

OP posts:
MySecretHistory · 23/07/2021 15:37

Have you had foundation of drain work done? If so that is probably the source. It disturbs them

HoppingPavlova · 23/07/2021 15:39

While they are filthy creatures, I can’t imagine they will be too fond of coming to visit if you have a Jack Russell! If you get a cat then you will have them inside as they catch/injure/kill them and bring their prizes in.

Building work always brings them out. We have lived here for ages, never ever seen a rat except for when different neighbours had building work done. Then, no matter which adjoining property was having the work done, we would have them running everywhere (no dog). All adjoining properties have really neat, well kept yards and houses, no rubbish, clean houses so no idea where they are hiding away usually - maybe the live in drains or something, I really have no idea?

Original poster
Lorddenning1 · 23/07/2021 15:43

we have had a front and back Dorma and also a single story extension to the rear, which does have foundations etc. maybe its because of that.
they have been seen coming in and out of her garage, that she does not use, and she throws food out in the garden, not sure if its for the birds or rats.
both houses back onto fields and trees :( she has had them for around 2 years she has said, the building work was started in April this year.

OP posts:
Couchbettato · 23/07/2021 15:59

I'm pretty sure environmental health can force the owner of the land where they reside to take action against their pests, or deal with them and invoice them.

We complained about something similar. Our neighbours built an illegal extension and dug up a rat's nest. We complained to the council and EH, and they were forced to get an exterminator

Tyredofallthis1 · 23/07/2021 16:10

We have a sewer running under the middle of our street, a beck a hundred yards away, loads of overgrown bushes and about a gazillion pizza places, chippies and chinese within an easy stagger. There are a lot of rats here.

We got the plug in deterrents when we heard scratching in the walls. That prevented them from coming into our house and stopped the scratching.

We had been noticing a lot in our (very small and overgrown) garden, especially around the bird feeder. We wiped the cellar kitchen windows with peppermint oil (about two yards away from the bird feeder) and haven't seen a squeak since. The contrast is massive. If you can leave some peppermint oil around, that should make a difference.

(if I seem blase about the rats, they are better behaved than the drug dealers that used to live a few doors down. I just want a quiet life)

VickyEadieofThigh · 23/07/2021 16:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

VickyEadieofThigh · 23/07/2021 16:16

Apologies to @lifeinlimbo2020 - I didn't mean to quote you and have requested a delete by MN.

Hdhdjejdj · 23/07/2021 16:16

Your Jack Russell will have a field day with a garden full of rats. They are hard wired to kill them. Google it if you don’t believe me.

LakieLady · 23/07/2021 16:23

@Lorddenning1

We put poison in our garden and half had been eaten, we haven't moved in yet as the house isn't ready. Her garden is very messing and cluttered and the builder has been watching them and they seem to be living in her garage. He said there is loads of them, big and small. I don't understand how she can leave them there while she has her own dogs. They also go into her house too through her fire place. My dog is a jack Russel cross poodle and we are going to get a cat once we move in, hoping this will help.
A Jack Russell or similar would probably be better at dealing with rats, My lakeland terrier bitch (sadly no longer with us) was killing 2-3 rats a week at one time.

I never see a rat now, and I suspect it may be because the NDNs no longer keep chickens.

ExtraOnions · 23/07/2021 16:25

Just keep baiting your garden, and near the wall to next door. Get some of the decent stuff from Amazon, you’ll need more than you think - daily baiting until you go 10 days without the bait being taken. Get rid if them now , before you move in.