AIBU to want to kill the rats

[ratstails]

I have included an image because I knew its obligatory for AIBU. This is a combination of a neighbour issue and a rat issue so open to advice and input on either.
We live rurally in quite an old house. Next door is another old house with a huge garden and an outbuilding that forms part of our boundary (red square), the outbuilding has attracted rats for as long as we've lived here. Until about 6 months ago the neighbors where a lovely old couple and between us we dealt with any rats moving into the outbuilding quickly with posion, blocking holes and on a couple of occasions when things got bad a pest control company.
Usually it would be a problem only a few times a year. The old couple downsized and the house was bought by a buy to let landlord, new neigbours moved in and seemed friendly enough we've had no issues until a month ago when I started to see rats running up and down the outbuilding wall again.
I went over to tell them and explained how this is usually resolved and they said rats in the building didn't bother them as they have no intention of using the building and they didn't want to put poison down. Since then the number of have rats has escalated, my office looks out over the building and everyday I see multiple rats coming out from under the roof, down the wall and into my garden. Neighbours are still refusing to do anything, I have offered to pay for the posion, put it in the roof myself, pay a professional pest control company to come sort it. They just keep saying its their property and they aren't bothered, of course they aren't because they can't actually see the building from their house and don't use that part of the garden.
Its really awful, I can't go in my garden without worrying about the wee and poo they leave behind, I can't sit at my desk without getting distracted by 10+ rats running down the wall and its really only a matter of time before they end up getting into my house despite me checking for holes, chew marks etc. everyday.
I am pretty sure I ANBU but perhaps I am.

If they're nesting then the electronic deterrents are no good.

Please don't scatter bait. There are local byelaws against it and besides, non target critters like hedgehogs, dogs and birds eat it.

I've been present at the PM of a cat with a bellyfull of blue bait as it's designed to be palatable.

If you can't afford a bait box, a largeish tupperware style container with a rat size hole melted in with a knife and a brick to hold it in place will do. They will find it as the bait is designed to smell good to them.

YANBU to want to deal with the rats. The only thing is I’m no expert but I would also be really careful with poison both because of pets and also birds of prey which eat poisoned rats/ corpses and then die themselves from secondary poisoning.

www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/conservation/conservation-and-sustainability/farming/advice/techniques-to-help-wildlife/rodenticide-use/

I would refuse to poison them too. You run the risk of harming other wildlife, like foxes who feed on them.

For those of you concerned about wildlife, I have not and am not suggesting they let me throw poison all over the place. We had always used those big boxes the rat goes into to eat the bait and then they're trapped.

@ratstails there was another poster. Though rats are omnivorous and can eat anything they come across. Including eggs and nestlings, probably small mammals or at least their babies. Definitely insects and other invertebrates.

Please be careful with baits. The rats eat the bait, go outside, and then the owls eat them and die.

How to control rats without killing owls:
www.barnowltrust.org.uk/hazards-solutions/rodenticides/safer-rat-control/

Note that bait boxes are still a serious problem, because it still means that you have poisonous rats running around.

I'd add to the helpful suggestions above about locating the landlord and asking him to get on top of it
Buy an air rifle and shoot the fuckers, it's very satisfying. Sling the bodies back over the fence/hedge.

Actually, shooting them might be the most env. friendly. Assuming it's the rats....!?

I don't really fancy shooting them, not sure my aim could be trusted!
Thanks to the poster who suggested I do some sleuthing and see if I could find the advert for rent. I have done that and think I may have found the agent so I have sent an email to them. Hoping they get back to me soon.
If they don't I may call my old neighbours and see if they have the contact for the landlord don't really want to do that as I don't want to bother them but i'd like to give the actual owner a chance to sort this out before going down the complaints to environmental health route.

That article I posted days that poison doesn't fix rat problems- it just kills a few, and then more arrive. Blocking all the holes works far better in the long run.

Please please get professional advice before doing this. I work with pest control experts and you really do have to be pretty careful using poison. Certainly don't go chucking it around Willy nilly.

Brown Rats are what is known as neophobic so they won't touch anything new in their environment until they are very very sure of it which is why expert help is important. If they are nesting, it's even more essential that you undertake the correct procedures.

Landlord, then environmental health. If the LL fails to act, seek legal advice. Have a look on the Citizen’s Advice website. There may be something specific to pest control that I am missing

Nuke it from space. Although if you’re rural a couple of yard cats is a good idea. Unless you have a pet cat they’d beat up.

It's the only way to be sure.

Without the neighbours doing something about their outbuilding there isn't much you can do.

So I'd contact environmental health about that, as the neighbours are in fact responsible for 'their' vermin.

However, if they are providing shelter and cover and most of the food/water the rats need, theres less pressure to come to yours, so make your garden as hostile as possible so that theirs is preferable.

Cut grass short, ensure there is no vegetation cover where the rats come out/under/over any fence or back wall of the outbuilding, literally scalp that area so it is bare.

Rats do not want to be out in the open so force that as the only option!

Make sure there is no cover in dashing distance either, so no log piles, covered furniture or tarps over things, bushes etc.

Ensure you're providing no food or water that they can smell or access!

I wouldn't use poison in this situation, it is suitable for some but not here. I'd get an air rifle personally, but I am a good shot. Alternatively, know anyone with lurchers/terriers? Sometimes if its young rats from a bit of a population explosion, a few taken out by dogs will put the rest off trying to come out that way and once the brave ones are gone... there's no one to follow.

Honestly I'd get a cat if you are worried about rodents on your property. The scent of a cat will be enough to drive them away.

I've seen my cat kill a rat before

Go to the local rescue and get a big bruiser of a cat

Environmental health can take enforcement action, my friend had rats in the home and pest control did everything to block them out but they were coming in via the sewers or pipes from next door, the landlord did the bare minimum to resolve it but EH forced them to take proper action....my friend had to report everything though and chase it all up. Good luck OP Im sure your neighbours will change their mind when rats get in their home

I'd happily take in a few bruisers of cats but they'd have to be bold enough to deal with my dogs. One of them goes mental at the sight of cats but happily snoozes while the rats run around 🙄
@WiddlinDiddlin that's good advice thanks, I would happily pay for pest control to come sort it properly. Previous we blocked up all holes and we'd have no issues for 6 months or so. Sadly neighbours won't allow me or pest control access.
Will work on making my garden as unfriendly to rats as possible while waiting for a response from the landlord.

Erm, I have to disagree here. We live in a rural property and sometimes get rats in the wood store and outbuildings. We have two cats, both decent hunters. We also have chickens which attract rats of course.

I hate putting poison down but sometimes it's the only way.

Cats keeping rats away is a massive myth.

Not in the case of my cat. No way would he tolerate a rat on his turf!

I once saw him kill a rat that was so big, that it was up on its hind legs fighting back! Cat still killed it though.

Mind you he was a big cat. He would even catch the occasional rabbit.