Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to feel annoyed by my neighbour's complaints about rats?

136 replies

Becnextdoor · 19/05/2026 22:50

Do not have many neighbours, only 4 on our street. I live next to this lady, detached houses but our garden is seperated with a hedge if that makes sense. She has lived in that house for 4 years and we used to get along in a good neighbour way - as she lived alone I would often do garden work for her and she came round for a family barbecue once a year, normal neighbour stuff.
We (me and my wife) have had pet chickens for about 7 years now, they are located near the connecting hedge, out of her sight, and she’s never had a problem with them, however the chickens have randomly just now started getting rats, and as a result some of them have gone in her garden, she has messaged to complain, and came round twice to complain, all in the same week, after the first complaint we told her we were dealing with it - as we were, however rat traps take time and don’t work instantly, however, she kept coming round and telling us it was our problem and we need to sort it, and getting progressively annoyed, even though we were managing with it. We payed for pest control to come today, and they even went and spoke to her about how it was getting sorted - as we were tired of her continuous complaints, I didn’t even get a ‘thank you’ or anything, and even after the pest control she is still complaining. She is about 40 years old and a lot of her money is “mummy’s money”, private school and parents brought her a nice house in a nice area, so especially with knowing that, we really think she’s just acting abit entitled now. We are probably going to fall out with our neighbour over this, are we in the wrong for being annoyed? edit: The rats only started coming the same week she got a new cat and dog, she’s also recently had an oil spill - which apparently can attract rats, I don’t know if that’s relevant but.

OP posts:
HelenHan67 · 20/05/2026 12:45

I was in your neighbour's situation and my neighbour's casual attitude really irritated me. You need to get a handle on them quickly or they can cause damage. They did in my case, it was very costly. I know rats are everywhere but if there's a clear cause then address it. Her financial situation is irrelevant. It's your responsibility in this instance.

Unforgettablefire · 20/05/2026 12:49

Chickens attract rats it’s the food they’re after. The rats won’t go away if you trap them others will just come along to replace them.
They’ve probably been there a while only nobody noticed them until now.

ToKittyornottoKitty · 20/05/2026 12:50

Becnextdoor · 20/05/2026 12:02

Originally we got the food that makes the rats infertile, so they can finish living their life happily, but just without reproduction, so when they're gone, they're gone. However NDN needed faster action -which I get, but it wouldn't have been how I would do it.

Pretty big drip feed that’s never intended to get rid of the rats until she started moaning more, no wonder she’s moaning! What a nightmare neighbour you have turned into

Dweetfidilove · 20/05/2026 13:15

YABU and a judgemental idiot.
How dare the woman wnjoy her peoperty when her parents paid for it🙄?

Alliod40 · 20/05/2026 13:25

Im sorry but I'm with your neighbour here,I've got a terrible fear of all rodents,not just your normal fear but an extreme fear even of guinea pigs and such like,I've left my kids on their own until someone moved a dead mouse carcus I found in the airing cupboard years ago..so id have everyone out because if I saw a rat and had them in my garden because of your chickens,id lose my shit,you helping out has nothing to do with anything,her family having money has nothing to do with anything,move to the countryside where you haven't got adjoining houses if you want chickens ffs ..god my skin is crawling at the thought of it

JuliettaCaeser · 20/05/2026 13:37

So if you went to a private school and are not self supporting you deserve to have rats in your garden?! The mind boggles!

Surely most adults know chickens attract rats which is why most of us don’t keep chickens.

I hate and detest rats this would render my garden unusable for me so I totally get her upset.

BlueMum16 · 20/05/2026 13:45

Becnextdoor · 20/05/2026 12:02

Originally we got the food that makes the rats infertile, so they can finish living their life happily, but just without reproduction, so when they're gone, they're gone. However NDN needed faster action -which I get, but it wouldn't have been how I would do it.

So what have you done with your chickens? Have you moved their food indoors to stop attracting the rats?

Unless you change your chicken habits you will continue to attract rats.

Stressedoutmummyof3 · 20/05/2026 15:26

We had a rat in our loft last year (we think possibly a bird was carrying it and it fell in to the chimney..)
I didn't sleep for a week, could hear the horrible thing running around. Anyway obviously got pest control in and they trapped or killed it and removed it. Now I suspect (really really hope) that the bloke was exaggerating when he used his hands to show me how long the rat was. So if he wasn't and you have rats of a similar size I'm not surprised your neighbour is annoyed.
I am terrified of them and if I knew my neighbour was deliberately encouraging them I'd be fuming. Your idea of using food to stop them reproducing is ridiculous. You will keep getting rats you aren't going to kill them all like that. New ones will keep appearing. You might be happy always having rats in your garden but your neighbour isn't.

HarshbutTrue2 · 20/05/2026 15:36

What is the name of the rat contraceptive food?
Got to be honest, it's a new one on me.

Anon15q77e8 · 20/05/2026 17:30

Rats are a very serious problem. They chewed through a water pipe in some i knows house and it destroyed the whole downstairs. Its not always covered by insurance when rats are discovered so I think shes in the right to be stressed out by this

lorby · 20/05/2026 18:27

I think you’re being very unfair on your neighbour. I have just rehomed my three chickens are the run was getting smelly and I had quite a large set up. If I had of spotted a rat they would have been rehomed sooner. I’ve since converted the run into an orchard/fruit and rose garden - and it is soo much nicer.

MMUmum · 20/05/2026 18:47

Becnextdoor · 19/05/2026 22:50

Do not have many neighbours, only 4 on our street. I live next to this lady, detached houses but our garden is seperated with a hedge if that makes sense. She has lived in that house for 4 years and we used to get along in a good neighbour way - as she lived alone I would often do garden work for her and she came round for a family barbecue once a year, normal neighbour stuff.
We (me and my wife) have had pet chickens for about 7 years now, they are located near the connecting hedge, out of her sight, and she’s never had a problem with them, however the chickens have randomly just now started getting rats, and as a result some of them have gone in her garden, she has messaged to complain, and came round twice to complain, all in the same week, after the first complaint we told her we were dealing with it - as we were, however rat traps take time and don’t work instantly, however, she kept coming round and telling us it was our problem and we need to sort it, and getting progressively annoyed, even though we were managing with it. We payed for pest control to come today, and they even went and spoke to her about how it was getting sorted - as we were tired of her continuous complaints, I didn’t even get a ‘thank you’ or anything, and even after the pest control she is still complaining. She is about 40 years old and a lot of her money is “mummy’s money”, private school and parents brought her a nice house in a nice area, so especially with knowing that, we really think she’s just acting abit entitled now. We are probably going to fall out with our neighbour over this, are we in the wrong for being annoyed? edit: The rats only started coming the same week she got a new cat and dog, she’s also recently had an oil spill - which apparently can attract rats, I don’t know if that’s relevant but.

You make it sound like you feel she acts 'entitled', she doesn't, she has rats in her garden that come from you, just get rid of them ( and the chickens if need be) rats carry some very serious diseases. I've had to recently stop feeding garden birds because feed was attracting rats, we put down some rat poison that wasn't harmful to other wildlife and it did the trick

Okiedokie123 · 20/05/2026 19:04

luckylavender · 20/05/2026 12:29

Your problem. I would be furious and nagging too. Doesn't matter where her money comes from.

Yes I agree. I lost all sympathy at the mention of “mummy’s money”.
Rats are not a fun addition to a garden (or even worse indoors!) I’m not surprised she’s nagging you OP if she’s as bothered by rats and mice as I am.

Delici · 20/05/2026 19:13

AltitudeCheck · 20/05/2026 09:51

Rats (and mice and other animals) are part of rural living, I bet there were rats nearby long before she spotted them! Some people are get especially crazy about rats though and I think you just have to do everything you can (which you are) and apologise/ reassure her. Unfortunately now she will be on the lookout and continue to blame your chickens :(

We have rats come into the garden. We are surrounded by fields and it’s not surprising.

A neighbour attracting rats into the garden because they can’t look after their ‘pets’ properly is very different to normal rural living.

VoiceFromThePit · 20/05/2026 19:16

she should shoot your chickens

ToffeeCrabApple · 20/05/2026 19:25

Id be really annoyed if I wound up living next to someone who's chickens attracted rats. They all do! My sister had the same issue with a neighbour a few years ago and its was a nightmare. Years of rat issues until the chickens were gone.

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 20/05/2026 20:21

KilkennyCats · 20/05/2026 12:27

Rats are vermin. You don’t get to decide that they live out their normal lifespan in peace and tranquillity whilst they’re invading your neighbour’s garden.
What is wrong with you?

Sorry I just sniggered at the rats “living out their normal lifespan in peace and tranquility”.

When my auntie had chickens in her big house in the country her DH shot any rats that came near with an air rifle.

August1980 · 20/05/2026 22:02

Op, I have 3 pet hens. We live rurally but hens are rat magnets. We have a pest man come around monthly not because the neighbours complained or it’s out of control but because my 6 foot 2 husband is afraid of them.

hens are very entertaining. My daughter has named our after Disney Princesses…
i don’t think it’s a one off problem, you will have to maintain this regularly to ensure there are no critters about.

Mere1 · 20/05/2026 22:53

MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack · 19/05/2026 22:55

I'm sorry but you sound awful.

I have no idea what "mummy's money" means, or why private school or the question of who paid for her house is remotely relevant to your post.

You have caused a rat problem. She doesn't want rats in her garden. You haven't dealt with it quickly enough. Of course she is going to complain.

Exactly.

Timeforaglassofwine · 20/05/2026 23:18

Farmer here. I disagree with those who day having hens automatically means you'll get rats; with good husbandary this isnt true. A few tips @Becnextdoor: hang your feeders at neck height to the hens in the day time and remove the feeders at when you lock the birds up at night. Put trays under the feeders to catch any pellets that fall from the feeders. Make sure you don't throw any feed or corn on the floor. Make sure you keep the bags of feed in lidded, metal bins. Obviously make sure the birds still have access to water at night. Make sure you keep the muck in lidded bins.

GreatFish · 21/05/2026 08:00

But they are still causing a problem with the rats.Your problem.

Nordiclaura007 · 21/05/2026 09:15

BMW58 · 19/05/2026 23:01

Your chickens are rat magnets - and they stink.
That's what the rats are attracted by - the smell.

The only acceptable place to keep chickens is on a property with no neighbours within 100 feet.

Chickens don't smell. It's not the chickens they are attracted too it's the food the chickens eat they want.
The OP needs to remove all food and water EVERY night and clean up any spills of food.

Howmanycatsistoomany · 21/05/2026 10:12

HarshbutTrue2 · 20/05/2026 11:24

I am fairly phobic about rats. They carry zoonotic diseases - weil's disease as well as Hantavirus. I hope her new pets are vaccinated for leptospirosis.
If she has seen 3 during daylight hours, there are dozens of them about.
I live in a rural area and we probably get rats once or twice a year. My neighbour shoots them, we trap or poison them. I don't like removing dead rats from traps. Once, I was saved the problem because the dead rat was eaten by its comrades.

We have never kept chickens or ducks because they would attract rats. This is a conscious decision. If we ever see signs of rats I automatically stop feeding the wild birds because I know it attracts rats.
One neighbour happily sunbathes in the garden with the rats scurrying around. She sees no issue. Sorry. That's not for me.
The only way to get rid of the rats is to get rid of the chickens. I don't think they have a long lifespan. OK you don't want to get rid of them. However, you need to up your pest control and not replace your chickens when they die of peaceful old age and go to that big chicken coop in the sky.
(p.s. I believe most people wring their necks when they stop laying)

FGS calm down. If you live rurally you will be surrounded by rats, whether you keep chickens or not, although poor husbandry will certainly attract rats and predators. Chickens live long lives (at least mine do), long after they've retired from laying.

OP - your neighbour's just got a cat, hasn't she? Rat problem sorted! Please don't use poison though. My childhood cat died from eating a rat that'd been poisoned.

JuliettaCaeser · 21/05/2026 12:14

Our little cat died in agony last year. She was perfectly healthy. Can only conclude she ate a rat or mouse that had been poisoned. Extremely distressing.

Neveragainplease · 21/05/2026 19:13

HarshbutTrue2 · 20/05/2026 11:24

I am fairly phobic about rats. They carry zoonotic diseases - weil's disease as well as Hantavirus. I hope her new pets are vaccinated for leptospirosis.
If she has seen 3 during daylight hours, there are dozens of them about.
I live in a rural area and we probably get rats once or twice a year. My neighbour shoots them, we trap or poison them. I don't like removing dead rats from traps. Once, I was saved the problem because the dead rat was eaten by its comrades.

We have never kept chickens or ducks because they would attract rats. This is a conscious decision. If we ever see signs of rats I automatically stop feeding the wild birds because I know it attracts rats.
One neighbour happily sunbathes in the garden with the rats scurrying around. She sees no issue. Sorry. That's not for me.
The only way to get rid of the rats is to get rid of the chickens. I don't think they have a long lifespan. OK you don't want to get rid of them. However, you need to up your pest control and not replace your chickens when they die of peaceful old age and go to that big chicken coop in the sky.
(p.s. I believe most people wring their necks when they stop laying)

No they don't, they deserve a happy retirement