Compost bin - would it work?

[WifeofDarth]

Wise gardeners of Mumsnet, please help me with this issue. I am keen to get a small compost bin as it would be an environmentally friendly way of disposing of kitchen vegetable waste and cutting down plastic consumption as I wouldn't need to buy bags of of compost for my potting.
However DH says it would attract rats and flis and our garden is too small to deal with that.
Garden is typical london terrace, 10m long but I would prefer to have compost bin near house if poss to make disposal easier.
Is It possible to have a bin in small garden without it being unhygienic? If so I would welcome recommendations.

[IrenetheQuaint]

I have one at the end of my London terrace garden and it's absolutely fine (and makes great compost). You want one of the plastic quick-composting ones. They're sealed so no rats!

[TERFragetteCity]

You will always get flies at the start of the composting process.

I bought two small tumbling composters and they are enclosed.

They are currently right outside the kitchen door but because of the flies, they are going to be moved further away soon. then fill one, until 75% full and then leave until fully composted, turning daily.

[MikeUniformMike]

Compost bins will attract rats. Mine doesn't attract flies.
You need a fine mesh base or something to discourage. rats.
Don't add meat, dairy etc.

[WifeofDarth]

Thanks for that everyone. so we were both right in a way - it could work, but they do attract undesirables
So I will have to put it further away from the house, well meshed underneath.
Irene was it this kind of bin you meant? www.hotbincomposting.com
They're quite pricey so I'd welcome suggestions for something cheaper.

[IrenetheQuaint]

Yes, my friend has a bin like that (but it spins round) and it works really well. I just have a normal cheap dalek bin (like this one) and have never seen rats in the vicinity, though I don't put meat in which probably helps.

[FuzzyCustard]

I've never had rats in mine...but slow worms like the warmth and will breed in it, which is good.

[HardAsSnails]

Also never had rats, but have a permanent colony of slow worms living in our old heap, and grass snakes use it for laying eggs.

As long as you don't put cooked food on it you shouldn't have a problem with rats. Or you could try a wormery.

[Cantspell2]

I have several compost bins and never had any rats.
Don’t put meat or dairy in them and you dhould be fine.
If you do get unlucky and see signs of rats moving in then give the whole compost a good drenching with your garden hose. Rats don’t lie to live in damp conditions so will soon move out.

[ADarkandStormyKnight]

Wormery!

I love mine. You can put anything in it, including cooked food. You get 'tea' and compost at the end.

[TERFragetteCity]

The only time i had rats was when I chucked the solids from 5 gallons of wine in there. Big mistake.

Cue one very pissed and happy rat.

Had to move the dalek style bin across the allotment, and bury the alcoholic solids; never had one since.

[WifeofDarth]

Wow thank you for all the info everyone!
So it sounds like we could have a compost bin without the unwanted visitors, that's good to know. Have looked a few up and I think that it's going to have to be the Hot Bin - takes all sorts and is (almost) completely pest proof. It's also fast so will help us get through the volume that we need.
Sadly it's also really pricey, so we'll have to start saving. Looking forward to coming back for some tips once we've ordered it.