Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Neighbour pestering us about rats

50 replies

itcouldhave · 08/08/2021 22:20

One of our neighbours has become convinced that we have a rat nest in our garden and keeps hassling us about getting pest control in.

She says she saw a rat in our garden a couple of weeks ago. This is possible - we are in a semi rural area and many houses on our street have decking or outbuildings. Both neighbours either side of us have decking (including the complainer) and the other side had a rat problem a few years ago as they were storing pet food in a shed on their decking.

I’ve told her we don’t have rats nesting in the garden - there is nowhere for them to nest - but she won’t have it and keeps messaging asking when we are having pest control in claiming it’s making her garden a no go area. We have not seen any rats in our garden, no sign of them and no droppings or holes.

I’ve already politely suggested that they’re more likely to be under her decking, especially as her bloody dog is out there every morning and evening yapping and hunting around her decking. At most, they’re using our garden as a thoroughfare because there is nowhere to nest and nothing to eat.

I’ve looked at pest control companies, and the majority of them seem to indicate there’s nothing that can be done in a garden apart from putting bait boxes down. We tried that and the bait was never touched.

What can I suggest to her (apart from telling her to fuck off) to get her to start looking at her own garden and/or that of the people the other side of us rather than hassling just us?

OP posts:

Saucery · 09/08/2021 09:59

From a property pov then, you’ve secured yours against encouraging rats and are under no obligation to have poison on, in or around your property.

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 09/08/2021 10:04

We had odd holes appearing in the garden we thought might be rats but a pest control man said they were likely to be foxes digging up grubs.

But he did say "rats are creatures of habit and follow the same route between their nest and food sources. So after a while these 'rat runs' can become quite obvious".

I think some councils might deal with rats (for free) as they are regarded as a health hazard?

coronabeer · 09/08/2021 10:25

Could you suggest that she calls out pest control if she has any concerns and allow the pest controller to look at your garden?

I saw rats outside my neighbour's house a few times when I was in my old home; she didn't belive there were any rats until she saw them for herself. In her case, the rats were primarily attracted by large quantities of bird feed stored in the garage and around her outdoor bird feeder and once she finally accepted there was a problem, she did something about it.

The pest controller I spoke to said that rat problems are almost always associated with feeding birds - do you feed birds? If so, do you clean up uneaten food properly, every day?

Bollindger · 09/08/2021 10:44

Just message her, had people out , baited traps. Been told we are rat free.

Shehasadiamondinthesky · 09/08/2021 11:05

Sounds like my old neighbour - every piece of cat shit in her garden was definitely my cat. My cat must have IBS or something because she filled her litter tray everyday and is too timid to stray from the garden.
This, despite the numerous other cats roaming the area all day (which is why my cat doesn't go out).
It culminated with her throwing daily cat shit at my front door.
I photographed it, told her I was sending it to the police and putting in a bullying and harrassment report and reporting her to her hospital manager, never heard from her or her husband again.
She was a health visitor!!!!!!!

Original poster

itcouldhave · 09/08/2021 12:27

@PaulGallico

This is the DIY/Property thread - not Aibu (should I be angry with my neighbour because..). You have a rat problem - those rats are not just running through your garden into next door, they will more than likely find entry points into your house as well as your neighbours house. The problem will only get worse. You need to address the problem together.

It's not an AIBU at all, which is why I posted it in Property/DIY, so wind your neck in.

OP posts:

Original poster

itcouldhave · 09/08/2021 12:31

We don't feed birds or have any pets so there is definitely not anything for them to eat in the garden. If she wants to have pest control out and they want to look in my garden that's fine with me, I'm just not going to be the one organising and paying for it!

Fortunately, there is no entry point into the house for them so I'm not concerned about that.

Good ideas though about moving things around to discourage them making a habit of running through if that's what they're doing.

OP posts:

PaulGallico · 09/08/2021 13:03

Okay I will 'wind my neck in' but those rats are still your problem (if not of your making) and unless you have had your house checked for possible entry points then you are at risk of them getting inside. Going away now.

Imnewhere1991 · 09/08/2021 13:06

@PaulGallico

I agree. If she has them it's more than likely you will get them too. We had this with our neighbour. We weren't sure where it began but before we knew it rats were up in the loft and you could see their prints where they'd been outside too.

Imnewhere1991 · 09/08/2021 13:08

Rats can fit through a 20mm gap. So even if you think there are no entry points, it's likely there is.

ClaryFairchild · 09/08/2021 13:18

Just a heads up, if you touch the baits or traps the rats smell the "human" scent and won't come near them. You have to handle them with gloves.

eightlivesdown · 09/08/2021 13:36

Is it worth getting pest control to look at both properties (even better, all 3, i.e. neighbours on both sides) and splitting the cost? You'll keep the peace with the neighbour, and if there is a problem, fit it.

BlueMongoose · 09/08/2021 15:32

She's the one with the problem.
She needs to call someone out to deal with it.

They should/will look for where the rats have been, and it may well be that they will break the news to her that the rats nest is under her decking....

SingingInTheShithouse · 09/08/2021 15:48

Tell her that you've already checked thoroughly & she is mistaken about the rats on your property, so you won't be paying any exterminator to double check as there is no point. If she really doesn't trust that, then she is more than welcome to book & pay fir a check herself & you'll allow her exterminator onto your property

Hopefully that will shut her up...then block her

eightlivesdown · 09/08/2021 15:49

@BlueMongoose

She's the one with the problem. She needs to call someone out to deal with it.

They should/will look for where the rats have been, and it may well be that they will break the news to her that the rats nest is under her decking....

Depends on the cost of a pest control inspection and the value of maintaining a good relationship with the neighbour or avoiding being nagged over the issue.

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 09/08/2021 16:48

The pest control man we used didn't charge to inspect, but said it would have cost £90 to lay baited traps and return after a week or so. (He didn't see any evidence of rats)

FreeBritnee · 09/08/2021 17:10

@memberofthewedding

Just tell her to fuck off. Honestly neighbours are such massive PITAs.

Am amazed at people here who have given their phone number to neighbours!

Mine once asked for my number. I told her that my number was for family and close friends and not random people.

"But I'm your neighbour!"

"No your a random person who happens to live next door"

She still doesn't have my number and I don't open the door to people without appointments.

Oh I like you

Elieza · 09/08/2021 17:21

Three of us got together to discuss rays seen in one garden and each phoned the council environmental health to come out.

We all had the green boxes with poison hidden inside put down by the council. Luckily it is a free service where we are.

No rats were found inside them but they went away, so presumably they took the poison back to their nest and died there, wherever it was.

Notaroadrunner · 09/08/2021 17:32

The nagging neighbour should be getting pest control herself. You don't have a rat infestation. The neighbour claims to have seen a rat in your garden. She could be making it up in order to get you to pay for pest control. I'd avoid being nagged by blocking the neighbours number. I certainly wouldn't be paying for a service I don't need.

WoMandalorian · 09/08/2021 17:51

Pest control can see where rats and mice would live, even in the garden. Just tell her they've already been round and found nothing?

SpeakingFranglais · 09/08/2021 18:14

I agree with the decking, I had never seen a live rat until we went to France. the pool area was all decked around and there were decked wooden steps from the pool deck back up to the house.

Sat on my subbed with a glass of pink and a big brown rat came out of the decked steps, bold as brass, hopped around until I screamed and then ran straight back under the bottom decked step.

user1471538283 · 09/08/2021 22:33

They will be under her decking and the dog knows it. I would scare her and tell her they will be under her floorboards in her house come the bad weather.

user1471538283 · 09/08/2021 22:35

@memberofthewedding - I like your style! I have as little to do with neighbors as possible!

memberofthewedding · 14/08/2021 15:35

Reply: fuck off
Block
Sit back and relax
Dont open the door to the whinging bitch

aerosocks · 14/08/2021 15:46

Ask the neighbour into your garden and invite her to point out exactly where she saw the rat, and where it is she thinks that all these rats are lurking.

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread