A homeowner has sought advice after discovering rats entering their garden from a neighbouring property, suspecting a recently installed chicken coop is the source of the problem. The resident, who posted on Reddit, explained that they had spotted two rats sniffing around flower beds and found tunnels dug under the neighbour's fence.
"During the day, I spotted two rats in my garden, seemingly sniffing around some of the flower beds," they wrote. "I went outside to see where they may be coming from (one of them was brazen and didn't disappear immediately when I went outside) and spotted two little tunnels dug under the neighbour's fence through which they must have came through."
The homeowner added that the neighbours had recently started keeping chickens and that in five years of living at the property, they had never seen signs of rats before. They questioned whether to approach the neighbour directly, despite a strained relationship, or simply contact pest control.
Legal rights if rats enter your garden from a neighbour
Under UK law, homeowners have specific rights when dealing with rat infestations that originate from neighbouring properties. The Environmental Protection Act 1990 allows individuals to report a serious rat infestation to their local council's environmental health department if it presents a public health risk or constitutes a statutory nuisance.
Section 79 of the act states that premises in a state prejudicial to health or a nuisance, such as from accumulated rubbish or poor waste management, can lead to councils serving an abatement notice. Additionally, the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949 requires landowners and occupiers to keep their property free from rats and mice, giving local councils the power to take enforcement action.
Homeowners are legally responsible for ensuring their own property does not attract or harbour pests, meaning they should avoid placing traps or poisons directly over the boundary line.
Steps to take if rats enter your garden from neighbours
One of the initial steps recommended is to speak to the neighbour in question, as they may not be aware of the problem. It is also worth examining the garden thoroughly to identify gaps or potential entry points, sealing holes, securing bins, clearing garden clutter, and ceasing to feed wildlife if it is attracting rodents.
Should the neighbour decline to take action and the infestation begins to affect health or immediate surroundings, the homeowner should contact the local authority's environmental health team and present documented evidence.
