As colder weather approaches, rats often seek food and warmth in homes and gardens, leading to a rise in pest sightings. One homeowner turned to Reddit for advice after discovering rats entering their garden from a neighbour's property, suspecting a newly installed chicken coop was the source.
Homeowner's rat problem traced to neighbour's chickens
In a Reddit post, the homeowner explained: "During the day, I spotted two rats in my garden, seemingly sniffing around some of the flower beds." They then found two tiny tunnels dug under the neighbour's fence into their own garden.
"My neighbours started keeping chickens in a chicken coop recently, and I can only assume the rats found some feed. In the five years we have lived in this house, we have never had any issues with rats or seen signs of them," they added. The homeowner questioned whether to approach the neighbour directly, despite a strained relationship, or contact pest control.
What the law says about pest responsibility
In the UK, homeowners can report a severe rat infestation to their local council's environmental health department if it poses a public health risk or statutory nuisance under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Section 79 of the act allows councils to serve an abatement notice for premises prejudicial to health or a nuisance.
The Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949 requires landowners and occupiers to keep their property free of rats and mice, giving local councils power to take enforcement action. Homeowners are legally responsible for ensuring their own property does not attract pests, and should avoid placing traps or poisons directly over the boundary line.
Steps to take if rats enter your garden
If rats are coming from a neighbouring property, one recommended course of action is to raise the matter directly with the neighbour, who may be unaware of the issue. Homeowners should also inspect their garden for holes or entry points, block gaps, secure bins, tidy garden mess, and stop feeding wildlife if it attracts rodents.
If the neighbour refuses to take action and the infestation affects health or surroundings, contact the local authority's environmental health team with documented evidence.
