My neighbour is trying to force me to allow her pest control company to inspect my garden

I would let them check out your garden again and done with it..... if the rats are in her drains they won't be just in HER drains but in surrounding drains .

There are always rats in drains - no problem, unless they can find a way out. How do they get into their roof (probably from their own pipe)?

Neighbours like this are a real pain. They like to think that everything is your fault, not theirs. So, you end up having to prove it isn't, over and over again. Time to put a stop to it.

If Environmental Health want to inspect, then let them - but don't allow random traders onto your property. I certainly wouldn't! The only valid reason would be for maintenance of their wall - and I'd argue about whether that was necessary.

I assume by 'her drains' you mean the drains in her garden. What I don't understand is why the pest control people haven't followed up by checking her pipes/drains to see how the rats are getting into her attic. We had a problem with mice and the pest control people did that, although it turned out to be nearby trees not the drains that were giving the mice access.

I think I would be tempted to go to the council myself and explain the problem and ask their advice to stop the harrassment.

She is harassing you. I’d get a solicitors letter sent to her. So long as you are not feeding wild birds which I know can attract rats, I’d raise two fingers & get on with my life!

If she is paying for it all, I would let them do it - it is to your advantage to have the inspection. If you have a field behind you then rats are just a fact of life.

Speak to the local branch of Age UK or your local Citizens Advice.

You could pay for an inspection of your own property to establish if there is a problem. If you don't have rats, then you can show them the report and suggest they contact the Council. I think they can refer you to the Council if they suspect the rats are also on your property and you are doing nothing about it.

If your neighbour had a wall built right up to the boundary line. They have no right to demand access from your property. They should have been told this when planning permission was applied for. I would also suggest visiting your council planning department. Just to be sure you are properly informed and armed with the right information.
You are being harassed by what sounds like bullies. My son was in a very similar situation recently with an aggressive neighbour about boundary walls. He went for advice at his council office. Then went to a solicitors to have notice written up should the access to the boundary arise again. It cost my son a bit of money but he considers it worth the expense. I would also stop all communication with the neighbours on an everyday basis. I hope your troubles are sorted out sooner than later.

Does your neighbour have a bird feeder? They attract rats. Our neighbour got rid of hers for that reason.

Don’t they say we are all only a few feet away from a rat.
I understand your frustration, neighbours both sides and at the end of the garden all built extensions to the boundary wall which requires/d access through our drive/garden. It’s v.annoying especially as we havnt even had a thankyou.
Feeling squeezed,

Pepper59

Does your neighbour have a bird feeder? They attract rats. Our neighbour got rid of hers for that reason.

A few hours ago I saw a Rat on our bird feeders, never seen that before especially as one of my Cats is a "killer queen" and known for bringing home Squirrels, mice (almost on a daily basis) plus the occasional Field Rat.
But if I see this again I'm taking down the feeders.

I never have a bird feeder, much as I would love to. We had loads of rats in one of our gardens and the guys who got rid of them said never to have a bird feeder.

If they are paying for it let them in to do a check, then get them to write your neighbour telling her that there are no rats on your property ( hopefully).
If she still harasses you threaten her with legal action, that should shut her up.
There are people who are paranoid about certain things, it sounds as thought her particular problem is Rats and she has you firmly down to blame, not wanting to accept that rats can come from anywhere in the vicinity even from her other neighbours.

It's not only bird feeders. We started getting rats a few years ago, having never seen one before. We got rid of our bird feeders. We later found out that one neighbour stored his fish food in his garden shed, and the rats had found their way in. Since he had his shed and fence fixed we haven't seen a rat. Although we're waiting for the spring when they need to feed their young before we decide to put bird feeders back out.

Rats were getting into the loft of my daughters house via the outside wall cavity. They nibbled their way through the insulation filling. No matter how they tried, they never got rid of the rats completely and eventually moved house.

I took down my bird feeders as I had mice coming into the kitchen. I got pest control who dealt with the problem. I'm not sure why you would be so antagonistic if she is paying for pest control to check. Better safe than sorry.

Why housing associations? Don't you both own your homes?
Have you ever checked she had planning permission to go right up to the boundary?
Definitely do her for harassment, and tell the council everything was fine until she had the extension built!!
They probably started nesting in or under there while it was being built, in which case there'll be tunnels everywhere!!

Make sure of her boundary rights and that she has no access rights to your garden especially if it is through your house.
Phone your Council and ask if there have been any other complaints about rats in your area. Then explain your predicament they might do a one-off check for you.
Also, check your house insurance we did not know but ours covers us for pests which we found out last summer when we had a huge infestation of wasps.

I know what it is to have difficult neighbours. I had one ‘from hell’ in my previous house. The crunch came, when, on my return from holiday, I found he had taken down the existing boundary wall and erected a new one 6 feet into my garden. There was no point talking to him, so I went the legal route. I won the case. He was made to pay his costs and mine (minus the initial consultation fee) and had to take down the wall and replace it in the original position. I was so proud that I was strong enough to take on this monstrous man, all on my own, having not long been divorced ….

And here’s my advice…..is this something you need legal advice with ? Just asking ….

If there is a pest control problem surely it would be better to let her pest control people have a look?

Our elderly neighbours have rats and the rats burrow on our side of the boundary and the other neighbours side. We put rat baits down 5m apart along the boundary which controls it to a certain extent but they do climb up their roses and ivy on our neighbours side, so I can see your neighbours logic even though it must be upsetting to hear

Wouldn't it be sensible to allow the pest control firm to put rat bait down in your garden too.

My daughter was having a rat problem, as we're other neighbours in the cul de sac of approx. 24 houses. They all but one removed bird feeders and all but one, got in pest control. It was discovered by the local council that the 'but one' house had trays full of food permanently out in their back garden. The Council stepped in. Problem solved.
The rats returned to the New Forest and stopped terrifying the rest of the residents. A few months later the 'but one' neighbours moved out.
Peace for all.

What part of "no" does your neighbour not understand? No one told them to build right up to the boundaries - so, check the laws; they cannot just jump into your property because they didn't leave access to the outside of their wall on their plot, just to gain as much "building" as they could. Tell her that you will bring your own exterminators, if you need to; after all, she will not be paying for they services on your plot. Report her to the Council for harrassment; she has no right to 'threaten' you, she is trying to break you by bullying you into agreeing to whatever she says, so call her bluff and tell her that you have already contacted the Council yourself. And do it - yesterday.

you do not have to give access to your property without notice unless its an emergency, and request she give you written notice in future put rat bait along your side of property which helps to control any that are using your as a run. if this continues then maybe a solicitors letter saying she must stop harassing you