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

I was so proud that I was strong enough to take on this monstrous man, all on my own, having not long been divorced ….

Well done crazyH. What a horrible situation for you.

Gosh I so feel for you,,, don`t really know what to say, but I do think this is harrassment, and needs to be stopped.

The neighbour sounds like a bully - fight fire with fire. I would tell her calmly that there are laws to deal with behaviour like hers, and she needs to calm down and stop harassing you or you will be taking legal advice.

I agree - no more nice guy, and no more letting all and sundry into your house/garden. Go to Citizen's Advice Bureau and the council and get definitive advice on your rights plus complain that you are being harrassed.

Years ago, in a previous home, I spotted a large rat at the end of my garden and called the council. On investigation, the rats' nest was found to be in our neighbours' compost heap. Rats are no respecters of boundaries.

Visgir1, I have Quill metal squirrel baffles above my hanging bird feeders - and I've never seen a rat here.

I also would let them look. I had rats chomping in my compost bin few years ago, Rayman came, left bait dangling in bin, rats took yummy bait back to family.....no more rats. Now stand bin on steel close mesh and not a problem. I would NOT have dug up roses! Daft! But finding a ratrun can be a real expedition they travel miles for a worthy cause! Otherwise smile sweetly and kill her with kindness......

Oh I feel your pain I went through something similar few years ago and I used to have a pond at time and I used to get rats trying to eat my first and I was scared to go into the garden because of them so I got rid of my pond only for rats to keep coming so I had ppl checking and it turned out my neighbors who had a dog had opened the drain part open and where dropping its business down and obviously rats were coming up. But they denied it so pest control told me to record it. Even with proof they still denied it. But I ended up moving in end. I couldn’t let my grandkids play in garden. I put up with it for 7yr.

#RATMAN GRRRRR EDIT PLEASE????

There was a rat problem where my friend lives. They'd got under houses and chewed through electricity cables - so her neighbours were up in arms about it. It turned out that someone's new extension had been built with - drains 'the wrong way around' (whatever that means)!

We had a rat or rats coming from under our shed to the bird feeders, we paid to get rid of the rats and took down the feeders. I felt so sad as my DH loves watching the birds so we have put them back up but on the patio where I can brush up the 'waste' - of which there always seems so much - and so far we've not seen any more. We too have a cat but I think she'd run a mile from a big rat!

One bit of advice I would mention that might help in the future. As head of communications for a large company I was used to dealing with people by phone , written and in person. So I have an answerphone , which is quite useful as it will record whatever is said to you. Any calls I did not like I quietly said all my calls are recorded and the call was quickly ended if there was any problems. So if you have any sort of security things, you could have recordings of any calls she makes to you, if you have a security camera near your door, again you will have recordings and letters and notes can be copied or photographed. Keep a small notepad just to put dates of interactions down. So if things improve there is no need to use it but if they get worse you will have evidence of harrassment and what and how something is said as what can read as a reasonable sentence in a letter can be much more threatening being spoken. I will be fair and say that she may have a phobia about rats which she cannot help. I am a country person and am used to dealing with whatever but when my son was 2 years old we went to live in Damascus and were in a very nice ground floor flat. Then there was something wrong in the street outside and there were road works and then got a rat in the kitchen. For me that was it!! My husband said oh it will be ok and they will sort it etc. But OH NO! I was not risking my sons health or the thought of getting up in the middle of the night and seeing one, so I promptly packed up enough stuff, told my husband he could stay or come as he pleased and moved to a hotel and stayed there for three days until I was certain that the work outside was finished and that the pest control people had sorted it all. Even then I got a company in to clean the carpets and furniture and disinfected all the floors before I went back. Whilst I am usually prepared to listen to reason and hear other peoples ideas on that occasion I was not taking any prisoners and went straight out , so everyone has some sort of limits. anyway hope that you dont need to use these ideas but it will give you a good overall view of things and if needed will provide evidence for your solicitor.

Neighbour has no right to access her wall without asking in writing. You can withhold permission unless she has a good reason eg cleaning gutters once a year, repainting every 5 years or emergency repairs. See The Party Wall Act. Practice saying no to her unreasonable requests and don’t engage with her nonsense.
Amazon sell plug in rodent repellers. A friend of mine has them in his shop and basement store. Never had a rodent problem since. Rats are no respecter of boundaries. If they’re next door, keep them there and not in your house. If they’re coming up through the drains, the drains need mending. Also suggest neighbour speaks to Stables as they should be doing something from they’re end. Good luck. I feel for you

I too had a rat problem a few years ago because my very elderly neighbour put out all her leftovers supposedly for the foxes. Both her other neighbour and I ended up with burrows in our gardens. Her other neighbour eventually persuaded her to call in a pest control company who said that her (very overgrown) garden was rat city and that the compost bin next to my house was 'full of rats'. The pest chaps put down bait in all out gardens and I thought that was the end of it until a few months later I heard footsteps in the loft. Sure enough they had found their way in but despite the best efforts of my builder, pest control company and plumber we couldn't find how they were getting in. I put bait down for several years and I think that they have now gone. Please research rats - there is loads of info on the internet. They are everywhere even though we might not see them. Also they are often able to climb walls and squeeze through a gap as big as your thumb.

With regard to access, my new neighbour has built an extension on the boundary and has moved the fence right next to my wall - long story. My solicitor told me that if I wanted access to my wall I had to put the date and time I needed it in writing and that my neighbour had the right to turf out anyone who exceeded the agreed time!

Our neighbours used to "grow on " turkeys for several weeks before Christmas and they also had chickens and ducks. We also back on to fields , but it was only when they had the turkeys that the rats seemed to arrive!
We have also been accused of having rats in our garden after a neighbour's cat took a baby one home (thankfully dead)
Pest control came out and we were told that we weren't the problem!
Let the pest control people into your garden and work together with your neighbour instead of against her. As you say, you live near stables so that may well be the source in the first place.
Having rats in your house/garden doesn't mean you are dirty, just the little blighters will go wherever they think they can find warmth and food by whatever means. We all need to work together as a team to lower the chances of the rat population getting even bigger !

You can just withhold access to your property full-stop.
When you inform her of this, please add that if they ever choose to move, they will have to declare it and if they withhold that information they will have a whopping fine levied on top of any legal action. It used not to be so but many people 'conveniently' forgot to mention key facts about the property they were selling.
Best of luck to you .

Perhaps suggest you will get a restraining order if she keeps harassing you in this way.

First, I'm very sorry that this harassment has been going on for ten years. That can be very stressful. If I were in your situation, I agree with some of these others that state you need an attorney. I personally would begin with a legal letter stating that the harassment has been going on for this extensive time span and that repeatedly being pressured to allow access and accommodate your neighbor has caused you great distress, etc. Cease and desist immediately. The problem is on their side and if they had a decent pest control company trap and block access, they could get control over it "at their home" They do not need to hassle you. Stop allowing access. You are only enabling their imagination. Maybe they need to clean house.

Do you want Pest Control Services.?* Your* choice how you intend dealing with it.

Sharina
This is harassment.
Citizens Advice have a free service, they will advise you.

If you don't have to pay,there is no harm in letting pest control inspect your garden.I live in a council property,I had rats in my loft.Pest control said he needed to inspect my neighbour's loft too.They agreed to this,but when the time came they refused.They had said,in front of the pest control man,that they had seen loads of rats running round on their garden, near the rubbish bags they always have,they were laughing about it.They have learning difficulties,so their house is filthy,back garden overgrown,ivy growing right up the back wall covering 2 windows.I feel the council should order them to have pest control,and do something about the ivy,but they can't because of their disabilities.I think people should co operate,though I know this case is a lot different.

I doubt that the suggestion to work with your neighbour will work. Some neighbours are impossible after all.

I would ascertain my own rights and duties here, if I were you.

Or if you prefer, let the pest control people in, but make it clear in writing to both them and the neighbour that you are doing so for the last time, as the problem has previously been shown not to have anything to do with your property.

If you let the pest control have access to your property ask for a written report of their findings. If, as you expect, their report states the problem is in no way contected to your property and your neigbour continues to harrass you about it, take legal action.

Nothing else will stop her.

Yes, there are rats in sewers and drains without them becoming a problem, but these ones are clearly not, or not only in the drains, so steps should be taken to control them.

Try and get pest control or your local council to deal with the problem once and for all.

Rats and mice get into houses by going up the cavity walls, unless you have them insulated but, even then, vermin can usually eat their way through anything.

M0nica

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

Good advice, i have found Age uk very helpful.

The only way to get rid of bullies is to take them on… Push back.
Let this person know, in no uncertain terms, that you will only say once, before engaging your solicitor, that over the past 8-10 years you have been accommodating. Nothing has been found on your property and whilst you’re sympathetic to her problems (like hell you are…. Grrrr….) you will not be giving her access to any part of your property to check for rats, vermin, body lice or anything else! Good Luck ❤️