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

Some posters have referred to the "Access to Neighbouring Land" legislation which gives the right to reasonable access for maintaining an "existing" structure. This means that if the extensions/walls existed when you moved in then neighbours would have the right to apply for permission to access your land in order to maintain them. However this does not mean that they can simply send work people onto your property without notice or arrangement. You have a right to require an up front appointment at a stated time/date. If workpeople are walking through your house and the task requires some effort on your part (being at home, admitting and supervising them, etc) then you have a right to treat that as "work".

Next time they ask make it clear that you regard it as a request to "rent part of your garden" to access as well as your work in arranging access etc. As these people are acting as your neighbour's agents you are entitled to bill them.

If the structures were built after you took up residence then they are "new" additions and the above legislation does not apply. In this case the NDN would have to negotiate a private treaty with you fort access to maintain the strusture.

You need legal advice which you can usually get free or for a fairly low fee for an initial consultation.

Once your relationship with neighbours has already broken down (as mine has) then no longer treat them as neighbours. If they want to access you or your property it is a "business transaction" for your time/work and use of your facilities. Im self employed so I can argue that this is taking me away from my customers and time when I should be serving their needs. However anyone can change what the market will bear for their "services". A skilled tradesperson will charge £80-£100 to walk through your door so there you are.

complain to your housing association about the situation and et them deal with her

biglouis , yes, I love my Ring doorbell. I can answer - and say that I'm not at home right now - so can they call back at 5.30pm tomorrow? They give up - or leave a message.

We had about six or seven visits last year from her professionals who kept upping the agenda. The rat man wouldn’t do it until we could prove that the water under the wall was part of the water table. So we had to have inspectors from water boards, leak detectors, etc trying to find a leak we knew didn’t exist. It was never ending and very intrusive

Why are you opening the door to these people?

Get a "ring" doorbell so you can see who it is and whether you want to get involved with them. Its also evidence of harassment.

OP, have you tried referring this whole matter to the housing assn ?
as the landlord, they should be dealing with neighbour's demands. they also may have their own contractors re maintenance etc.
they may also have a welfare officer who could support you in what seems to be harassment.
good luck.

I feel your pain! I hate my bloody neighbours with an all consuming passion. They have been harassing me since I moved in.

3 times they have sent workpeople onto my property not only without my permission but without notice. One the last such the workmen were operating heavy industrial machinery which sprayed my entire garden with concrete dust (have video evidence). More recently the male nDN dumped rubbish on my garden and hastily removed it when I showed him the cctv pictures and threated him with the police.

Dont mention the drains. My neighbours are of a group who cook with copious amounts of oil grease and fat - the main culprits in blocking drains - along with baby wipes and sanitary products. She keeps sending workpeople and plumbers around who want to come in and investigate. I have denied them entry.

My two (big) nephews called at her home and gave her strongly worded Cease and Desist letter. She and her family are now forbidden to call at my home or contact me in any way without making an up front arrangement with my nephew. Any appoint ment or visit onto my property will be billed and commercial rates according to what a tradesman would charge.

Start billing your neighbour for the time and services involved:

Rental of your garden.

Your work and time in providing access, liasing with and supervising tradespeople and seeing them off the premises.

£80-£100 per hour or part thereof would be reasonable compared to what a tradesperson would charge.

Bill them, If they dont pay take them to small claims. If they still dont paty send in bailiffs.

I feel very sorry for you Sharina some people are never happy unless they are bullying someone.
Speak to the citizens advise service they can be very helpful. I hope you have evidence of all the intrusion’s you have suffered from your neighbour as this is a form of harassment.
I had a neighbour that did something similar to me and when she eventually moved the new people found rat’s nests under the thatch of her house. She fed the bird’s all year round.

Sharina Why do you not report the whole problem to the Housing Association, so that every times she contacts you, you can just refer her to the HA and leave them to deal with her.

They will probably have pest controllers that they can consult as to whether her demands are reasonable or not.

Sharina, surely, there can't be much left to be inspected or complained about. You've had very good advice on here, so now, put it firmly in the past - and just refuse to interact with that neighbour from now on.

I just wouldn't have allowed it - or entertained them. I've had similar with next door's misdirected drains. Their problem, not mine.

Five visits (four tradesmen, one Environmental Health) all turned away at the door - when I explained that my drains begin with me - and run the other way - so don't connect to theirs.

One was quite insistent. Could he just inspect my drain 'No' - as he might be able to connect them to it 'I'd rather not have their sewage running under my property - so no thanks!'

She owns her home. I’m housing association so she threatens me with reporting me if I refuse to allow her or her companies onto our property. We back onto fields and stables.

I’d move. Life is too short.

Because it never stops. We had about six or seven visits last year from her professionals who kept upping the agenda. The rat man wouldn’t do it until we could prove that the water under the wall was part of the water table. So we had to have inspectors from water boards, leak detectors, etc trying to find a leak we knew didn’t exist. It was never ending and very intrusive.

No, she doesn’t. And I’d stopped feeding them too. Although after last weeks visit, I did stick out a feeder. Just because I was feeling bolshy. But this was after the altercation

But plenty of “it could be because of so and so, so we ask you to cut down the rose bush, etc

And how often would you do that? This has been going on for ten years. No evidence of rats gaining access to her house through ours.

Someone on GN with legal knowledge may be better able to advise than I am, but I believe it is illegal to record telephone calls without informing the caller beforehand

I’d move, couldn’t be bothered to cope with all that
Nonsense ..

How do your neighbours “have” rats? I never bought them, or bred them. I have nothing to attract them. They are not my rats. We live near stables and open fields. These are not “my” rats.

Because it happens so often, and the rats are only one problem. They had a leak, which involved inspectors etc. inspecting our property. The leak was eventually discovered under their bath!

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 ❤️

M0nica

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

Good advice, i have found Age uk very helpful.

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.

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.

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.