argh, rats. I had a disused allotment and megga tons of decking hat we called the rat run. My husky killed one in the house one night, it was HUGE!
You do right to clear the grounds and work with neighbours on it, but I know just what you mean when not everyone gets it... I have neighbours feeding birds... and worst of all, one that keeps chickens. There used to be a lot more chickens, and when they got rid of them, the rats went too... now theyve got another chicken and am back to finding baby rats under my truck on a morning presumed a gift from one of my cats very once in a while.

In my experience, where theres chickens, there are rats, Its the chicken feed... But if theyre well housed and food controlled, it may not be the cause. Anyone keeping junk in their garden? old cars/vans etc?

Funny thing last night, I spotted a Rat jumping over the neighbours wall, they'll be living in the junkyard of about 17 vehicles in there. I agree, it's something you may just have to live with like I do. Moiraford... Mint?, never heard of that one apart from it seems to deter midges, handy to know in rural Wales. Mint grows like mad here so I'll be having some of that closer to the house then thanks!

We have a constant problem with rats as we live in the country. Luckily we have a great springer cross jack russell who's sole ambition is to rid the world of them. However, please be careful with poison, Lilly was poisoned last year when she killed a rat and ingested some of it's blood - she dispatches them fast, but in doing so, it often leads to blood shed ( don't want to be disgusting ). One of our neighbour's had put poison down, but got it from a farmer friend!

If you call the council, they will send out a pest control officer who uses pet friendly poison. We keep a little stash of this out as they do multiply very quickly. We often have to set traps too just to keep numbers down.

The rats are unlikely to want to go down the drains. It's cold, they come in to gardens looking for food, then they go back to their nests. Mice would be worse, they like to come in! If you're worried about the drain covers, put big stones on them.

Not everyone can ignore them, but they're always about. They can be very destructive and breed ridiculously fast, so keeping on top of them is essential. However, in some places, like where we are out in the sticks, you're never going to get rid of all of them it's just not possible.

We feed the birds too and yes the rats come in to pick up the bits of peanuts etc that the birds drop. ( we accept this as part of life ), the dog picks some off, traps get some, just the way it is.

I guess you just have to do what you can to discourage them. If neighbours are feeding birds in other gardens, when they realise there's nothing in yours, they'll stick to what they know elsewhere. They're creatures of habit.

Jumping on the thread with a concern I have here, I have a customer who is getting rats in her house through the cavity believed to be from the neighbours side and they are getting into the loft space any one know the route to take to erase the problem any easy fixes possible? I'm assuming you cant get to the cavity from the loft space to block it up as it would be to tight to access. grateful for any advice:) all unused drainage has been blocked up but did not stop the issue, All ground floors are vented floating floors old 1930s house.

The only choice MBH I feel is to get pest control out and eradicate them with poison. The neighbour's house needs to be investigated to see how they've got in first and foremost.

Hi Emily. I have a garden with a few apple trees. As long as you don't leave the apples lying on the ground when they fall they shouldn't attract rats. I was also strongly discouraged by a neighbour not to start composting due to previous issues with rats but haven't found them to be a problem since we started to use 'dalek' type composting bins with solid bottoms to prevent rats burrowing underneath. On balance I would rather compost carefully (and put up with the slightly increased risk of the occasional rat) than put food waste into landfill or buy another garden waste bin.

I awoke to our Siberian Husky with blood down his chest one morning... first thought ... 2 cats.. check, is the dog ok... check, child... check... looked everywhere.... and then in the late afternoon came across the giant rat with a clean cut near severed head. Spent the rest of the week saying "GOOOOOD BOY"

Try mars bars... apparently!