Rats in a neighbours (house association property). Advise

hewittinspain

I live in an end terrace of 3 houses. Recently I've noticed slight activity in my loft space so I threw my motion camera up there and it has spotted a rat in there. I own my house but the two other terrace houses attached were formally council houses which were sold to Vivo Homes housing association which works pretty much the same way.

I hired a pest controller who had permission off the neighbour to enter his loft who can only describe as totally rat infestested. He also saw an entrance at his rented property (photo) which heavily points to a rat entry point.

The pest controller cannot see any ingress points at my property but he has put a couple of traps up in the loft for me. He has two more visits for the £220 I paid him.

I then complained to Vico homes who will send their own contracted pest controllers within 28 days although I've complained about this time scale.

My problem is I have solar panels on the roof and a box that sources the panel Inverters in the loft. If more rats come through then this could cost me a lot of money.

Ill be asking my pest controller to write a report as he already knows the rat source is from a neighbours property.

If Vico homes fail to get rid of the rats (bodge job), or they damage my solar panel cables then what steps can I take? My insurance has legal cover, or maybe go down the no win no fee solicitor? It's not that they are a massive health risk.

I need to be armed incase I need to do something

TroubledTarts

Rats are a pain once they find a cosy spot and breed a single pair can produce 2000 a year.

If your neighbours are on benefits, through the local council many can get very cheap or even free pest control removal.(Depends on area)

WIAWSNB

• If you have Legal Protection - well done - then call them up now and let them guide you. Most likely it'll be

1. put Vivo homes on written notice of their potential liability for your PV equipment based on the pest controller's report.

2. Contact your council over the rat infestation.

You appear to have done everything correctly, but let them guide you - you've paid for this service.

lincroft1710

Unless the pest controller(s) can identify where the rats are accessing the neighbour's house,despite putting down bait traps, the problem will re-occur.

A few years I had a rat infestation, they had come in via the sewer, went up through the cavity and into the loft. Can't remember exactly what they did, but the problem was solved by a sewerage specialist blocking the rats' access.