Rats and the councils obligations on allotments!

[john9159]

I would like to know if anyone out there knows if a council has an obligation to control the (ever increasing) population of rats on council owned allotments.
Clearly this will depend on the council (which I do not wish to name at this point) but if they own the land, and I as part of the Society maintain it, do they have an obligation to keep it free of rats?
I dealt with the problem myself by having bait boxes placed at various points around the site for a year since they gave up their attempts on control measures. When they found out I was doing this, I was ordered to remove all bait and boxes and their "promise" to investigate the rat problem has come to nothing.
The council have not returned in three months since and I am not happy with the situation.

Update - we have no livestock and we are right next to a stream. I turn the compost fairly frequently and stil found 12 baby rats with eyes still shut, in the stream they went as the rat catcher can't be contacted at the office cos he's always out.

[rustylady]

According to this site, Local Authorities have no statutory obligation to provide a pest control service Pest management - Councils and pest control | The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health

[Rudi13]

I wonder why you have so many rats on your allotment site? Are there many plot holders who keep chickens? Rats only get annoying when they have unlimited access to food and save hiding places so they keep reproducing. It would help to first find the reason for your high population numbers before putting poison everywhere.

[rustylady]

I would like to know if anyone out there knows if a council has an obligation to control the (ever increasing) population of rats on council owned allotments.
Clearly this will depend on the council (which I do not wish to name at this point) but if they own the land, and I as part of the Society maintain it, do they have an obligation to keep it free of rats?

Why don't you want to name the Council John?

[bearded bloke]

I would like to know if anyone out there knows if a council has an obligation to control the (ever increasing) population of rats on council owned allotments.
Clearly this will depend on the council (which I do not wish to name at this point)

Pretty much answered your own question there bud,best thing you can do is read up on the relevant council's policy on vermin control.
Or name the council & see if any other members on here from that area have direct knowledge

[alldigging]

Where are the rats?
Are they being seen or just their evidence of being there?

[Bill HH]

If the council havent done anything in 3 months put your bait boxes out again, It is not illegal as far as i know.

[Snadger]

Our local council used to supply rat poison to a competent person on the site. I used to offer it to anyone who was troubled with rats on the site.
They then adopted a policy because of 'elf & safety' of sending someone down to control any rats. The problem with that was that the plotholder had to be on site to allow them on to there plots.
Then the council budget was cut drastically so 'elf & safety' went out the window.
They now supply us with rat poison again............but for how long, because of cost cutting, I've no idea?

[Two_Sheds]

I wonder why you have so many rats on your allotment site?

How many bodies did he catch in his baited traps?

In 17 years I've only had rats twice, both were young nests in compost heaps, and the rats soon moved away when I turned & watered the compost heap, and filled the gap under the shed with scrunched chicken wire.

I compost meat, fat & bones at home, and have never had rats there (although we do have mice in the garage sometimes)

[Fuchsia]

Rats on the allotment

Many years ago the council told me I could get a pest control company in to deal with a rat problem but I would have to stand the cost.I now have 2 allotments and I also keep poultry so I use rat eyre, I find that these are the best rat bait dispenser and are poultry friendly.
Compost heaps attract rats and the more you seem to use them the more they attract,in winter I think the heat they generate attracts them

[Snadger]

Many years ago the council told me I could get a pest control company in to deal with a rat problem but I would have to stand the cost.I now have 2 allotments and I also keep poultry so I use rat eyre, I find that these are the best rat bait dispenser and are poultry friendly.
Compost heaps attract rats and the more you seem to use them the more they attract,in winter I think the heat they generate attracts them

I had to google rat eyre. Seems a good idea!

[Veggielot]

You could contact your local councillor however I would just go back to putting the traps down.

[binley100]

This year we seem to be having more problems with rats ....trouble is we also have other wildlife so I don't like poisoning them . Could do with a couple of JR's .....

[Two_Sheds]

Compost heaps attract rats

Only if they're kept undisturbed, dry & warm. Then rats will nest in them. If they're frequently disturbed, & watered, the rats will stay away.
I have 9 plastic compost heaps, and no rats in any of them, ever.

[rustylady]

So where has the original poster gone? Lots of answers and questions, but nothing more from him.