Fact-checked against 2 sources · Updated 3 November 2026Short answer: if rats seem to be coming from next door, talk to your neighbour first, deal with what attracts rats on your side, and keep a dated record with photos. If your neighbour won’t act, call Newark & Sherwood District Council for advice on 01636 650 000.
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First: check it really is coming from next door
Before you raise anything, look for evidence that points beyond your boundary. Runs and burrows that lead towards a neighbouring garden, droppings along a shared fence or wall, and noise in a party wall or shared roof void are all clues. Photograph what you find and note the dates — a simple log is the most useful thing you can have later.
Step 1 — Talk to your neighbour
Most neighbours have no idea. A calm, friendly conversation solves more of these problems than any letter. Stick to facts (“I’ve found burrows along the fence and droppings near the bins”), offer to share the name of a technician, and avoid blame. Rats travel, so it is in both your interests to deal with them together.
Step 2 — Deal with your side anyway
Whatever happens next door, remove what attracts rats on your side: keep bird food off the ground, use lidded compost bins, clear clutter and fallen fruit, and keep bins closed. Then rat-proof the gaps they use to get into your home. Treating your own property protects you while the neighbour situation is resolved.
Step 3 — Put it in writing
If a chat doesn’t work, write a short, polite letter or message describing what you’ve seen and asking them to arrange treatment. Keep a copy. This record shows you took reasonable steps, and it is what a council officer or landlord will ask for first.
Step 4 — Involve the council
If your neighbour won’t act, you can get advice from Newark & Sherwood District Council by calling Customer Services on 01636 650 000 (the council lists Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm). Its own guidance for a pest problem that isn’t on your property is exactly this order: tell your neighbour first, then call the council for advice.
Councils also have wider powers over pests that come from neglected property. For example, the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949 allows a council to require an owner or occupier to deal with rats in some circumstances, and pest problems linked to waste or neglected land may be treated as a statutory nuisance. Whether and how a council uses those powers is up to the council, so ask what it can do in your situation and hand over your written record of dates and photos.
Good to know: the council doesn’t provide a pest-control treatment service itself. Our page on whether the council deals with rats explains what it does and doesn’t cover.
If you rent
Tenants should report rats to the landlord or letting agent in writing straight away. Landlords have duties around the condition and fitness of a home, and pests can be part of that. If the source is a neighbouring property, the landlord can raise it with the neighbour or the council on your behalf.
What a professional will do differently
A technician doesn’t just bait the visible activity. They look for the route into your property, treat around it, and advise on sealing entry points so the next wave from next door can’t simply walk back in. That inspection is also useful evidence if you have to go to the council.
Common questions
If my neighbour has rats, will I get them?
Not always, but rats travel between properties, so it is worth checking your side for runs, burrows and droppings. Removing food and sealing gaps makes your home a poorer choice.
Can I report my neighbour for rats?
You can ask the council for advice if talking to your neighbour doesn’t help. Newark & Sherwood District Council doesn’t treat pests itself, but councils have some powers over rats on neglected property. Give them your dated record and photos.
Can I make my neighbour get rid of rats?
You can’t force them yourself, but your council may be able to step in where a problem is affecting neighbouring properties. Start by talking to them and keeping a written record, then call the council for advice if it continues.
Who pays for treatment if rats are coming from a neighbour’s property?
The occupier or owner of the property where the rats are living is normally responsible for dealing with them. Treating your own property to stop rats getting in is your cost, but keeping records helps you ask the neighbour, landlord or council to deal with the source.
Should I put poison down myself?
Amateur baiting often fails, can harm pets and wildlife, and risks rats dying in inaccessible places. Professional treatment uses secured bait stations and follow-up visits. If you do use anything yourself, follow the label exactly and keep it out of reach of children, pets and wildlife.
Need help now? See pest control in Newark-on-Trent, where we connect you with an independent local technician.
If you are spotting them during the day, read what a rat in the garden in daylight means.
Sources and further reading
The council source was checked on 3 November 2026 and the BPCA source on 14 October 2026. Laws, prices and council services change, so check the current position before relying on them.
This site connects households and businesses in the Newark-on-Trent area with an independent local rat-control technician. We are not the servicing contractor and do not carry out treatment ourselves. See our terms & disclosure.