Neighbour's rats lead to £500 payment to landlord

Council officers said rubbish in the garden was "providing easy living conditions" for rats

A landlord was paid £500 by her local council after a rat infestation due to rubbish in her neighbour's garden.

The Local Government Ombudsman suggested the payment and an apology to the woman, known as Mrs X, after the delay resolving the issue.

Despite contact about the state of the next door property since 2017, council officers first visited in April 2022.

A Tandridge District Council spokesperson said the case had now been closed "after careful consideration".

The council visited the house next door to Mrs X's property, which she lets out, after she reported rats in her own garden.

An ombudsman's report said an environmental health officer confirmed the rodents' presence and rubbish "providing easy living conditions" for them.

There were more visits until the neighbour was served a formal notice at the end of March 2023 to remove the rubbish and overgrown vegetation.

Ms F, the neighbour, also had 21 days to employ a pest control company.

'Distress and uncertainty'

According to the ombudsman, the council was trying to balance the needs of Ms F and "some mitigating circumstances" and let the matter drift.

"The delay in taking any meaningful action between April 2022 and April 2023 was fault," the report said.

The "symbolic payment" was made "to acknowledge the distress and uncertainty caused".

Though Mrs X said she had raised the issues since 2017, the ombudsman only looked at events from March 2022.