Passing through or living there?
Rats travel along boundaries, railway embankments, canals and garden fences in search of food. A single sighting at dusk, with no other signs, may be exactly that — a rat on its way somewhere else. The signs of rats that have settled are different.
Signs that rats have settled in the garden
- Burrow entrances a few centimetres wide with smooth, well-used edges
- Burrows under the shed, decking, garden room or compost bin
- Droppings in groups near those burrows or along walls
- Flattened runs through grass or along the base of the fence
- Food from the bird table, compost or bins disappearing overnight
- Rats seen regularly, or seen in daylight
More detail on each of these is in the first signs of rats.
Why daytime sightings matter
Rats prefer the dark. Seeing them in daylight can mean a population large enough that some are forced to forage at odd hours, or a nest that has been disturbed. Either is a reason to act rather than wait.
What draws them in
Bird food is the biggest single attraction in many gardens. Seed scattered on the ground or spilling from feeders is an easy meal. Open compost heaps with kitchen scraps, fallen fruit, pet food, chicken feed and overflowing bins do the same. Sheds with a gap underneath and raised decking provide the shelter — see our Queensbury page on decking, sheds and extensions.
From the garden to the house
A colony in the garden is close to the house, and rats explore. Gaps around waste pipes, damaged air bricks and cracks where an extension meets the original house are all ways in. Our guide to how rats get into Brent homes shows what to check, and where rats nest covers the next step if they do get inside.
Gardens next to railway and canal land
Homes that back onto railway embankments or the Grand Union Canal will always have rats nearby. The aim there is to make the garden unattractive and the house hard to enter — our Neasden and Alperton pages cover living next to that kind of land.
When to call
If there are burrows, regular sightings or signs near the house, it is time to book rat control. Rat control in Brent is £240 for a house and £190 for a flat.
