Anyway, hopefully the rats will, literally, take the bait. They have quite a buffet to choose from. Rats are, however, suspicious of anything new so I might have a few more sleepless nights. It worked the last time they got into the attic. Tomorrow I will try to clear away the ivy at the back of the house, at least from the ground up as far as the ladder will take me.

@MoreMeesThanMee ratties are allergic to peppermint.
aza puts a few drops in a spray bottle w a water/rubbing alcohol mix and saturates their ways in and out. use a mask while applying.
it is effective for about 3 days
eventually they will seek elsewhere.
good luck
🐀🐀🐀🐀

@pennyphilosophy From what I can tell, they are coming in from under the eaves as there is ivy growing up the side of the house. I blocked all the other routes from previous attempts to make the place their home. Thanks for the advice. I actually tried peppermint oil and chilli powder when I lived in a flat with mice. Those hardcore London meessies didn't even flinch! At least I was able to use traps and set them up so that they were killed immediately and not caught by a limb to suffer.

@MoreMeesThanMee 🫂