My kitchen is left soaked in rat wee after rodents keep currying up drains – the council can’t seem to help
A SUPPORT worker claims she is being forced to live in a “smelly” council flat that is infested with rats.
Lucy Cole, 22, says the terrifying rodents leave trails of urine and poo in her kitchen – rendering her unable to cook and prepare food properly.
She now lives in fears of contracting a serious illness as the rats continue to savage the property in Meir, Staffordshire.
And despite several complaints to her housing provider, things have been getting progressively worse.
Lucy claims she can has discovered droppings in her kitchen cupboards and can sometimes hear the creatures scurrying through the drains at night.
But despite welcoming pest controllers round the house already, the problem has still not been alleviated.
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She told Stoke-on-Trent Live: “Due to the rats my cupboards are in an awful state. There is urine in the wood and no matter how it is cleaned, a smell lingers.
“I am unable to use my kitchen due to the risk to my health and safety as it’s unsanitary and disgusting.
“How am I expected to cook here? I am upset by the state of my flat and paranoid at every little noise.”
Lucy said council officials first visited the property in March and believed they had made strides in eradicating the rodents.
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But they quickly returned a few months later as Lucy was left to fend for herself.
She explained: “A pest control woman came out, she was moving my dryer and my cooker and hit them with a spoon to kill them.
“She used her own spoon, I don’t know why she had a spoon. The issue was sorted and a hole was filled outside.
“I thought everything was OK, other than the kitchen being a bit damaged. Then all of a sudden they came back.
“It was in June when I noticed they had come back as they’d eaten the nuts out of my cupboard.
“I’ve seen about seven rats. I think they’re all from the same nest.”
“At first I could laugh, but now it isn’t a joke anymore. It’s been going on too long”
Lucy Cole
Lucy said the council eventually returned to the home to confront the rats but failed to take immediate action – citing the job as “extensive.”
“They said the council asset manager surveyor would have to come out,” she said.
“It was supposed to be a big job so they were going to do it. After about a week when they didn’t come out, I started complaining.”
She added: “Every time I speak to the council I get fobbed off saying I’ll get a phone call. I’m still waiting. I can’t get in touch with the housing office. It’s been really difficult.
“At first I could laugh, but now it isn’t a joke anymore. It’s been going on too long.”
‘IMPACTING MY HEALTH’
Zoe is now calling on the council to resolve the issue once and for all – and replace her crumbling and “dirty” kitchen.
She said: “I’ve asked for a new kitchen. I can’t use it and my second bedroom is being used for a pantry.
“I pay full rent and I don’t get any help. I work giving back to the community, yet the council that I help out, doesn’t give back to me.
“I’ve sent in the pictures of my kitchen and I did mention how it’s had an impact on my health. It is my first flat.
“I’ve never known anything like it. I’ve not lived here that long even but when I’ve lived in other places I’ve never known anything like this.”
Councillor Carl Edwards, cabinet member for housing and environment, confirmed the pest control team was aware of the issues.
In a statement he said: “We have made several visits to the property over the course of the summer to carry out treatments and assess the situation.
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“The outside of the property has been check for access points with no issues found.
“We are continuing to work to solve the issue and Unitas colleagues will be visiting the property this week to move a kitchen unit to try and locate any access points via the internal drain.”