Our street's overrun with rats – it's so bad we can't eat inside & my neighbour cries herself to sleep… no one will help | The Sun
HORRIFIED neighbours claim their street is so overrun with rats they can't eat inside their own homes.
Swarms of flies also plague the residential road in Salford, Greater Manchester, making life for those who live there "hell".
One mum says she and her three-year-old daughter can't have dinner in their kitchen without being pestered by vermin.
And others cry themselves to sleep at night as they say nobody will do anything to help.
The properties on Rake Lane, Swinton, are managed by social housing association Salix Homes, but tenants claim they have had no assistance whatsoever despite repeated complaints.
Salix Homes blames a "wider environmental issue in the area" and claims it has put "preventative measures" in place, including cutting back undergrowth and filling in external holes.
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Emma Martin relocated to the road five months ago after she and her daughter Margot became homeless.
The 37-year-old said they were "overrun" with flies and rats under the floorboards from the moment they moved in.
"I'm at my wit's end," she told MEN. "The volume of flies here is disgusting to such an extent I won't feed Margot here.
"The rats are terrifying. We're in a living hell."
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Her neighbour Michael Benson, who lives in a private house opposite, agreed that the living conditions were revolting.
Holding up a plastic bag full of dead flies, the 58-year-old said: "The flies in this area are horrendous and there is vermin all over the place."
Zoe Brooks, 26, a resident of Rake Lane for eight years, added: "I've been plagued by flies and rats since the day I moved in, but I've been told it's the tenant's job to get rid of them."
And Demi-lei Keighley, who also lives on the street, said she has reached "breaking point" and regularly cries herself to sleep at night.
"I had a rat/mouse infestation and at one point it got so bad that I physically had to confine myself to one room where there weren’t as many," she said.
"I could hear them scratching inside my skirting boards and walls and they eventually chewed their way through to my home that I have spent a lot of money on.
"There were holes everywhere. I also found droppings on my TV, couch, table, kitchen sides, washing machine, cooker, and even my bed.
"I got to absolute breaking point. I had five days until I was due to give birth to my baby who was already going to be three weeks early.
"I begged the council to help me but they refused. I have an email stating so.
"I cried myself to sleep because I felt like a failure knowing I couldn’t provide a safe and sanitary home for my newborn baby."
I got to absolute breaking point. I cried myself to sleep.
An email sent to tenants from Salix Homes read: "If you believe the rodents are getting through in certain access points, you can raise a job with our repairs team to have the holes filled in, however we are unable to treat or fund this.
"If you are unable to fund the treatment you may wish to speak to Salford Assist who may be able to provide help."
Sue Sutton, chief executive at Salix Homes, which took ownership of the properties in 2019, said: "Salix Homes is committed to providing and maintaining high standards within all our homes and communities and we take complaints from our tenants very seriously if they feel those standards are not being met.
"We really sympathise with the residents’ concerns, however this is part of a much wider environmental issue in the area and requires a multi-agency approach working alongside Salford City Council and the local business owners to find a long-term resolution.
"Following the initial report from residents in January this year, about an issue with vermin at the properties, which are located close to an industrial area, we investigated the matter and commissioned the Environmental Health department at Salford Council to put a series of preventative measures in place, and also treated a number of properties in the area – all signed off as being clear and we didn’t receive any further reports from residents about rats or mice at the affected properties, so we were confident the issue had been resolved.
"However, we can confirm that we have recently received a report from one resident in Rake Lane about flies and vermin at the property.
"After making several attempts with the tenant to arrange a convenient time to make a home visit, we visited the home in question on July 25 to meet with the resident and discuss their concerns. We also met with other residents during that visit.
"We were very disappointed that during that visit we identified an issue with flies at some of the properties and we fully empathise and understand residents’ concerns.
"Unfortunately, the properties are located in close proximity to an industrial area, which comprises waste disposal facilities.
"We are currently liaising with partners including Salford Council and local businesses to identify any long-term solutions.
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"However, in the meantime Salix Homes has agreed to cut back undergrowth, which is currently located at the rear of the properties, and fill in another external hole that was identified as a preventative measure to deter vermin."
Salford City Council declined to comment.
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