Rats like another family to clean up after -what a woman!

[inappropriateportioncontrol]

Just heard on radio 4.
Rochdale tennant living in rat ridden dwelling talking about the situation.
No hysteria , but a weary comment about how it was like having two families to look after - all the cleaning , mopping, scrubbing.
I take my hat off to her for being so pragmatic. But wow do I feel for her to be so ground down and let down.

It's horrendous that anyone has to live like that in this day and age.

I live in a Victorian property - there are thousands like this in the area. In the 60s/70s there was a drive/government grants to build extensions on them to contain a bathroom, as they had outside loos until that point. Can you imagine that now? Actually bothering to improve people's living conditions on a large social scale? Attitudes and priorities have gone backwards.

I can't imagine the horror and despair of living with rats inside. Was bad enough when they were all over the back yard (incidentally due to out of control situation with rats in general area, which the council won't address on a public scale - it's all pinned on individual tenants getting pest control in their homes. Unless you live in the posh part of town where they are about to spend loads ridding the park of rats. Nevermind those in poorer areas where rats are on the streets and in people's homes!)

Sorry this has turned into a rant! I'm just furious at the general lack of social conscience, and at the many dodgy landlords who have been allowed to get away with making money from disgustingly substandard properties for so long.

Domestic treatments and prices
All treatments must be paid in advance when you book an appointment.

Treatment or service:
Rats
(includes up to 2 revisits)

Cost: £45
Discounted cost for households on Council Tax Support: £20

Directly paste from Rochdale council's webpage.

An absolute bargain.

I really feel sorry for the way some people are expected to live (rats/cockroaches/mould). I did have some mice in once (next door had redone their kitchen so must have disturbed a nest. I put traps out and the bloody things got their tails caught and squealed all bloody night!

I worked with a family that had rats in their fairly large house and they did nothing about them and were incredibly unhygienic, even though it wasn’t my job to I’d spend a lot of my free time cleaning their house getting rid of rubbish and left out food but in the end I had to leave because the mother threatened me because I’d informed my managers about the living conditions ( as I was legally supposed to) and my name was left on a social services report.

I could see the rat problem becoming something more widespread.

Councils are now only emptying domestic garbage on a fortnightly basis and where I live I have seen an increase of people dumping their black garbage bags next to bus stop bins and around parks. These get ripped open by foxes and litter ends up strewn all over the pavements. As a result, I also see a lot of black crows picking their way through litter looking for things to eat.

I see all this when I go out jogging in the morning.

It seems to me that Councils to save money seem very shortsighted and are just creating another long term problem.

Cats. That’s your answer to rats.

Foxes are also an answer to rats. Local rat population explosions are sometimes linked to councils (or in a case I knew, a gun club) getting rid of the foxes - they're an easier target, bigger and bolder.

You’re an empath aren’t you?

That's a good deal. Here, it's £80 for a single visit, £120 for mice or squirrels, £310 for bedbugs, £205 for roaches and £90 for wasps nests in the house and a lucky dip if you have issues with gulls or pigeons.

It's even dearer in Dublin!

If people didn't put food out for foxes, the rats wouldn't eat the food and the foxes would eat the rats. My neighbour throws food out in his garden for the foxes and it just encourages the rats.

For those talking about councils trying to save money- THEIR BUDGETS HAVE BEEN SLASHED BY OVER 50% since 2010. Of course they’ve had to make bloody cuts! This is what a lot of you must have voted for. Austerity with Cameron & Co. That’s why councils are going bankrupt, on top of covid aftermath! Do better next time…honestly it makes me furious and those with a complete lack of empathy, take a look at yourself. I hoping you’re not raising your kids to be equally dispassionate and inhumane.
https://www.tuc.org.uk/research-analysis/reports/austerity-and-pandemic