To be scared to sleep because there’s a rat in my house?

[ScaredOfRat]

Watching the news this evening and a massive rat ran into the living room. I chased him out but not sure where he is now. I’m scared to sleep.

Honestly you should not have to live like that. Have you been onto environmental health? If your not getting the help you should be doing a state 1/2/3 complaint also housing ombudsman.

You need to contact the Housing ombudsman asap. I’m so sorry you’re going through this. x

I’m really struggling with all of this: the rat, Mum being ill, the mould and broken floorboards, the holes in the walls where the power sockets have fallen out… we shouldn’t have to live like this.

I saw far more mice in my flat when my cat was alive!

Everyone is aware of our situation. No one cares.

Buy rat traps and poison if you have to but I have heard it smells horribly if it dies under floorboards and start rotting. Don't be scared though, I grew up in a boarding school and the rats would come from the toilets and run in the corridors but always run back down the toilet when I would go for wee in the middle of the night - never got scared of them. Strangely they never came to the bedrooms nor to the pantry where we had the bread. Also strangely how we never caught anything from using the toilets

Take your complaint about living conditions to the chief exec. Take it to the local government ombudsman. Go to your local MP. Go to the press.

Second the go to your MP. You can also contact your ward councillor.

How awful you pay them enough rent so it’s not like there doing you a favour would you contact itv news they have done a lot of stories about this type of house and council letting the tenants down. It has helped the tenants get a better place to live it’s awful that you live like this and the immigrants get a bloody hotel room paid for. Please don’t let them get away with this your house should be safe to live in and it certainly isn’t.

Listen, start one by one. First the rat traps, spray pepermint sprays or oil around, second start fixing bit by bit what you can. Buy dehumidifier, call a DIY guy to put sockets back, diy paint over the walls, you can do this.

Tbh, after seeing those photographs, I would be more worried about the mould than the rat. That's much more of a hazard to your health than the rat. It's disgusting that the council expects you to live with that.

I live in an old house and get mice and rats from time to time. We have found that rats are wary of people - I have only heard them at night when they think we are in bed. We have managed to catch mice in humane traps but rats are too smart to get caught.

We ended up using poison. I can't remember the brand but it's a little red cube. They take it away to wherever the nest is, eat it and die.

We put off using poison because we like rats but couldn't find another way to get rid of them and felt that we needed to go with our heads rather than our hearts.

The rat won't bite you or anything like that. It will want to keep out of sight. They don't deliberately hurt people - the problem is the harm they might do inadvertently eg by chewing wires.

Ok what complaints have you made, how have you made them and who to? If you don’t mind sharing what council it is that might be helpful too. This is a big site, someone is likely to have some advice as to what to do next or where to go next because you shouldn’t be in this situation, it’s not fair and it’s not safe.

You need to send those pictures to your local Councillor and your MP. Also, bearing in mind your mother's health, do you have a social worker. You can ask SS for a carer's assessment.

I get its hard. Your probably so stressed and tired. But you have to do it for you and your mum.

I know you said no one carers but make them. Does your mum have any cares am adult social worker or anything like that.

Go straight to the housing executive with the photos. They have a duty of care they can't leave you like that .

If I was close to you I would come and help you close some of the holes best I could.

Please contact them you deserve to live in better conditions

I was just coming on to also as if adult services are involved? Does your mum have a social worker? If not, could you make contact or request a referral through your GP?

im so sorry you’re in this situation

I've been in the same boat....twice. I sympathise.

Normally its just one rat (i was scared there were more when it happenedto me).

You need to set a rat trap in your kitchen with peanut butter. Position the trap on the ground by edge of your cupboard or wall. Rats have poor eyesight so the travel along sides of walls.

You can sleep in your room once you know the rat is not there. Make sure there are no holes or gaps in your bedroom door which would allow him access.

My rat trap caught both rats within 24 hours. It caught them during the night as they're mainly nocturnal. You will get him.

Have you contacted the Housing Ombudsman? https://www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk/centre-for-learning/key-topics/damp-and-mould/damp-and-mould-expectations/
Awaab's Law is very relevant judging from your photos. Lots of councils are shit which is why that law was introduced. You need to go beyond the bureaucrats.

When you say "everyone" OP does that include your local councillor and your MP? Have you contacted the local press and got them out to do an article to shame your local authority.
It's an absolute disgrace that you are living in those conditions. My heart goes out to you. It must be a nightmare.

Everyone:
Housing Officer
Repairs Team
CEO of Council
MP
London Assembly Member
Head of London Assembly
and all relevant Members of Parliament.

GB News want to interview us but Mum is too sick for that.

I would suggest itv news more because they have helped others in your situation could you do the interview but just them show your mum in bed but not talk to them I cannot believe all the people you have contacted are ignoring you and I bet your not even allowed to stop the rent.

No one should be living in those conditions.
Try local disability charities that will be helpful in highlighting your housing issues due to your mum's condition.
I would get in touch with your councillor and show them round that property.

Rats are outside!

I'd stop paying rent. They'd have to take you to court to evict you. Explaining to a judge that they've left you living in those conditions might be quite awkward for them. It would hold even more gravitas if you could show that you used rent money for repairs. In the unlikely case that you were evicted, the council would ultimately have to re-home you because of your mum. They'd also have to sort out that hell hole before releasing it to a new tenant.
It's absolutely disgusting. I'm sorry that you're in this situation, it's honestly made my skin crawl reading it.
I do think enough is enough now though. The rat should be the final straw.
Sometimes I honestly can't believe that we're supposed to be a developed nation.

Speak to the news team, they won’t interview your mum if you explain how poorly she is but that doesn’t prevent you from speaking to them, the LA will be on it quicker than your rats can get up drainpipes once the media lights are on them