Rat Infestation has cost us thousands

[Bizziee]

Hi all

I really need some advice!
Bit of back story. Me, my partner and our 3 year old have lived in our city centre apartment for 3 years and for the most part it's been fine. We have private parking which is great but can sometimes be a pain getting out because people park in front of the gate and we also have our own bin area which until a year ago was completely fine. We've had issues with the lift breaking down multiple times too (worst one was when it took 4 months to fix!) and we live on the fourth floor. Over the past year living here has become unbearable since tenants keeps dumping their rubbish next to the bins instead of actually using the bins and the company that own the building don't seem to care or do anything about the ongoing issues!! Sometimes rubbish is piled so high you can't even get in to use the bins. The rat infestion has become so bad I see them running around on a daily basis and hear them rumaging through bins and rubbish. It's vile.

A lot of the apartments in the building are owned and rented out to temporary tenants. My guess is because these tenants are temporary and don't care about the added costs we keep getting because of the issues they are also the reason for the constant fly tipping in our bin area. We have lodged complaint after complaint after complaint and nothing gets done. We get bounced around the management department, promised call backs that never come and have had to deal with 3 new managers because it's clearly an awful place to work and get the same "I'm new shit" from them. The rat infestation has become so disgusting and frankly scary. A few weeks ago a huge rat ran over my sons foot while we were getting in to our car. Did the company care? Of course not. Now the rats have literally chewed through our 40k car and costs us thousands of pounds in damages. They still don't care. We have raised this, sent pictures and even threatened them with court over the costs but we are just so so fed up now and at a total loss. We can't afford to buy a house yet and will be stuck here for another year or two if we have to keep paying out for our car. We can't go to our local council either because the building is privately owned.

It's not done anything but I have put up boards in the bin area as a resort of desperate measures. What can we do!? 😭

Your comprehensive vehicle insurance will pay out for that damage.

This is all sounds very odd

Now the rats have literally chewed through our 40k car and costs us thousands of pounds in damages

your car insurance would cover this

and when you say “chewed through” what on earth do you mean?

how big is the building?

Why don’t you move? Rent somewhere else.

Actually, you local council could potentially take action under the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act. In fact, I also think you can bring your own action under it. Get a solicitor to help.

Sounds awful, but you do have recourse here.

I also wonder if there's anything you could do under the Environmental Protection Act, which deals with the presentation of waste and it's disposal.

Get legal advice!

Put lots of poison down (in areas inaccessible to dogs and cats).

Our inscurance will not cover the total cost in damages. I don't know how the rats have got inside the car but they have and they have chewed a big hole through the back seat to the boot. They have also been chewing wires because we have been getting warning lights etc saying that systems are failing.

I am going to raise this with the council regardless but at this point I really don't have much hope.

We also cannot move yet. We own our flat and don't have the finances to move until next year

@OhMerde are you sure I can do that? Will I not get in trouble for putting down poison!?

Council Environmental Health department?

I would ask for this to be moved over to legal, and I'd ask on there what recourse you have against the managing agents who don't appear to be doing their job. Do you own or rent?

I had an environmental health officer out from the local council when my ndn stockpiled rubbish and dog crap and we were infested. They were instructed to move it or they would start legal proceedings. No one wants rats that they breed very easily. You have my sympathies.

@HJ40 we own. Our plan was to save, rent it out and buy a house but this year has been tough and now the damages to our car has just been the final straw.

@Stomacharmeleon I am definitely going to be going through the council now because I just don't know what else we can do. We have threatened the management company with court but they don't seem to care and we would rather not have to dip in to our savings

Yes you need to get environmental heath on the case with this.

So the rats have entered the interior seating of your car?

Do you have photos of the rubbish piled high
and the rats themselves?

Buy these. Screw them into walls all around the problem area.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/195100661124?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=W6T9dAbQSPy&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=K0oT4tt3QRW&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Environmental health are really good on this type of problem.

Sympathy about the car - one of my neighbours had her car wiring and engine destroyed by rats.

its not fly tipping

Sometimes rubbish is piled so high you can't even get in to use the bins

the tenants are putting the rubbish where it should be placed but it’s not being removed quick enough by the council

Absolutely call the council out yourselves - we had rats a couple of years ago (collapsed pipe under house) and the council rat guy was fantastic.

I would also be inclined to take a claim against the building’s management company for the car damage. They have their own insurance for this. I don’t mean the sinking fund for your development, but the management company itself for not doing its job.

Obviously you didn't know about the council powers/responsibilities but it's not too late. Contact the Environmental Health dept of your local council and inform them there are rats...take pics and show them. Ask for immediate action.

P.S. Doesn't matter if under a management company, everyone is liable under the law.

When my son had rats in his privately rented flat the council came out free of charge and got rid of them.

No idea either way but i wouldn't give a shit. I'd just do it under cover of darkness. Go on a farming forum and find out what poison is most effective.

It depends on what LA you live in whether they will come out at all especially for free.

My council doesn't have pest control services for residents.

@Reugny, ah that is a shame. I didn’t know that. Might be worth the OP at least phoning her council to check if they can help her.

Please speak to Environmental health. If they put poison down its not scattered indiscriminately but placed in a box that the rodent walks into, it eats from a block of poison then leaves. This prevents poisoning of other wildlife.