Residents in Wardle Close, Stretford, say they have been plagued by rats for six months and can no longer relax in their homes for fear of the vermin. Homeowner Louise first heard scratching noises in the walls of her bathroom and behind her bed around six months ago.
Louise and her neighbour Agnieszka have since identified several potential entry points for the rodents, including a broken drainpipe with a 'massive gap' where it has 'rotten away'. They say they reported these issues to the building owner, L&Q, but the gaps remain unsealed and the problem is worsening.
Infestation spreads through block
The alleged inaction by L&Q over several months has seen the problem spread through multiple apartments and into the neighbouring block, according to Louise and Agnieszka. Both women say they have caught rodents in their flats, and Agnieszka's cat has killed several more.
They told the Manchester Evening News the infestation has left them anxious, feeling their home is no longer a safe space. Louise, 56, described seeing a rat behind her boiler and finding gnaw marks on food she had left out to defrost.
“I just feel like I can't relax. Every time I hear a noise, I'm going and investigating it even during the night, because rats are nocturnal. I'm cleaning like a madwoman because I just feel like, if they're out and about anywhere, it's just filthy,” she said.
“I don't even want to be in my own flat. I'm going to stay at my partner's house most weekends just to get out of there because I can't relax.”
Residents demand coordinated action
Agnieszka, 44, said the property no longer feels like a safe zone. “It's like your property is no longer really your safe zone because we feel like any day or any minute something can pop out because there's so many entry points and there's so many holes around,” she said.
“Everything has to be put into plastic containers, like flour, any household ingredients or stuff that you use on a daily basis. Everything had to be packed away. So it just doesn't really feel like a home anymore.”
Both women feel the issue is not being taken seriously by L&Q, saying the housing association has told them to take the matter up with pest control because they own their flats. They have paid for pest control visits and bought traps and materials to block entry points themselves, but believe the infestation must be tackled across the block as a whole to be resolved.
Agnieszka added that the rat she caught was pregnant, suggesting the rodents could be breeding in the walls. Louise called for a coordinated, block-wide approach: “They need to look at all the gaps, all the access points, and sort that out externally to stop them coming in.”
Agnieszka noted: “There's children living in this block. There's elderly people and people who have health concerns and health issues. All that comes into the equation as well.”
L&Q responds
Charlie Culshaw, director of housing management at L&Q, said: “We're very sorry for the distress this situation has caused residents at Wardle Close. We've already arranged for our pest control contractor to attend the building and have visited both Agnieszka and Louise's homes to update them on the steps we're taking. We've also carried out repairs at the rear of the building to seal a potential entry point.
“Wardle Close is located close to a canal, and we're working with the council to address reported rodent activity on surrounding public land, alongside issues with waste management at the building. We will continue to work closely with all residents and keep them up to date with our progress.”
