Mason Matthews, a 33-year-old resident of Princess Drive in West Derby, says his flat has become nearly uninhabitable due to a severe pigeon infestation that has also attracted flies and mites. He has lived there for 14 years but the problem has escalated over recent months.
Balcony covered in droppings and dead pigeon
After spending time caring for his mother in Wales, Matthews returned to his flat three months ago to find inches of pigeon droppings on his balcony and even a deceased pigeon. He described the scene as disgusting and a risk to his health.
“I moved back in about three months ago and that was when I actually noticed what was going on. On the back balcony, there's a few inches of pigeon poop. It's bad for my health,” he said.
Heatwave worsened infestation
The situation deteriorated during a recent heatwave, forcing Matthews to keep his balcony doors and windows shut to prevent pigeons and flies from entering. He noted that pigeons laid eggs in the shade under his balcony, making the problem worse.
“I had to deal with that whole heatwave with all my balconies and windows shut because I couldn't have flies or pigeons [coming in], and the amount of pigeons that were harbouring in there when that heatwave was on, in the shade under there, the amount of eggs that were laid, it was just disgusting,” he added.
Mites in the kitchen and mental health toll
Matthews said flies and tiny mites have invaded his kitchen, covering the sink and worktops. He believes the mites came from the pigeons. The infestation has also affected his mental health.
“I feel dirty, I'm not a dirty person. I take pride in myself as much as I can when I'm not feeling so low, and this just makes me feel really, really low,” he said.
Complaints to Riverside Housing and Rentokil
Matthews has repeatedly reported the issue to Riverside Housing, the property manager, over the past three months, but claims no action was taken. He said he had to explain his situation to a different person each time he called.
He also contacted Rentokil for pest control. After several attempts, an appointment was arranged, but nobody showed up. Instead, he was asked to send photos of the balcony via WhatsApp. No Rentokil representative has visited his property since, he said.
Riverside Housing apologises and schedules works
A spokesperson for Riverside Housing issued an apology: “We’d like to apologise to Mr Matthews because of the time it has taken to rectify this situation and for any distress or inconvenience this has caused. We also recognise that the communication Mr Matthews received did not meet the level of service reasonably expected.”
The spokesperson added that Rentokil has inspected the affected area and recommended remedial works, which are scheduled to be completed within the next fortnight.
Rentokil has been contacted for comment but has not yet responded.
