A woman has described how she ended up living in a shipping container for three months after her flat became infested with rats. Tia Henderson, 20, has spent the past five months sofa surfing and resorted to sleeping in a shipping container and her friends' car after the rodents took over.
Tia, who was in foster care until she turned 18, has been living in her ground floor housing association apartment for two years and says she was happy there until July of this year. She lives in the one-bedroom flat, managed by Great Places Oldham, with her dog and best friend Tiny.
But, in summer, the 20-year-old heard noises in her wall that left her convinced she was 'going crazy'. Then, one day, as she was sitting on the sofa, she noticed two of the rodents walking around her kitchen. Tia says that she immediately called pest control, and that when a professional eventually came out to see her to put poison down, he informed her there was likely a 'big infestation'.
Tia claims that when she contacted the council to find emergency accommodation she was offered options that did not accept pets and felt like there was nowhere else to turn.
Almost six months on, the issue is still not resolved, with Tia classed as being 'intentionally homeless' due to her not accepting the offer of temporary accommodation.
Meanwhile, Oldham Council has said there have been 'access issues' to resolve the problem due to the property being vacant since Tia moved out. She has now been offered temporary accommodation, with an assurance that the issue will be fixed 'as soon as possible'. She is expected to be able to move back in over the coming weeks.
The council also admitted that rats have likely been gaining access to the property through holes in the wall, with her pet food attracting them. However, Tia says her dog food was shut in a container.
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News , Tia said: "I had been living in my property in Chadderton independently. I was happy there, had made memories, I had friends nearby and life was great. Until June 2022 when I heard scratching in the walls. I convinced myself I was going crazy.
"One afternoon I was sat watching tv in the living room with the dog when two baby rats caught my eye in the kitchen. They were confidently playing around on my kitchen rug as if I wasn’t less than a foot away from them.
"I was mortified. I instantly felt itchy and horrible. My flat was clean and tidy so I had no idea where they had come from. Pest control came out and put their first lots of poison down. When they came to check it a week later it was gone. I was told there must have been a big infestation for it to be eaten that quickly."
Worried for her health, Tia contacted the council to ask for alternative emergency accommodation until the problem was rectified. She says nowhere she was offered accepted dogs, and so she decided to move into a shipping container at an animal centre where she volunteers before sleeping in her friends' car and sofa surfing.
In videos Tia shared with the Manchester Evening News, the rats can be seen running around in her kitchen in July this year. On return visits to the apartment, she has taken pictures of a number of rats dead in the property.
"I was back homeless, sleeping in a friends car, and now sofa surfing wherever would have me and the dog," she added.
"In 2019 during the middle of the Covid pandemic, I was kicked out of foster care at 18 years old with my dog, who was a puppy at the time, and had to apply to be on the housing register just like everyone else but was told over and over again that having a dog was an issue.
"I made a commitment to my dog when I got him. A dog is for life. I have no family, he is my only family. I explained that he saved my life and kept my mental health stable."
When the Manchester Evening News contacted Oldham Council, they confirmed that there was an infestation at the property and that the housing team was 'confident' the rats had gained access through 'holes in the wall'. Some repairs have already started, including the ripping up of the floor, however there have been delays due to the property being vacant. They say, along with housing association Great Places, that they are supporting Tia to make sure she can move back in 'as quickly as possible'.
A spokesperson for Oldham Council, said: “We are sorry to hear that one of our residents has been dealing with an infestation in her property. We can confirm that this resident is currently living in temporary accommodation while the issue is addressed and some repairs are carried out. We have offered to pay for the temporary accommodation and, once complete, she will be able to move back into her home.
“No other tenants in the block have reported an infestation problem, so our housing team is confident that the problem is down to a combination of holes in the wall allowing for access, and pet food attracting the rats. We are working with this tenant to action the repairs and put into place any preventable measures.
“Some repairs have been done to the property already and further repairs have been identified. As the property is currently vacant, there have been some issues with access which has delayed the remaining repairs and pest control being carried out. These repairs are a priority, and we are working with the resident to have these carried out as soon as possible.
“Further investigations will also be carried out to rule out any other potential access points. The council and Great Places are supporting this resident to make sure she can move back into her home as quickly as possible.”
In a joint statement, housing association Great Places and maintenance contractors Wates Living Space said: “We are sorry for the issues Tia has experienced with her home and we are working with her to carry out repairs that will allow her to return as soon as possible.
“We are committed to providing and maintaining homes that protect the wellbeing and safety of our customers and we are in regular contact with Tia to arrange access to the property to carry out the necessary repairs. We have also agreed to install new flooring, provide new white goods, and provide replacement furniture so that Tia can return home.
“We are carrying out an urgent review of what has caused Tia to have to move out of her home and to ensure we respond urgently to any findings it may identify.”
Read more of today's top stories here.
READ NEXT:
Takeaway told it cannot open later as safety concerns surface following death of student
Eurythmics lyrics heard from Night & Day in neighbouring flat, council claims in court
'Bailiffs said they'd take my kids' toys away. Manchester should stop using them for council tax'
Deal struck for £400million city centre development as council agrees to buy hotel car park
