Decomposing rats in the walls of a home have left a horrified mum in constant fear for her and her child’s health.
The vermin infestation started late last year when the tenant, who asked to remain anonymous, had a new kitchen fitted.
She believes ill-fitting drainage pipes allowed rats to get into the property, GloucestershireLive reported.
It was not until the Newent resident set up CCTV cameras in her attic that her worst suspicions were confirmed. In the space of 10 minutes, five rats were seen scurrying, sounding like a “monster coming through the walls”.
The tenant was questioning her sanity for a number of weeks when she found crumbs and “slime” on the floor of the kitchen.
On several occasions, she woke to find the fridge door open, and after a closer inspection, they found the fridge door had been gnawed at.
The tenant, overwhelmed by the discovery, said she asked her landlord, Wyedean Housing Association, for help with the rat infestation but was told it was her problem and she would have to deal with it.
Wyedean Housing Association admitted there was a rat infestation in the property but "disagrees with the tenant's interpretation of events".
The tenant said: “It was getting bad so I set up CCTV in the attic in the end and watched what was happening up there from my phone. At one point on this night, I saw five rats scurrying about in the attic.
“I approached Wyedean Housing Association and they told me to deal with the issue myself. So I got the money together and hired a pest control man.”
Wyedean Housing Association denied this and said it paid for a pest control service.
The tenant grew increasingly concerned as wires were being chewed through by the rats. This worried the tenant and she felt the home should have an electrical test carried out as she did not feel safe.
She said: “An electrician came round but did not do anything. Just stood there and laughed at me as if I was being ridiculous. So I went to the Citizens' Advice Bureau and asked for their help because the whole situation was making me ill.”
Wyedean Housing Association also denied this and said "at no time were jokes or any mocking comments made by the electrician".
The pest control man was going to the house regularly, and on his first visit, he told the tenant where the rats were able to get into the home. He pointed to the drainage pipe coming out of the house which had a big hole around it.
She said: “When the pest control man came to the house he had a look around and found where the rats were coming in from. They were coming in from the outside where the kitchen drainage pipe is, and it had a big hole around the pipe where it was the wrong size pipe or the hole around it had not been filled in properly.
“I am really clean and I used to wake up and find crumbs and slime on the floor. These rats are clever, aren’t they? And I woke up to find the fridge door open a few times and I later realised it was the rats.
“I went to the Citizens’ Advice Bureau who wrote to Environmental Health and Wyedean listing what we felt should happen with an electrical test and asking them to pay towards the pest control. The housing association has since said they will pay for the pest control to come in.
“Again I am not being listened to because I have a house with chewed electrics and it smells of ammonia. Rats are dying in the walls of the house, and I have been told when they die they swell and then are exploding, then give off poisonous gases."
The spokesman for Wyedean Housing Association said a report from the pest control man did not report "any smell of ammonia or decomposing rats in the walls, if there had been Wyedean would have addressed this as a matter of urgency".
They said: "I can assure you that Wyedean takes matters such as this very seriously. Wyedean disagrees with the tenant's interpretation of events, but, Wyedean acknowledges that she has had an issue with a rat infestation in her property.
"This was first reported to the office on February 21, 2022. Wyedean requested an electrical contractor to visit and check the electrics – the report shows that all lights were working correctly, and the ceiling roses were also checked for potential issues, none were found.
"The tenant informed the contractor that all the rats were gone, so he checked the loft space, no issues were found with the lights. The tenant had two visitors at her home while the inspection took place, they were very pleasant to him and offered refreshments.
"At no time were jokes or any mocking comments made by the electrician. Wyedean has received the final report from the pest control company the tenant contacted, which states that all rodents in the property have now been eradicated and no further action is required."
