Pest control rules for HA

Amazonianup
Amazonianup Online Community Member Posts: 113 Contributor
edited October 29 in Housing and independent living

Hello,

I have provided numerous evidence for pest such as wasps and rats with picture of possible nests, roaming rats videos, dead rat and food pictures in gardens along with broken rat traps. This is making a massive issue to navigate as i have to go past these things with my puppy and im worried about disease and its stressful as these things have made him unwell previously i have vet bills as evidence. Somethings like graffiti they have tried to do and tidy up but the truth is the building is also neglected falling apart on one side. Ie literally falling down. The rat nests seem obvious and route into bins (chewed entrance) and tunnels under flats i have seen them here also. What can i do about this i have sent many emails and nothing is being done?

It actually caused an issue when i nearly came into contact with one as i put my dog down from carrying downstairs this morning to stop him touching wasps on floor on our stairs and i saw a rat over near food and he didnt see the rat but i froze and he go away from me to another dog wanting to play and he got bite by other dog. Hes okay and its not an issues hes confident and happy but i was tired of carrying him and i saw rat and froze as i dont have energy and this has got to be the last straw for these pest problems. It either makes him unwell when he gets food but also a dead bird head (just skull looks like blackbird) is also in the garden no one has outside cats and we are not near other cats or people in our area. The rats drag it in?

Please i need advice where the situation of pests is not manageable anymore.

Comments

  • Kimi87
    Kimi87 Online Community Member Posts: 7,444 Championing

    Have you bypassed the HA and gone to your local council environmental health department?

  • Amazonianup
    Amazonianup Online Community Member Posts: 113 Contributor
    edited October 29

    no website says they charge for pest control

  • Amazonianup
    Amazonianup Online Community Member Posts: 113 Contributor

    i gave just tried calling the number for pests and it puts me through ie call answers but no one is on other end.

  • Kimi87
    Kimi87 Online Community Member Posts: 7,444 Championing
    edited October 29

    Environmental Health isn't a pest control service, it's a local authority department who basically police a wide range of environmental issues whether that is food hygiene for a business, domestic noise nuisance, or someone's living environment in terms of mould, unsafe buildings and pests where the pest issue is down to landlord neglect.

    They have legal powers to enforce against landlords private or social housing.

    It sounds like the root causes are beyond what a tenant can reasonably solve themselves.

    My area doesn't have a council pest control service either and expects tenants to pay where it's a minor issue, major issues are still the responsibility of landlord.

    I've paid for minor issues at previous address, wasps nest removal from garden shed & some mice proofing inside & out after they got into porch.

    You could also report these issues to a local councillor or your MP.

  • MW123
    MW123 Scope Member Posts: 1,614 Championing
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1079114#Comment_1079114

    Even if the council says pest control is chargeable, that is usually for private homes. What you are dealing with is a communal health risk involving rats, wasps and structural damage in shared spaces.

    Environmental Health will not just send pest control. They can require the housing association to take action if the building is being neglected or putting people at risk.
    You are not asking for a service. You are reporting a statutory hazard. They have a legal duty to investigate.

  • Amazonianup
    Amazonianup Online Community Member Posts: 113 Contributor
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1079123#Comment_1079123

    Okay thank you i will try.

  • MW123
    MW123 Scope Member Posts: 1,614 Championing
    edited October 29

    @Amazonianup

    Make sure you tell the council you’re reporting a public health issue, not asking for pest control. That’s an important difference. Once it’s logged as a health risk, they have a duty to investigate what’s actually going on, and get it sorted.

  • Amazonianup
    Amazonianup Online Community Member Posts: 113 Contributor

    Yh i emailed public health. Hopefully do something.

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