Chesterfield housemates demand urgent action over rat problem

Martin Brough and Tammy Wright share a two-bedroom Chesterfield Borough Council bungalow on Lansbury Avenue, Mastin Moor – along with the family of rodents.

Mr Brough, 51, said: “We have got a serious rats problem.

“I’ve had to buy traps myself, we have even got some ferrets to try to tackle the problem.”

Since being contacted by the Derbyshire Times, the council has pledged to contact the residents directly and arrange to visit “to investigate further and carry out any necessary works”.

Mr Brough, who is registered disabled, said the problem is making his health worse

He said: “I have a breathing mask and they chewed through the pipe. – I had a panic attack.”

“It just gets me down, I’m so stressed about it.”

They said they have had the problem ever since they moved in to the property four years ago.

However, they said, despite repeated calls and complaints, the council has never fully resolved it.

Mr Brough said: “I’ve tried and tried to get it sorted.

“We just want the council to fix it.”

The pair say they are happy otherwise with the property and its location, but want the council to fix the problems, which also include a leaking roof and mould.

Miss Wright, 38, said: “We can’t have anyone around, it’s just a horrible situation.”

Mr Brough, who acts as a carer for Miss Wright, said: “We can’t have anyone over for Christmas – if we put food on the side, by the time they came around, it would be gone.”

Liz Cook, council assistant director for housing, said: "We understand issues like this can be upsetting.

“At the council, we take pest control very seriously and encourage residents to contact us with any issues they may have.

“More information on this can be found on our website at chesterfield.gov.uk/health-and-environment.

"We will be contacting the residents directly to arrange a suitable time to visit the property to investigate this further and carry out any necessary works.”