RESIDENTS of a Southcote council estate facing a rat infestation say they are ‘being ignored’ and the infestation is persisting.
One said that they animals are defecating in rooves, robbing food and spreading disease.
This is despite Reading Borough Council employing specialist contractors who used firearms after conventional pest control methods failed, as Reading Today reported in September.
Chris Stanford, who lives in one of the flats on Granville Road, said: “Rats and squirrels are making our lives a misery.
“Residents at the end of their tether over no action by Reading Borough Council, every flat in our blocks are being plagued by rodents and squirrels that are defecating inside the roof spaces and in the kitchen areas of all the premises in these flats.
“Reading Borough Council are not bothered about this problem that is being suffered by all the elderly residents.
“These animals are running around throughout the night robbing food from cupboards and other storage areas, defecating all over food storage areas, possibly causing all sorts of disease.
“The rats are running free rein in some of the residents’ kitchens, bathrooms etc leaving droppings around food preparation areas, in my flat and most of the upper flats we have numerous rats in the loft space and squirrels.”
Photos supplied by Mr Stanford show holes and entry points created by the vermin on the buildings.
He added: “Despite our reporting to Reading Borough Council the complaints have fallen on deaf ears.
“The majority of the residents are all retired and or disabled myself included. Most of us are rather frightened of what disease these rodents are carrying.”
Phil Kerr, 63, said there were holes and entry points created by the rodents which they have used to enter the flats.
Mr Kerr said: “We are annually invaded by vermin and the council and either slow to react or our plight falls on deaf ears.
“We have an annual problem with vermin migrating into the building with the council seemingly reluctant to find their ingress points and blocking them.
“It is most disconcerting lying in bed or watching TV listening to them scurrying around.
“Luckily, I have a big white cat. They’d probably think twice about gnawing a hole in the wall if they heard her.”
Mr Kerr added that the pest issue is a ‘long standing saga’ for residents in Granville Road, as the rodents seek warmth in the Winter months.
In September, the council today Reading Today: “The cull of rats from one block at Granville Road flats took place as a last resort after more conventional measures failed.
“While poison and traps were initially laid, these did not work quickly enough to prevent further breeding.
“The Council was therefore advised by pest control professionals that this route was the most likely to prevent a further spread of the infestation, which local residents understandably wanted action on.”
Mr Kerr said he contacted the council the following month about the latest infestation.
Cllr Jason Brock (Labour, Southcote) responded to Mr Kerr, but residents say pest control had not been dispatched.
A council spokesperson said: “The council is aware of the presence of rats at Granville Road, and is in the process of taking action to eradicate them.
“Steps have already been taken via conventional methods and a cull to reduce the numbers and are continuing to be taken.”
The council is working with its specialist pest controller, PestPro, which will implement a plan to treat and regularly monitor the area until the issue is solved.
PestPro’s services are used as and when required, and the council’s spend on their services across Reading in the financial year 2022/23 was £62,059.60.
