Residents on Olive Grove Road, Sheffield say there is an ongoing rat infestation affecting a number of properties.
The problem is affecting 19 homes along the street, causing distress amongst residents as well as concerns for health hazards.
One resident said: “We’ve been quite lucky and not had any problems really. But it is quite concerning.”
He went on to say that the “blame” had been put on “us”, with Sheffield City Council only offering advice on how it can be fixed.
He added: “The council are not accepting that it might be a bigger issue.”
Those facing the problems have been having discussions on community pages and a WhatsApp group to combat the issue collectively.
Sheffield City Council have said they are aware of complaints and that a pest control team leader attended Olive Grove Road last month to speak to a resident experiencing issues.
They also met up with two further residents and had a walk around the area and check boundary walls on the street, as well as sending letters to the whole street, as well as surrounding streets, with advice on issues such as feeding wildlife which may attract rats.
Wider discussions on Facebook have sparked comments from Sheffield residents about the situation.
One user wrote: “The whole city has an infestation.”
Another said: “If you think that’s bad you should see Page Hall.”
Cllr Joe Otten, Chair of the Waste and Street Scene Committee at Sheffield City Council, said: “We understand anyone who experiences an issue like a rat infestation over any period of time will be anxious and frustrated, and where we can, we will provide support to rectify that.
“We do offer a range of pest control services, including a free service for people on qualifying benefits who identify a rat problem. If landowners or other persons in control of land do not keep them free of rats we can take enforcement action to ensure rats are eradicated.
“We encourage those who need support to get in touch with our Environmental Health Services as early as they can. Each complaint will be investigated.”
