Woman ‘left in fear as rats invade her home’ (From Gazette & Herald)
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Woman ‘left in fear as rats invade her home’
8:45am Monday 21st May 2012 in News By Richard Catton & Grace Newton
A WOMAN was left distraught and in fear for her health after what her family said was a bungled plumbing job which led to a rat infestation in her housing association property.
Stella Cook, 76, has been a tenant of York-based Yorkshire Housing – formerly the Ryedale Housing Association – for almost 20 years.
She was shocked when her Flaxton cottage was overrun with the dangerous rodents after the organisation fitted a new toilet.
A concerned relative of Mrs Cook contacted The Press to voice anger at Yorkshire Housing’s handling of the problem.
They claimed that Mrs Cook discovered a plumber, sent by her landlords to fit the toilet, had accidentally left a drain uncovered.
Since then, they said, she had seen several rats in almost every room in the house, including her bedroom.
The asthma sufferer paid for pest control herself, amid claims the housing association refused to temporarily relocate her away from the one-bedroom property.
According to the family member, who wishes to remain anonymous, the only help offered was for the agency to come and collect the dead animals once they had been poisoned – yet three rats remained at large in the bungalow.
The relative said: “She’s frightened out of her wits.
“They say there’s only so much they can do until the rats are dead – but they won’t consider moving her.”
The rodents, which can spread fatal infections such as Weil’s disease, pose a health hazard.
Mrs Cook’s family has now offered her accommodation in their own homes until the situation is resolved.
Yorkshire Housing HomeWorks did not directly respond to the family’s claims that plumbers had left a drain cover open, and that it would not consider rehousing Mrs Cook.
However, Phil Royales, Head of Yorkshire Housing HomeWorks said: “We regret that Mrs Cook has experienced rats in her home.
“We are aware that rats do live in the vicinity of Mrs Cook’s home and have liaised with Mrs Cook to manage the situation.
“Yorkshire Housing Contractors have visited her home in response to calls to our Repairs Helpdesk, and advised Mrs Cook to contact Environmental Health or Pest Control to humanely catch the rats, as per our usual procedures.
“We will continue to work with Mrs Cook to find a solution,” said Mr Royales.
Comments(10)
PKH
says...
9:26am Mon 21 May 12
silver streaks
says...
10:20am Mon 21 May 12
chickpea
says...
10:20am Mon 21 May 12
meme
says...
4:04pm Mon 21 May 12
Does no one want to do anything for themselves or their family anymore or do we all expect someone in 'authority' to sort it out for them?
Buy some traps and poison like most of us do when we have a rat infestation of 3 man-eating,dangerous
/ weils/bubonic plague disease spreading rats at large!!
Hildasaint
says...
10:58pm Mon 21 May 12
YH should shift them because it is YH who are responsible for the problem, it was a cowboy plumber employed by them who left a drain unconvered. As for people who rent accomodation, all I can say is that some people cannot afford to buy property, usualy because they have been on low incomes and buying property is beyond them. You sound like an utter snob.
Kevin Turvey
says...
11:55am Tue 22 May 12
To meme,YH should shift them because it is YH who are responsible for the problem, it was a cowboy plumber employed by them who left a drain unconvered. As for people who rent accomodation, all I can say is that some people cannot afford to buy property, usualy because they have been on low incomes and buying property is beyond them. You sound like an utter snob.’
I would suggest that the spelling mistakes and attitude shown above show why rented accommodation if the choice of the low achievers in society.
I am afraid that I agree with meme.
People have to take some responsibility for their own lives and problems. It’s a minor issue to put down some traps and get rid of the rats.
Maybe if the ‘cowboy plumber’ had mowed the grass, weeded the garden and done the weekly shop as well then she would not be whinging as much…….
I my experience most people can buy property but make a choice of not doing so by having children (either too many or too early or indeed both), drinking, smoking or thinking that they are poor.
It’s a state of mind and a matter of shorter term sacrifice (25 years) for longer term savings. How can someone retire and live by their own means when they have to pay rent for the rest of their lives? Simple, rely on what are effectively hand outs/subsidy from others (the Taxpayer/Housing Association).
Then they realise later on when its too late that they cannot afford not to have bought property when they are paying rent for all their lives instead of 25 years of a mortgage, then its free.
I say this from someone who paid a 25 year mortgage off in 8 years, so it is possible, just not the natural choice for people that live off the backs of others throughout their lives and not realising and then complain when they have to do something for themselves, unfortunately this is becoming more and more commonplace..
Is being a snob being sick of paying for others when you support yourself and stating that? No.
meme
says...
4:46pm Tue 22 May 12
Family should expect to look after family and people in houses should deal with their problems not go whinging to the papers over something that's unimportant
DYLANESQ
says...
9:25pm Tue 22 May 12
Hildasaint
says...
10:30am Wed 23 May 12
osbaldwicklane says...
8:52am Mon 21 May 12
Thats the problem , you have not , get off your backside and get it sorted NOW.