UK city plagued with vermin as more than 27,000 problems reported in three years

30 December 2023 , 12:45

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Refuse workers have said the plague of rats has made their jobs impossible (Image: supplied)

New figures show the extent of the rat problem in Glasgow - the UK’s fifth-biggest city - with tens of thousands of calls for help against a rising tide of vermin and binmen scared to collect refuse.

Freedom of information data shows that Glasgow City Council received 22,766 calls for rats and 4,577 for mice between 2020/21 and 2022/23. The problem has grown so severe that refuse workers have said they are unable to remove rubbish safely as Scotland’s biggest city is overwhelmed with rats.

In July, the introduction of three-weekly bin collections was blamed by Glasgow’s GMB cleansing convenor for an increase the city's problem with rats. In November, Chris Mitchell from GMB Union said: “I’ve been raising this issue for a number of years now. Telling the council that it’s a daily occurrence. It’s having a detrimental effect on our members mental health and wellbeing. It’s becoming extremely dangerous.

“Two years ago, we had two members that were hospitalised because of rat bites and scratches. And you look at leptospirosis, Weil’s disease. It’s a new risk assessment, it can kill you. So, this is becoming a public health crisis right across Glasgow.”

Glasgow City Council responded: "Issues with pest control are being experienced across the UK and it is widely understood that rats became more visible in residential areas during the Covid lockdowns as they went in search of food."

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The council blamed covid for the increase in pests

"We monitor closely the reports received by our pest control team and we are working hard on how we can best address the circumstances reflected in these recent figures. There are many factors that can influence a rat population but ultimately rats will thrive in places where there is easy access to food and a place to nest. Residents, owners and factors therefore have a vital role in restricting the presence of rodents in and around their property."

Thousands of reports have been made to Scottish councils with 49,909 made about rats and 21,235 about mice. In other areas such as North Lanarkshire, pest controllers were called to 9,673 reports of rats and 2,524 calls about mice. In neighbouring South Lanarkshire Council, staff dealt with 4,992 complaints about rats and 2,179 calls over mice. In September residents in Strathaven reported an infestation that saw rats feast on baby formula in a chemist which had closed after a fire. Other locals and business owners reported issues in their homes and gardens following the blaze at a nearby butcher's shop, Glasgow Live reports.

Fraser Carlin, head of planning and regulatory services at South Lanarkshire Council, said: "Environmental Health are happy to provide advice to landowners seeking advice regarding rodents. The responsibility for dealing with infestations rests with the landowner and in circumstances where property owners are not treating an infestation, Environmental Health would take formal action to ensure an infestation was treated."

A North Lanarkshire Council spokeswoman said: "The council provides a pest control service for residents, including advice and treatment, for a range of pests."

David Meikle