Drivers forks out £300 for car wiring after making 'stomach-churning' discovery

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Kanzis said that littering and fly-tipping in the area added to the rat problem (Image: Glasgow Live/ Media Scotland)
Kanzis said that littering and fly-tipping in the area added to the rat problem (Image: Glasgow Live/ Media Scotland)

A couple from Glasgow have had to pay nearly £300 for car repairs after rats chewed through their vehicle's wiring.

Kanzis Mattu was in disbelief when a local garage found evidence of rats - including droppings and discarded food wrappers - under her Ford Fiestas bonnet. The problem continues as she has had to repeatedly return her car for further repairs.

She told GlasgowLive: "People constantly dump bread crumbs on the ground for the birds and that's attracting the rats. All the residential bins in this area are like open skips and it's horrific. We had a couple of weeks where the bins weren't taken away and there were just piles on piles of rubbish."

She added: "All of the bags have been chewed through. I was shocked when he told me there were rat droppings in the engine, I never heard of it before and it made me feel really dirty."

Kanzis also found other things brought by the rats like chewing gum wrappers and even a Costa cup at the bottom of her car. Describing how gross it is to deal with, she said: "There's droppings, chewing gum wrappers and even a Costa cup at the bottom of the car. They bring in their rubbish including hair which would make your stomach turn." She added: "It's disgusting to try and deal with. I don't know if I'm breathing in anything dangerous."

Rats running amok on £250m development leave residents in 'living nightmare' qhiddtiudixzinvRats running amok on £250m development leave residents in 'living nightmare'

Kanzis, a local resident in Glasgow, has expressed her frustration over the persistent rat problem in the area. She believes that the issue is being exacerbated by littering and fly-tipping. Despite trying various methods to deter the rats, including parking on different streets and using peppermint oil and repellant, the rats keep returning.

Drivers forks out £300 for car wiring after making 'stomach-churning' discoveryHer local garage found food wrappers under her bonnet (Glasgow Live / Media Scotland)

She said: "Nothing that we do personally can fix this problem yet we are the ones having to pay out of pocket for it and it's really stressful to deal with."

She urged Glasgow City Council to address the situation, saying: "They (Glasgow City Council) really need to take a look at the bins in this area. If we had secure bins, it would make such a huge difference. They need to put out a notice about people fly-tipping and dumping food on the ground. We can't just continue to pay for repairs needed to our cars. We feel really trapped and don't know what else to do."

Glasgow City Council acknowledged the 'environmental issues' in the area. A spokesman stated: "Unfortunately, several bin courts for properties along this street are in poor condition, which is contributing to these issues. The adjoining back lane, which provides access to the street's bin courts, is also privately owned and it is the responsibility of owners to remove fly-tipping from their property."

"Rats are attracted to food waste and in any circumstances, it is always essential to ensure that food is properly contained within a properly closed bin to prevent infestation. Ensuring back courts and back lanes are properly maintained will also help deter rats from finding places to nest."

"New domestic waste bins have recently been installed on Paisley Road West, which is used by some Percy Street residents and the lids on these bins can be locked. Householders have a responsibility to ensure they have suitable bin containment for their domestic waste."

Iona Young

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