Terrified mum and kids sleep in living room to escape rats invading their home
A mum claims she has to sleep with her kids in the living room as they are "scared of the noises in the ceiling" with the house invaded by rats.
Becky Flattery has lived in the flat in Huyton, Liverpool for five years and in that time the communal garden has been plagued by a vermin infestation, she said.
The 30-year-old said the outdoor area at the building on Oxford Road is supposed to be maintained by Livv Housing.
But it has become overgrown and vermin now live in the garden and inside the flats, it is claimed.
Becky, who has two children George, three, and Holly, two, said: "I am on the top floor and you can hear them in my ceiling in the loft.
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Becky Flattery with her two children (Liverpool Echo)"They started above my room but you can hear them in the children's bedroom and living room now.
"You can also hear them knocking about in the walls.
"We've brought a mattress into the living room and we all sleep in here now. The children just won't settle otherwise. They're scared by the noises in the ceiling."
The mum-of-two said all residents pay for the communal area to be looked after by the housing association but the grass has not been cut for months and there is dog mess on the ground.
Becky said there are plenty of rats during the day in the garden and she dreads to think what it is like at night.
A hole Becky said rats use to enter her block of flats (Liverpool Echo)She branded the garden a "pig sty", reported the Liverpool Echo, with the outdoor area also covered in holes with exposed pipes.
Becky said: "I can't take the children out there - the holes are so big. It's really dangerous for the children, but it's hard because I can't keep them in the flat.
"When we go out we have to go to the nearest park instead. Having the garden is so convenient and it could be so good, but it's just so overgrown."
The mum and her fellow residents in the block of flats have paid hundreds of pounds to Livv Housing in recent months to maintain the outdoor space.
The block of flats in Huyton (Liverpool Echo)But Becky said the housing association has been "very blasé" when residents have complained about the terrible conditions, adding "people need to know about this".
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She claimed it's only a matter of time before the rats are inside her kitchen cupboards, but she has no choice but to stay.
"I've got nowhere else to go - I don't have any family I can go to," she said. "I've been on Property Pool Plus for a year, but it's not like I can jump the queue. I have to wait. Living here is affecting my and my children's physical and mental health."
Becky said her children are scared of the noises from the rats (Liverpool Echo)Tony Cahill, Executive Director of Property at Livv Housing Group, reportedly said: “We’re aware of the issues with grass cutting in the communal gardens at Oxford Road and are working to resolve this.
“Unfortunately, our contractors have recently been unable to carry out grounds maintenance in line with our schedule. This has been due to the risks posed from several dogs being left loose and the conditions of the grass as a result of dog faeces.
“We do regularly bait the area but haven’t been made aware of any issues of rats or exposed pipes at this property. We’ll arrange an inspection now it’s been brought to our attention.
“We’d encourage customers to contact us to discuss any issues so we can address them.”
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