A private homeowner in Smethwick has spoken of her disgust after dirty nappies were repeatedly thrown into a tree outside her block of flats, attracting rats and mice to the property.
Carlie-Ann Hare, who owns her flat at Cygnet Court, first noticed the soiled nappies caught in the branches of the tree outside her living room window in mid-July. She claims that Midland Heart Housing Association has done little to address the issue, and the recent hot weather has only intensified the stench.
Ongoing fly-tipping problem
For the past three weeks, someone has been discarding their child's soiled nappies without bags from a balcony above, with the waste landing in the tree outside Hare's ground-floor flat. She described the situation as 'driving me insane', noting that a new nappy appears every few days.
Hare pointed out that Cygnet Court is not a high-rise tower, so residents can easily access the bin area, even from the top floor, with a lift available. She expressed frustration that the culprit has not taken this simple step.
Health hazards and vermin
The dumped nappies have attracted rats and mice, which Hare has observed climbing the tree to reach the waste. She noted that she had never seen rodents around the property before this incident, raising concerns about the potential health risks.
'It's the whole health hazard of it. It's an environmental health hazard. I don't know what the rats are bringing around us. I don't want my cat or myself to be poorly,' she told BirminghamLive.
Mouse enters the flat
The situation escalated recently when a mouse managed to get into Hare's flat. She believes it entered through a gap caused by misaligned drainage pipes outside the property. Fortunately, her cat managed to scare the mouse away.
Hare, who bought her home four years ago, had previously experienced no issues at the block. She first reported the soiled nappies in the tree on July 14, and since then, the problem has worsened with more rodents being attracted to the area.
Frustration with housing association
Residents at Cygnet Court pay £177 per month for ground rent and maintenance. Hare argued that this sum should be sufficient for the housing association to respond promptly to such issues.
'If you think that [sum] is from everyone, I'd have thought that's enough to come out the same day. They have ignored my pleas to clear it up and now rats are congregating outside. I'm at a loss,' she said.
Hare added that she had never had any problems before and that the neighbours are generally good. She was told that Midland Heart would issue a letter to all residents urging them not to fly-tip, but she feels more action is needed.
