Residents of a block of maisonettes on Austin Road in Handsworth, Birmingham, say they are being forced to use Brillo pads to stop rats from chewing their way into their homes. Charley Calland, 32, said she has stuffed the scouring pads behind her toilet because the rodents cannot chew through them. The residents report that fearless rats have invaded communal bins, damaged cars, and burrowed into properties, and they are now calling on their housing association, Midland Heart, to take tougher action.
Residents describe rat infestations and property damage
Ms Calland described the scale of the problem: “They're in the wheelie bin, when you open it, there are six to 10 rats in there. They've dug a hole through the meter outside and gone into my bathroom. The housing association have tried to repair it but I've put Brillo pads behind the toilet because they cannot chew through them - it's the only thing to stop them. They don't fall for the bait boxes. We can't put the washing out because they run through the laundry.”
Another resident, Bereket Tekeste, 46, a construction worker and taxi driver, said the rats caused £2,000 of damage to his Toyota after chewing through the electrics. “I've been here since 2016 and I'm struggling with rats inside my house and they have caused £2,000 (damage) to my car because they chewed through the electrics. Sometimes the rats come through the toilet. I have a clean house and I put poison there,” he said.
Families report trauma and ongoing fear
Josh Adjmul, 50, a chef, said: “The place is infested by rats. They jump out when I bring the rubbish out, three or four at a time. When my grandchildren stay with me, they've jumped up at them and it's traumatised them.” Kristy Cox, 29, who works as a lunchtime school supervisor, said her partner pulled out the skull of a dead rat from inside his car. She said: “At the start of the year, I reported the rats because they were literally circling everyone's door.”
Midland Heart responds with pest control measures
Midland Heart responded to the residents' concerns, stating: “We understand our tenants' concerns about rat activity in the area and have taken several steps to investigate and respond. A specialist pest control officer has carried out multiple rounds of treatment in and around our properties on Austin Road and continues to monitor the situation closely. We will continue to take action where we can, but this is a wider environmental issue that is being exacerbated by ongoing waste and refuse challenges across Birmingham. We are working closely with Birmingham City Council and our specialist contractors to support a longer-term solution, while continuing to respond to concerns raised by our tenants.”
The residents are now pleading with Midland Heart to implement tougher measures, including filling in the numerous rat holes around the estate. The housing association has acknowledged the issue and says it is coordinating with the city council to address the broader environmental factors contributing to the infestation.
