'They are big rats': Residents living in fear of leaving their home with rats outside back door
Residents living in a housing development have told of how their homes are ‘plagued by rats’.
A video taken of the Woven Housing Association development – Church Court – in Strabane shows large rats running about in the back yard.
Independent Councillor for Derry City and Strabane District Council, Raymond Barr, said he has been contacted by residents who feel their calls for help are not being answered.
He said: ‘The residents contacted us as they felt they were not getting anywhere with the housing association and the council.
‘So they asked myself and another councillor to help them.
‘We visited them in their homes and they weren’t exaggerating about the rats.
‘They are big rats.
‘They had a couple of videos and it is frightening’.
A spokesman for Derry City and Strabane District Council said: ‘The issue has been reported to Council’s Environmental Health team.
‘While Council does not operate a pest control service our officers have been providing information and advice to householders on pest control and effective ways to deal with unwelcome rodents.’
And a spokesman for Woven Housing Association said: “Woven Housing Association is aware of an intermittent issue with rodents in the
Church Court area of Strabane.
"We’ve been actively working and will continue to work with Derry City Council’s Health, Housing and Public Conveniences Team and
the adjacent landowner(s) to manage the situation.
"The Association is taking all necessary steps with the Council, landowner(s), local Councillors and tenants to deal with the issue.
"Woven HA takes the issue of pest control very seriously and will act quickly where it is aware of an issue.
"In this case, a work order for pest control intervention was made on the same day the issue was reported to the Association.
"Information for tenants is available on Woven HA’s website pest-control-w.pdf
"Any tenant affected or concerned by the issue should contact Exchange House, 2nd floor, Queens Quay L/Derry BT48 7AS, 028 7136 0015, or [email protected]”