Olive Grove Road rats: Worried residents' action call over 'severe rat infestation' on their Sheffield street
Worried residents are demanding action over what they described as a severe rat infestation, on their Sheffield street.
People living on Olive Grove Road, Olive Grove, say they have ‘a severe and ongoing rat infestation’ that is affecting at least 19 properties, causing significant damage, distress, and potential health hazards.
They claim Sheffield Council has failed to get a grip on the problem, and warn they will take the issue to the local government ombudsman if the council does not sort it out.
Resident Scarlett Gash has written to the authority raising the concerns on behalf of the residents, claiming that despite repeated attempts by residents to get help, Sheffield Council has failed to deal with the problem, which she says is their legal responsibility.
She said: “We are now formally demanding urgent intervention.”
She has told officials that residents have found rats under floorboards, inside kitchens, attics and bedrooms. They had chewed and damaged electrical wiring, water pipes, insulation, and floorboards have been damaged.
She said there were concerns over the smell of dead rats and concerns over disease. Cats were ‘regularly catching rats, she added.
She said: “The financial burden on residents is now in the thousands of pounds, with risks of major structural damage to properties if the infestation continues.
“Residents are particularly outraged that council tax has increased by over 20 per cent in the last five years, yet essential services, including pest control and environmental health, have deteriorated significantly. Public services have been systematically reduced, with severe cuts to waste management, housing maintenance, and pest control, leaving residents to deal with infestations at their own expense.”
She said residents want to see professional intervention at a street-wide level, not just at individual properties.
Councillor Joe Otten, chairman of the Waste and Street Scene Committee at Sheffield City Council, said: “We understand anyone who experiences an issue like a rat infestation over any period of time will be anxious and frustrated, and where we can, we will provide support to rectify that.
“We do offer a range of pest control services, including a free service for people on qualifying benefits who identify a rat problem. If landowners or other persons in control of land do not keep them free of rats we can take enforcement action to ensure rats are eradicated.
“We encourage those who need support to get in touch with our Environmental Health Services as early as they can. Each complaint will be investigated.”