'I can't even have my own backdoor open anymore'- Peterborough residents lives being made a misery by rat problem

Residents in Cardea have been left unable to even open their backdoors amidst high temperatures this summer, such is the problem with rats in the area.

Residents in Orfeus Drive in Cardea have reached out to the Peterborough Telegraph anonymously to describe the extent of the problem, which is believed to have been caused by rubbish left uncleared nearby.

One resident told the Peterborough Telegraph: “We have had to get out homemade traps in our gardens and the rats are some size. They are there in the day and night.

"We now can’t have our backdoor open because of the rats. They have tunnelled, they have gone under our patio, it’s just awful. Our garden has been decimated. I have had to get rid of my son’s sandpit because of all the rat faeces on it and they’ve chewed the canvas, they’re chewed all of the furniture too and caused major damage under the patio and the shed.

"There has been whole colonies coming through the fence. Some of them are the size of a small cat.

“We can’t have any work done to the garden because it’s infested. It has really made my mental health deteriorate.”

Residents have been left unhappy with housing association Amplius, which has insisted that pest control must be paid for by residents themselves.

A further resident added: “I have been asked if I want to go halves on a skip but why should I have to pay to clear someone else’s rubbish up?

"It is really unfair. We haven’t caused this yet we are being asked to foot the bill and pest control is not cheap.”

Phil Hardy, Chief Operations Officer at Amplius, said: “We’re aware of an issue with rats in this area and are working alongside environmental health officers to address it.

“We only own a small number of homes in Orfeus Drive, and where we’re made aware of any issues at our properties which could be contributing to a rat infestation, we work with our customers to resolve these.

“This can include measures such as hiring skips to facilitate rubbish clearances, education around waste disposal and raising required repairs.

“Pest control is the responsibility of individual property owners, but we’ll continue to work with our customers, the wider community and environmental health colleagues to ensure we’re doing what we can to help reduce the risk of rat infestations.”