Three Greater Manchester MPs and Salford mayor Paul Dennett have urged social housing bosses to take urgent action over the "life-threatening squalor" some tenants are living in. This follows the revelation that an entire row of terraced houses owned by housing association Salix Homes is teeming with rats and mice.
A letter to the chief executives of Salix, Irwell Valley Homes, Great Places, Pendleton Together, For Housing, Mosscare St Vincent's and Onward Homes has been signed by MPs Rebecca Long-Bailey (Salford and Eccles), Barbara Keeley (Worsley and Eccles South) and Graham Stringer (Blackley and Broughton) as well as Mr Dennett.
Their action has been prompted by a group of residents in Rake Lane, Swinton who say they have been traumatised by rats, mice and flies for months. There are also issues of black mould in the homes. The residents say they approached Ms Long-Bailey and the Local Democracy Reporting Service in "desperation" when attempts to get the infestations dealt with failed.
Although Salix has offered to rehouse one of the residents who produced medical evidence of her distress, three other mothers with young children - one of whom is pregnant - and other residents in the row say the rats and flies are making their lives 'intolerable'. Meanwhile, Salford City Council has agreed that there is a wider environmental problem creating the problem in Rake Lane, which is near a waste disposal tip and a recycling facility.
A spokesperson said: “Our officers are working with partners to get the problem resolved. We have already provided some pest control treatments in the area and will be visiting again to take more action if required.”
Demi-lei Keithley, 23, first noticed mice in her home in November 2021. "I was heavily pregnant and I reported the problem to Salix in December and begged them to help," she said.
"I received an email response from Salix saying I could raise a job with the repairs team to fill in the holes, but they were unable to treat or fund the infestation problem. I repeatedly begged as I was desperate for my daughter's sake. Every day I was on my hands and knees bleaching, scrubbing and filling in holes, even though I was more than 30 weeks pregnant."
Demi said she bought mouse traps and used poison, which caused a risk to her unborn child and dog. "I caught lots of mice and rats, but it still did not cure the problem," she said.
"I then resorted to spraying expanding foam in the holes around the flat. But this still did not work. They were coming up behind the bathroom sink, through skirting boards, behind the TV, sofa, cooker, washer, dryer, the hallway and landing.
"It got so bad I had to confine myself to the bedroom. I bought my daughter a new steriliser and bottle and put them on the kitchen worktop ready for her arrival. One night I heard mice and upon entering the kitchen they were on top of the steriliser.
"I had a Christmas tree up and presents were under it. One morning I got up and the tree had been knocked over and the lights and the gifts had been chewed through. There are two holes in my sofa where the mice chewed through."
Mother-of-three Zoe Brooks, 26, is 16 weeks pregnant. She said: "The rats, mice and flies are horrendous. They are impossible for us to get rid of without help. I've had hundreds of pounds of Christmas presents ruined by rats and mice."
Twenty-one-year-old Lisa Cooper who is a mum to a girl of four shot shocking video of rats running freely just outside her door. "It's absolutely disgusting," she said. "The squalor we are being forced to live in is nothing short of life-threatening for us and our children."
Neighbour Emma Martin, 37, moved out of her home temporarily because the rats and flies were so bad. After producing medical evidence or Salix she had been informed they will rehouse her when accommodation becomes available.
In their letter, the MPs and Mr Dennett also referenced the tragic death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak in Rochdale, uncovered by the Manchester Evening News, in their letter to the housing associations' bosses. It was found that little Awaab’s lungs had been exposed to damp and mould in the flat he lived with his family and that his death is directly linked to these poor living conditions.
They say: "We are clear: Awaab’s death should bring great anger to us all in this country, one of the richest economies in the world. No family should ever have to live in the conditions he and his family endured."
They go on: "We are sure that you agree that the overriding priority for all housing providers must be to provide a healthy and safe environment for tenants and to resolve any poor conditions found within their properties urgently. Under no circumstances should tenants be forced to continue to live in properties that pose a risk to their health.
"Therefore, we request an urgent commitment to the actions, many of which you may already be undertaking, to ensure that you are actively monitoring and protecting the health of your tenants."
They want the housing associations to take the following steps:
- Compile a report which details the quality and condition of each of their properties from their last assessment, advising when those last assessments took place and whether that housing is currently occupied or being advertised for occupation.
- Undertake a new and more detailed assessment of the condition of all their housing stock, evaluating against the ‘Decent Homes’ standard, and provide them with this assessment as soon as possible.
- For all properties identified as being in a substandard condition, commit to resolving these issues urgently if they are occupied or being advertised for occupancy.
- For those properties which are found to have damp or mould within them, commit to resolving these issues within one month of them being identified.
- Undertake an assessment of the efficacy of emergency and non-emergency maintenance and repairs reporting systems for tenants, and the speed reported issues are resolved. "We would also be grateful if you could provide us with this assessment as soon as possible," they say.
- Commit to regular health and safety assurance assessments before a new tenant moves in, after a tenant moves out, and periodically during tenancies (with tenant consent).
- Advise the MPs and mayor of any housing, supply chain or financial issues they may have experienced which will impact on you achieving these targets, to allow them to raise these concerns directly with the Government.
Sue Sutton, chief executive at Salix Homes, said: “We understand residents’ concerns regarding the environmental issues affecting the Rake Lane area of Swinton. “These properties are located in close proximity to an industrial area and woodland and we believe these issues are part of a wider environmental problem in the area and requires a multi-agency response, working alongside Salford City Council, in order to identify and implement a long-term resolution.
“We’re committed to advocating for our tenants while working with the council and other key stakeholders to establish a clear action plan to tackle these environmental issues. We have sent letters to all residents in Rake Lane urging them to contact us if they have any concerns about their properties, or the area surrounding their homes.
“In the meantime, we are carrying out external inspections and offering home visits and meetings with all tenants who’d like to discuss any of these issues with us directly. We have also carried out additional work in the vicinity of the properties, including cutting back undergrowth and we are carrying out weekly fly-tipping inspections in a bid to deter vermin from the area.
“With regards to the video, this is the first time this clip has been brought to our attention, and while we are working with the council to address the environmental issues as a matter of urgency, we are very concerned about what appears to be dangerous driving. This is a matter for the police and highways department, and we have passed this video over to them to investigate.
“We’re unable to discuss individual cases due to customer confidentiality, however, we are working closely with residents to discuss their individual concerns and provide any additional housing support they may require. We take all complaints from our tenants very seriously and have a robust complaints process in place. We’d always urge residents to contact us to discuss any concerns they may have.”
READ NEXT:
