A woman said her home is like something out of a horror film due to flies and decomposing rats which she claims an Oldham housing association has left her to deal with for more than a year.
Karole Snowball said she first suspected her home on Lavender Street wasn't right within days of moving in on October 11, 2021, as there was black mould, exposed wires and a peculiar smell.
While cleaning products masked the odour for a short while, she said the smell became inescapable and "unbearable".
The 61-year-old said: "I don't even know how to describe it.
"It hit me between the eyes and it was in every single room. I couldn’t for the life of me fathom what it was.
“The smell was everywhere. You walk in the door, you smell it. You go upstairs, you smell it.”
Concerned, Karole had her gas checked while her new landlord, First Choice Homes Oldham (FCHO), sent a surveyor.
Shockingly, a dead rat - the first of many - was found decomposing under her kitchen cabinets.
A separate inspection of the loft revealed faeces and evidence of living rats in the insulation, but Karole claims it wasn't reported to her at the time.
She only discovered the extent of the infestation when she looked herself, many months later.
"I was furious when I saw it. People have been up there, walking around and coming into my property.
"I would never have known that it was serious as it was and had I known, I wouldn't have gone up.
"The rats have made little holes for themselves so they could be anywhere in that insulation", she added.
Since then, Karole has called pest control at least seven times in the past year and when a dead rat is found, it is removed and more poison is put down.
A spokesperson for FCHO said it hasn't received any further reports of an infestation since September 2022, but new photographs and video footage reveal the extent of the "devastation" caused by the rats in her property which are still yet to be fixed.
There are holes in the walls and a broken plinth in the kitchen from where the rats were living in the cabinets which she said needs to be filled in and repaired.
But Karole also said nothing has been done to find out how the rats are getting in and the problem persists with the distinct smell of dead vermin returning time and time again.
On one occasion, she said a plumber nearly refused to fit a dishwasher and was so concerned about his health and safety that he wore a mask and gloves in her home.
Karole continued: "Whenever there is a dead rat, the blue bottles - the big disgusting flies - come.
"The flies are what turns my stomach the most, knowing that they've come from out of the carcass of a dead rat.
"It's like out of the film Amityville Horror, when you go into a room and it's full of flies", she added.
Karole is also a full-time carer to her granddaughter, age 10, who has special needs and said the infestation is taking a toll on both of them.
"I came from abroad to provide a safe and clean home for her to live in.
"I've tried to hide it but she will come and tell me: 'Nana, the flies are back'.
"It's stressful", the grandmother added.
The ordeal prompted her to open a case with a solicitor in May last year which saw her awarded compensation from FCHO in acknowledgement "of their failings to correct the issues with the home".
She claimed the housing association then had until October 2022 to make amends but her pleas for help are being ignored.
Karole continued: "Nothing is getting done.
"I don't feel like I've been taken seriously or that they've taken responsibility.
"We are all equal. We are all human and at the end of the day, whether we are good or bad tenants, landlords are responsible for putting the situation right.
"There are viruses and other sicknesses that come from the spores of dead rat faeces - it needs to be decontaminated and fumigated.
"It's not a quick fix. It's a rat fest up there and it's gone on for over a year and they're still dragging their heels while I am living this nightmare."
A letter seen by The Oldham Times reveals FCHO has escalated the matter as of Friday, January 27.
Steve Mather, Director of Assets and Sustainability at First Choice Homes Oldham, added: “We take the welfare of our customers extremely seriously and we are committed to providing high quality, safe homes.
“Since our customer initially raised concerns in 2021, we and our specialist contractor, Contego, have responded to these issues and taken the necessary steps to resolve them."
The director said FCHO received no further reports from Contego on the infestation since the last visit last year but that an inspection and repair works are now on the cards in the next coming days.
"I would like to apologise for the delay and inconvenience this has caused.
“We take all feedback and complaints from our customers extremely seriously and seek to learn from them to improve the services we provide.
"We will continue to stay in contact with our customer until this matter is fully resolved", he added.
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