Rats Blamed on Tenant Despite Estate Woes

A Reading council tenant says he was blamed for rat problems at his Arthur Place home, even though other residents on the Orts Road estate also reported infestations.

Sinclair Jeffrey, 44, who has lived at Arthur Place for around 20 years, says rats have repeatedly entered his flat and damaged food, clothing and other belongings.

"The rats were eating my food and contaminating it. They damaged my clothes. I had rat urine on clothes that I had to throw away. Some had sentimental value because my mum gave them to me."

Jeffrey, who has OCD, PTSD and autism, says the situation hit his mental health hard. "I hear the rats screaming and squealing, which has affected my mental health. I've felt isolated. The council blamed me for it. I felt ashamed."

He says he paid about £500 for private pest control after trying to deal with the problem himself. Pest controllers laid bait but warned rats could keep coming in unless access points were fixed.

Photographs supplied by Jeffrey show dead rats inside his flat and elsewhere on the estate. He later spoke to neighbours and learned others had similar issues but were too ashamed to say anything.

Jeffrey has been temporarily moved to accommodation in Elgar Road, Katesgrove, for eight weeks, though he still needs to return to Arthur Place to collect important post.

Reading Borough Council said it was working with experts. "We are currently working with pest control experts to address rat activity which has been reported by several tenants on the estate. We will continue a programme of monitoring and treatment in the areas affected for as long as is needed to remedy pest activity and protect residents' wellbeing. We welcome reports from our tenants that allow us to take such action."

James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter