Oldham resident plagued by rats expresses constant illness and Christmas fears

James Solan, an Oldham resident, has voiced concerns about spending Christmas alongside rats, despite having made numerous complaints regarding a rodent infestation at his home. He stated that he had informed his housing association about the problem “dozens” of times. The 63-year-old reported hearing rats moving in his attic during the night and discovering cereal boxes on his kitchen floor that had been rummaged through by the pests. First Choice Homes Oldham (FCHO) indicated that efforts were underway to address the rat issue, which is thought to originate from an adjacent property. Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Mr Solan expressed his distress, stating: “I’m not a well man. I could do without all the stress. I feel sick all the time.“I’m worried they’re going to get to my food. If they’ve nibbled at it, you can’t eat it. I can’t afford to replace it, so I’d starve.” FCHO confirmed that a staff member conducted a visit in October, and an environmental health officer from Oldham council subsequently deployed poison and traps. The housing association further stated: “In this particular instance, we have taken several steps to resolve the problem since it was first reported to us by Mr Solan in October.”We are committed to working with Mr Solan to ensure the problem is concluded as quickly as possible and we will keep in contact to update him on our progress.” For more content, listeners can access BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk or via Whatsapp at 0808 100 2230. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.