Watford 'rat colony' invades gardens and chews through car

Watford Community Housing tenants in Colne Avenue told the Watford Observer they spot up to 15 rats every fortnight as they appealed for the housing provider to do more to tackle the problem.

Lesleyanne Walker, who moved to the street in 2007, said she has taken to wearing protective clothing in her own back garden after seeing nine rat burrows. 

Colne Avenue resident Lesleyanne said her garden was her sanctuary but now has to wear a protective suit for garden work. (Image: Lesleyanne Walker)

She said: “I live with anxiety and I very, very rarely go out of my home so my sanctuary is my garden, at the moment I’m having to go in a hazmat suit and wellies.”

Lesleyanne suspects the problem is down to rubbish and mess in another WCH tenant’s garden and has raised the matter with the housing provider multiple times.

Pest control officers from Watford Borough Council have also visited the property to deal with the problem three times, but she said it still has not been solved after more than a year.

Colne Avenue residents say they spot up to 15 rats every fortnight, and cats regularly catch the pests. (Image: Marina Gvilova)

The tenant claimed her housing officer told her to put the dead pests in her household rubbish, adding: “Not just for me, but for the neighbours who appreciate our homes and gardens, we shouldn't have to live like this.”

Marina Gvilova, who has lived in Colne Avenue for 10 years, agreed that it was a “massive” problem after the “rat colony” chewed through her new car.

Marina has been quoted £942 to repair the damage to her car after rats chewed through the interior. (Image: Marina Gvilova)

The Watford Observer has seen a quote from the Croxley Green Toyota garage for £942 of repair work after engineers said “rodents chewed through wiring loom” and said “all undertray has been chewed up.”

• 'Massive rat problem' at flats plagued by fly-tipping
• Calls to deal with Watford rat and bed bug infestations surge in recent years

The 51-year-old also believes it is due to rubbish in the other WCH tenant’s garden, adding: “Since last year I cannot use my garden anymore because it’s like I'm living next to the Garston dumping site. 

“The smell is unbearable and on some days we cannot even open windows because it goes through the house.”

Marina Gvilova believes the rat colony is due to rubbish accumulating in another WCH tenant's garden. (Image: Marina Gvilova) A Watford Community Housing spokesperson said it was aware of the concerns and had appointed a pest control specialist. 

They added: “They have already taken initial steps to tackle the issue and will take responsibility for appropriately disposing of any dead rats, so residents should report any instances to us. We are actively working to identify and address all possible sources of the problem."

It has informed Watford Borough Council of the issue and said it will continue to work with the affected parties to resolve it as soon as possible.