A COUNCIL tenant with a rat-infested home has hit out at the council’s slow response.

Kevin O’Brien, 67, of Wentworth Avenue, Slough, said that the rats had first appeared after Slough Borough Council (SBC) made repairs to his house.

Mr O’Brien said: “I had a leak from the mains in the kitchen – I had lots of water coming up through the floor. I called out the council, and they eventually sent out a plumber. They left holes in the kitchen, through the wall. I called them to find out when they were going to repair it, and three years later, they finally did. But by then, rats had got in.

"I put down poison, but that was no good. I called environmental health, but they didn’t fix the problem, it’s just going on and on. The rats are in the wall cavities, and are under the wooden floor. It’s been going on so bloody long, its driving me round the bend.”

Mr O’Brien, who is disabled, said he was worried about eating in his own home with the rat infestation. Mr O’Brien said: “I’m disabled, diabetic, I have two really bad knees, and I’ve had two strokes and two heart attacks recently. I’ve got kids and grandkids, but I don’t want them coming here with a rat problem.”

After inquiries by the Observer, SBC performed an inspection of the property, and has scheduled a pest control contractor to carry out rat treatment at Mr O’Brien’s property.

An SBC spokeswoman said: “An issue was spotted during the visit by our neighbourhood housing officer and enforcement team leader.

“There was a hole in a larder cupboard leading to a redundant external coal shed, through which rats are gaining access. This will be fixed by our repairs and maintenance partner Osborne Property Services.”