Ebbw Vale man suffering from seven-year rat infestation stench

Sean Twohig, 64, has claimed he has been living with the rodents running around his attic for almost seven years now, with their noises causing "almost nightly disruption to my sleep".

Despite having reported it to his landlord, Tai Calon Housing Association, on a number of occasions during this time, he has been unsuccessful in getting the issue sorted. 

"To date, Tai Calon has done absolutely nothing to address the situation, apart from using Rentokil to put poison in the attics," he said. "This doesn't help because then they can't get the rats out and they die up there, leaving the smell. The stench is just nauseating."

Mr Twohig says he has counted at least six new rats in the last two months, two of which are heavily pregnant (Image: Sean Twohig)

Mr Twohig says he has counted six different rats, four of which are female, and two of which are allegedly "quite pregnant". He has captured footage of the rats on his CCTV and shown this to his landlord. 

Mr Twohig claims the rats have been infesting in all the other four houses on his block as well, leading Tai Calon to tell him they must be coming in from "above ground". However Mr Twohig thinks this is unlikely as the company responsible for the rat-free mesh that was implemented in 2022 have a reputation for "excellent quality".

He was originally told back in April 2022 that the rats entrance  had been filled in line with the Welsh Housing Quality Standards refurbishment work that had been completed, but he has since found six more rats in just November and December, hence his reluctance to believe the entrance isn't below ground. 

Tai Calon returned to his home on December 20 as part of a routine inspection, and were originally supposed to bring a technology officer with them who would turn off the air circulation unit in his house to deal with the stench. 

"I haven't had any luck with them so far, so I wasn't really expecting anyone to turn up," Mr Twohig explained. 

The rats have been disrupting Mr Twohig's sleep and causing a major stench for seven years, leading to a significant deterioration in his mental and physical health (Image: Sean Twohig)

An electrician was eventually sent into the property to deal with the unit on Friday, December 22, in a bid to stop the stench getting into his home. 

"It was horrific - getting into my bedroom, my kitchen, my bathroom, everywhere," he said. "They could've turned that unit off six weeks ago, but left me suffering with the stench until the last day before Christmas. Lovely."

Mr Twohig says he has continually written to Tai Calon to get them to deal with the problem once and for all.

A spokesperson for Tai Calon Housing Association said: “We want to express our understanding and sympathy for Mr Twohig's current situation, and we are dedicated to supporting him in addressing the infestation issue he is facing.

"The responsibility for pest control locally lies with Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council, and we have provided financial assistance to support their efforts in managing pest infestations like the one Mr Twohig is experiencing." 

Blaenau Gwent County Council confirmed that they offer a complimentary pest service to help address infestations such as this in partnership with Rentokil Pest Control. 

Tai Calon have said the scheme is incredibly important to them, admitting that they have had feedback from other tenants about the challenges caused by "various pest-related issues, including rats."