A NORTH EAST man has told how his life is being 'spoiled' by fly tipping and a rat infestation from neighbouring unkept land which is ruining his garden.
Andrew Wilson, a pest control specialist, says his family’s way of life has been impacted by an infestation of rats which he believes came from housing association land at the back of his house.
Mr Wilson, 54, spent 18 months trying to find out who owns the land behind his home on Hall Close, Middlesbrough which he says has become a hotspot for fly tipping and been left untended to for years, causing the trees and bushes to smash his fence.
He eventually discovered the land belongs to local housing association Beyond Housing.
Mr Wilson contacted Beyond Housing who offered him £510 compensation for ‘the damage the greenery is potentially causing to [the] fence’, despite him having been quoted £1,900 to have the broken fence replaced.
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Andrew told The Northern Echo: “I can’t remember the land being tended for at least five, maybe ten years.
“My neighbour saw a rat in her garden at first then my wife saw two running across ours. I’m a pest controller and have been dealing with them but the land behind us makes a perfect run for them.
“My wife is scared to go out in the garden. It’s spoiled our way of life.
“The quotes we got for a new fence were around £1,900 but [Beyond Housing] offered us just £510 which they said was based on £30 fence panels from B&Q.”
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The housing association later offered him another £100 as a gesture of goodwill and have arranged for ‘the appropriate maintenance works’ to be carried out on the land when nesting season is over.
A spokesperson for Beyond Housing told The Northern Echo: “We take Mr Wilson’s concerns seriously and are working with him to come to a mutually satisfactory resolution.
“Beyond Housing is committed to maintaining local communities for the benefit of both customers and private residents.”
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