A North East man is still waiting for action to repair his fence after his life was spoiled by fly tipping and a rat infestation on land behind his garden.

Andrew Wilson, a pest control specialist, says he is still waiting for action from housing association Beyond Housing, who own the land at the back of his house, where fly tipping attracted a rat infestation.

In June Mr Wilson told how he spent 18 months trying to find out who owned the land behind his Hall Close home which he says was left untended to for years, causing the trees and bushes to smash through his fence.

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Now he is locked in a bitter dispute with the housing association who have offered him compensation for the broken fence.

The Northern Echo: Andrew Wilson, 54, and wife Sharon, 50,Andrew Wilson, 54, and wife Sharon, 50,

Andrew, 54 from Middlesbrough, said: “They’ve offered me £800 to replace the broken panels but all the quotes we’ve had have been for around £2,000.

“I don’t know how they think I can replace it for that much.

“It’s totally spoiled our way of life. My wife has been scared to go out in the garden and one of the neighbours has moved her clothes line because she doesn’t want to go to the end of her garden.

“That doesn’t cover the pest control either, which I’ve done out of my own pocket.”

The Northern Echo: The foliage has come through the fence.The foliage has come through the fence.

Andrew was initially offered £510 for ‘the damage the greenery is potentially causing to [the] fence’.

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He was then offered another £100 by the housing association as a gesture of goodwill and they have now upped their offer to £800, but Mr Wilson says this isn’t enough to replace the fence.

The worst of the fly tipping has now been removed but the damage to Andrew’s fence is still yet to be fixed.

A spokesperson for Beyond Housing told The Northern Echo: “We have made what we believe is a fair offer to Mr Wilson to enable him to replace the affected fence panels.

The Northern Echo: Some of the fly tipping has now been removed but Andrew says his fence is still in a state of disrepair.Some of the fly tipping has now been removed but Andrew says his fence is still in a state of disrepair.

“The fly tipping was reported to the Council and removed within the appropriate timescale.

“We have not been presented with any evidence of rodent activity, though if this should this happen, we will of course review the situation.”

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