An infestation of rats has plagued an apartment block in east London, leaving people “terrified,” “stressed” and “unable to sleep.”
Footage of the infestation at the Crystal Court flats in Hackney depicted more than a dozen rats living in the bin store.
The building’s management – Notting Hill Genesis – said the situation was being taken care of and issued an apology to those affected.
Residents reported that the issue had been ongoing for the best part of a year, and that there had been multiple complaints issued to management.
Marlon, who witnessed the infestation, told the BBC: "I saw 10 to 15 rats scurrying up the walls, running into a hole in the bin store ceiling."
"I was shocked. I threw my rubbish into the bin and got out."
One affected resident said the described the experience as “terrifying” and said it has been a source of stress for several months.
The reported that she has been kept awake at night due to the sound of the rats in her walls.
Mafalda Pedro, another resident, said: "You can hear them scratching away. We've complained quite a few times already."
She explained: "It's not a good environment, especially because we have a child. We're scared to go downstairs to be honest."
"I have a young daughter and I feel scared. At night, from inside our flat you can hear the rats scratching," another resident, named Diana, said.
Notting Hill Genesis said: "Household waste left in communal areas has now been cleared and we have carried out extensive pest control and prevention work.
"Work to clean and remove waste from the bin store has been completed and cleaning will continue to keep the space sanitary."
The building management company said: "We continue to work with residents and have advised them to take additional care when disposing of waste to prevent these issues from reoccurring."
