Residents have told of their nightmare after rats have infested their Slaithwaite homes.
The houses in Tudor Street and Gordon Street are a mix of council houses and some are privately owned but residents say the problem is widespread and cannot be tackled on an individual house basis.
Francine Houston, of Tudor Street, says the problem is getting worse.
She said: “I own my house but both my neighbours are rented by the council.
“I’ve know there was a rat problem since the summer when my neighbour said she saw a rat on her window sill.
“She had pest control out and they said it was because the drains were blocked.
“But about four weeks ago I started to hear them scurrying in my loft.
“I wouldn’t go up there, so my son went up and he said there were droppings and put poisons down.
“I got a handyman to put poison down. The rats are travelling across the eaves through the houses.
She added: “It needs a full extermination as the traps aren’t doing anything.
“It makes me feel dirty just knowing they are in there.”
Francine she has notified Kirklees Council Pest Control who were due to re-visit Tudor Street today (Thursday).
Meanwhile, mum-of-four Gemma Watson, who lives in Tudor Street, first discovered there was a problem six weeks ago when a pipe in the cupboard under her kitchen sink burst.
Upon closer inspection she found teeth marks in the pipe and she called in Kirklees Council Pest Control.
Gemma said: “I thought it was mice but pest control said it was rats and put poison down in the cupboard.
“It was only after that when we heard scratching and scuttling in the loft and realised it was far worse than we thought.
“The pest control are due to come back but we know the rats are in neighbouring houses and there’s no way to control it other than to put poison down.”
Gemma also took matters into her own hands and after researching online ordered a plug-in device which delivers a high pitched noise to disperse the rats.
She added: “I’ve got four kids and it’s disgusting to think they’ve been up there.
“The noises have stopped but unless all the houses are treated it won’t solve the problem.”
