Rats force residents out of home

Residents in Guernsey's Carteret Mews have had an outbreak of rats.

Home-owners near the former Hotel Le Cartarets have been struggling to control the rats, which they believe may come from the hotel itself.

The hotel was demolished for housing and has been left empty for a number of years.

Environmental Health have provided rat traps, but for the residents this isn't enough.
He says, "There are rat droppings in ths kid's bedroom, there's big holes behind the fridge and behind the tumble drier.

"I've witnessed on three different occasions seeing the rats. I don't know if it's the same one or different ones but they're the size of little kittens and we feel like we're being driven out of our home.

"We'll never be here again, we're going and that's that, we're never going to come back."

Deputy Chief Environmental Health Officer, Tobin Cook says they are looking into the problem but it will take time.

He says, "We responded very rapidly in the first instance, we will be contacting people again to do follow-up treatments.

"We've also had one of the officers today get in contact with the developer to make sure they're taking suitable steps this side too so at the moment, yes, we are satisfied that enough is being done but it is an ongoing matter that we'll continue to treat.

"Unfortunately with pest issues like this they aren't resolved immediately.

"Obviously there is some responsibility on the house owners to make sure their property is structurally sound as well and that's something that we can give advice on so it's very much something we'll work with them to try and resolve and hopefully get it sorted as soon as possible."