Residents complain of rats infestation at Portsmouth block as council takes action

Beleaguered locals have been forced to put up with rats at flats in Grafton Street, Buckland, where the pests are regularly seen - even during daylight hours. One resident said: “There are dead rats in lifts, rats in people's flats chewing cables and rats in garages chewing car cables.” 

According to people on Neighbourhood Forum platform, there have been issues at various places across the city, ranging from Fratton to Commercial Road. The city council have said they are taking action on the Grafton Street infestation but do not have reports of rats elsewhere in the city.

One person posting on Neighbourhood Forum said: “One lady said she had her fridge freezer replaced after finding them in her old one. Another man had spent £800 on his car after rats had eaten the cabling.”

Another resident said: “Remember seeing them in Tesco car park climbing into wheel arches on cars. They were huge as well.”

A third local wrote: “I blame Southern Water for all the sewage they don't sort out.”

A fourth said: “We have them in Fratton, our rats are very bold and come out during the day, they got under the cover of my son’s £12,000 electric power chair and literally chewed their way through a thick rubber backplate and had started on the wiring taking out the indicators. I had to buy a new shed and we lock it in there now.”

Another person added: “I own a few properties near the railway lines and these seem to suffer more than those that are not in close proximity to the railway.”

A Portsmouth City Council spokesperson said: “We are aware of the issue in Grafton Street and the necessary measures are being put in place to fix this, including the replacement of bins to ones with lids. Treatment is ongoing and will continue until the issue is resolved.

 "With regards to the query about rats in other areas of the city, the council have not received any reports of issues at these locations."