A MOTHER of two has has described sheer torment after a rat invasion in her West End social housing property left her and her family unable to use their kitchen.

Gillian Murphy told how she and her young children are "terrified" as disease-bearing rodents continue to invade her Partick Housing Association flat - causing corrosion to her kitchen cupboards and floors.

The 39-year-old has been unable to cook for her 17-year-old daughter and 16-month-old son since June as she says pest control have advised her kitchen is now "completely out of bounds".

Glasgow Times:

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After living at the property for the past 10 years, Gillian told how she has had to deal with five separate rat-related incidents and is now at the "end" of her "tether".

She said: “They are actually out where I can see them. It is absolutely terrifying. I've complained to Partick Housing Association numerous times but their excuse is that they can't come out due to the pandemic, but we can't live like this.

“There is literally rats running around my kitchen that have even chewed their way through my washing machine pipe. We just can’t use the kitchen at all, it is completely out of bounds. We've been living from takeaways since June.

“There is a pandemic and it’s really concerning. Not only is it really putting us at risk but it’s been so bad for our mental health. They just don’t care."

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Her horrified 17-year-old daughter has been forced to press boxes against her bedroom door as she studies for her exams, fearful that rats may enter her room.

Gillian has also nailed her kitchen cupboards closed as she suspects there is an entry point the rats have been using to access her property.

She added: "We can’t live like this, I can’t bring my children up like this, nobody should."

Glasgow Times:

The mother-of-two told how she has had to visit her doctor due to stress sparked by her current living conditions and is now withholding her rent until

Partick Housing Association resolve the problem.

She said: “I can’t believe it has been going on since June and it is now August and it still hasn’t been sorted. 

“Every time I hear from them ironically it is always about rent, never about them planning to resolve this issue."

Glasgow Times:

A spokesman for Partick Housing Association said:  “The health and safety of our tenants is a priority to us.  We responded promptly when we were made aware of concerns and our contractors have tried to arrange access to this customer’s home.

"We are aware that Glasgow City Council Pest Control services are under pressure to deal with the vermin issue across the whole city”.

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