Orpington mum with breast cancer forced to escape rat-infested home

Jessica Duffy found rats inside her home after she woke up to “small footsteps” crawling through her house last Tuesday.

After the 38-year-old then came “face-to-face” with the rats, she decided to go and stay in her sister’s living room on an air mattress with her two young daughters.

Mum-of-two Jessica reached out to her housing association about the issue, but says she has been “neglected” by Clarion Housing who have “taken no permanent action”.

Jessica

Jessica was diagnosed with breast cancer in July 2021, and said the situation at her home is making her illness even more difficult to battle as she undergoes chemotherapy.

Jessica told the News Shopper: “I’ve lived at the property for around seven years now, and after a year I noticed rats running in the garden.

“Now, they’re inside.

“It’s ongoing, I’ve been trying to resolve this issue the best I can.

“I’ve phoned Clarion a number of times and every time I’ve spoken to them they said it’s my responsibility.

"They neglected me in the time I needed them the most."

A spokesperson for Clarion Housing said the safety and wellbeing of residents is a "top priority” for them.

Rats in Jessica's garden

They added that have been working closely with Jessica to resolve her concerns and ensure she is comfortable in her home.

Jessica told of how she spent five hours having chemo last Tuesday and that coming back to a rat-infested home caused her to break down in tears.

She said they have been outside her home for the past year, but in the past three weeks the situation has worsened with smell, a dead rat and rats inside.

After discovering the dead rat between the back garden and the kitchen, Jessica left her home “for good to prevent panic attacks triggered by the rats”.

She said that she slept in her car initially as her sister wasn’t answering the phone.

Jessica added: “The other day I also put my key into the front door to enter the property and a rat jumped out.

“I can’t let my children play in the garden.

“I can’t even cook for them in our own kitchen because of the rat droppings.”

Rat droppings in Jessica's kitchen

Jessica explained that after calling Clarion Housing "repeatedly", they then sent a pest control team out.

She said: “The guy who came to the house was shocked by what he saw.

“He told us that he had to go to another six houses on the same street with the same problem.

“Someone also came to plug up the holes where the rats are entering from, and they found seven different holes.

“I don’t believe it’s liveable.

“My immune system is already really weak from cancer, and I don’t think it fair for me to be treated this way.”

Jessica said she is "worried" for the future of her two children, aged four and eight, after having to live in "horrible" conditions.

Rats pictured in Jessica's garden

She added: "I'm worried for them, it's really not fair they have to put up with this.

"It's my youngest daughter's birthday this week and I haven't been able to do anything for her.

"It breaks my heart."

Jessica now says she wants Clarion Housing to take responsibility for the issues in her home – and that she wants to relocate to start a "new chapter" with her two daughters.

A spokesperson for Clarion Housing said: "The safety and wellbeing of our residents is our top priority and we have been working closely with Ms Duffy to resolve her concerns and ensure she is comfortable in her home.

“Our pest control contractor last week carried out comprehensive proofing of Ms Duffy’s home to block any access points and are due to start a full baiting programme on Wednesday.

"As an extra precaution our contractors will conduct a deep hygiene clean of the kitchen and bathroom.”

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