Relief after Sheffield Council takes action over rats on Ballifield estate in Handsworth

Earlier this month The Star revealed a resident’s concerns at the “disgusting” state of the Ballifield Estate, Handsworth, which he said had left ‘abandoned’ with a rodent infestation for a year, leaving vulnerable residents feeling unsafe in their own homes.

Russell Harper claimed that other people’s waste, including cigarette butts and sewage, comes up into baths and toilets and residents are forced to go litter picking daily because the bins are broken, rarely collected and overrun by rats.

He also complained that his bath panel in his council property was broken and was being used as an entrance point by rats.

Mr Harper said he was left unable to sleep for days on end due to anxiety and the sound of rats scratching the walls of his property.

At the time, Sheffield City Council claimed to have found ‘no evidence’ of rats at the property but said gaps and holes had been sealed up.

However, since then, the council has revisited the estate and found the access point to Mr Harper’s home as well as rat droppings underneath the bath, he said. As a result, a new bath panel has been fitted and ‘multiple’ holes have been sealed.

He added: “Since the article went live the bin area has been cleaned and bait boxes have been put in place around the area. The holes have been filled and the area under the bath disinfected.”

He said problems on the Ballifield estate haven’t been completely fixed but things are moving in the right direction.