Blackburn woman finds mice nesting in her home

Dec 1 2011 by Allan Valente, West Lothian Courier

A BLACKBURN woman has pleaded with the council for help after finding field mice nesting in her home.

Leoni McKinlay (24) has complained of numerous problems at her house in Riddochhill Crescent.

She was forced to temporarily move after the flat above hers flooded last December causing widespread damage to her property.

She moved back in August this year following rebuilding works, but, as she continues to rebuild her home, Leoni found the mice in her bedroom.

Leoni, who has been in the flat for three years, said: “I found the mice last Thursday morning and there was quite a lot of them.

“I lost all my stuff when my place was flooded last December and now I’ve got things like my cooker, new freezer and fridge in my bedroom for the time being.

“I found the mice in a black bag in amongst some paperwork I have in the bedroom. They must have got in when the work was being done on the flat.”

Leoni says she has been forced to stay at her mother’s house because the mice have spread throughout the property.

She added: “They are everywhere now. I can hear them creeping about at night in the living room and the kitchen.

“The council came round and put down poison but they said it would take five days for it to take effect. I can’t live here as things are at the moment.”

Leoni, who works as a cleaner, is also anxious about the flat upstairs flooding again. She said she has asked the local authority for a move on numerous occasions but claims they have been unresponsive so far.

She added: “I’m walking about on my floorboards just now because I’m afraid the flat upstairs will flood again this winter and I don’t see the point in buying a carpet. The council have told me I’ve to pay for a new one.

“They expect me just to stay here and they won’t move me even though I have notes from doctors and social workers who are concerned because I have suffered from depression.”

A West Lothian Council spokesperson said pest control officers were taking measures to remove the mice from the property.

The spokesperson added: “We have never refused to re-house this tenant. We have informed her that there is a standard process that has to be followed when re-housing tenants and that is currently ongoing.

“We are aware that Ms McKinlay has requested a house move. In order that this request can be processed, we need to assess all the relevant options and information available to us.

“We have been actively working with the tenant with a view to securing a suitable house move that will meet her needs.

“We have only recently received all the necessary information that will allow us to make a decision and we will notify Ms McKinlay of our decision in the near future.

“The tenant received substantial compensation when she was decanted from her property, following the flooding. She did not have contents insurance, but we gave her white goods and furniture when she moved back in August.

“It is the tenant’s decision not to have a carpet fitted in her current home. We would advise all council tenants to take out contents insurance.”