'I am petrified and it is ruining our lives' (From Harrow Times)
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A2 Dominion fails to address Stanmore rat infestation
8:50am Wednesday 6th February 2013 in Headlines By Emma Innes
Jane Hussain outside her house in Hitchin Lane
A mother-of-two is “living in fear” because her housing association home is infested with rats.
Jane Hussain, 44, and her children, Jamil, 14, and Yasmin, 22, are being terrorised by the rodents which have taken over their house in Hitchin Lane, Stanmore.
The problem has been ongoing for six weeks and in that time Ms Hussain has seen a rat jump out of her son’s school bag and one has run across her sleeping daughter’s face.
When the problem first arose, Yasmin was convinced that the house was haunted as she saw a tinsel wig, which was on her bedroom floor, moving and she heard creaking and scratching noises in the house.
The real source of the problem became apparent when she saw a large grey rat in the bathroom heading for a hole behind the toilet.
Ms Hussain said: “I have not had any sleep. I don’t know what to do any more. It is destroying me and it is shattering my nerves.
“We are living in fear of them now. I don’t eat or drink anything in the house because it makes me feel sick.
“I am petrified and it is ruining our lives.”
The problem has got so bad that Ms Hussain sold some of her belongings to pay for her family to stay in a hotel.
They went to the hotel on Thursday but yesterday the money ran out and they were forced to return home.
Despite the scale of the problem, they say the housing association, A2 Dominion, has failed to take any action.
Ms Hussain has paid for private contractors to come and address the problem but the family's attempts have been unsuccessful as the rats are running wild throughout the terraced street.
Ms Hussain said: “It is awful. I have begged for help from social services.
“It is putting our health at risk. It is absolutely awful.”
The problem has become so severe that the family has been forced to replace many of their clothes and possessions for fear that they were contaminated with the rodents’ urine.
The Harrow Times is awaiting a comment from A2 Dominion.
jackdaw says...
11:08am Wed 6 Feb 13
Will they be giving Ms Hussain compensation for the risk they have exposed her and her family to? Why are the Housing Association allowed to flaunt Health and Safety regulations? Why are the following people having the audacity to claim salaries for a service which they obviously do not provide. Perhaps Ms Hussain can go to live with any of the persons listed until her house is made fit for human habitation
The following is an extract from A2 Dominion's website.
"Complaints
We care about the services we provide and make every effort to maintain high standards. Sometimes, however, our services may not meet your expectations, and should this happen we want to know" LOL
I suggest the following people who are listed as spokespersons for Dominion be invited to stay in Ms Hussain's house for a week and enjoy the rat experience.
I have no doubt they will probably ask for their names to be removed as they will not want to be named and shamed.
Steve Barnes, Director of Human Resources
Career counsellingPerforman
ce appraisalCompensatio
n and benefits
Ellie Broughton, Group Director of Business Planning & Performance
A2Dominion's performanceStakehold
er involvement in service and business developmentA2Dominio
n's research programme
Kathryn Bull, Executive Director (Corporate Services)
General management within housing organisationsOrganis
ational strategy and planningHousing investment and programme management
Steve Coggins, Development Director (South East)
DevelopmentImproveme
nt programmes
Fiona Cornell, Deputy Executive Director (Operations)
Organisational developmentChange managementRegenerati
onBallotsWorking with black and minority ethnic communities
Andrew Evans, Executive Director (Operations)
Strategic managementPublic relationsMarketingIn
formation technologyCorporate governanceProperty management
John Knevett, Group Chief Commercial Officer & Deputy Group Chief Executive
LeadershipDevelopmen
t of affordable and private housing
David Lingeman, Director of Property Services
Repairs and maintenanceLeasehold management
Danny Lynch, Development Director (London)
Affordable housing developmentHousing marketSocial housing grantLand and property interest valuationPlanning
Steve Michaux, Director of Leasehold Services
Service chargesLeases and what they meanAny housing management issue
David Price, Director of Regeneration
Town planningCommunity consultation on development proposals
Dean Tufts, Executive Director (Finance & Strategy)
Seeking, negotiating and obtaining housing finance General treasury management, including the use of interest rate financial derivatives as a way of reducing interest rate risk
Pam Vasir, Director of Care & Support
Care and support services for all vulnerable groups
Gerry Walker, Development Director (South East)
Land acquisition for affordable housingNew build and refurbishment solutions for affordable housing
Anne Waterhouse, Executive Director (Financial Services)
Finance
Doreen Wright, Development Director (Programme & Quality)
Group development programmeDesign briefProcurement and quality issuesHousing initiativesStrategy policy issues
Nicholas Yeeles, Executive Director (New Business