I am re-posting this in a different section with the hope of getting a positive reply

[sasskins]

My brother owns his terraced house, but the property to one side of him is owned by a landlord who rents it out. His last tenants were a set of drug addicts who systematically stripped the house of wood, piping, wiring and even the stone flags deep in the kitchen flooring. It was like a building site inside when they were forcibly removed. It was immediately boarded up. There has been one visit from two workers (not council) to attempt to remove the rubbish left behind, but they left without moving anything as there were too many needles etc around. Anyway, since then my brother has had an infestation of rats coming from the empty house next door. The rats have chewed through the plastic pipework on his bath (even through the plastic nuts under the taps) and as a result had a leak down into his living room. The plaster on his ceiling is damaged and there is a hole about the size of a football. He told the council, and they duly sent the vermin guy round, and he laid poison several times but the rats are still there. He says he can't clear them until next door is tackled. The council keep contacting the landlord of the property but he doesn't respond. Can anyone offer any helpful advice to deal with any of this situation please?

[bednobs]

sorry, no, apart from to contact the LL himself

[buildersmate]

This is the original thread.
http://www.theanswerb.../Question1108461.html

Sasskins - generally those of us that patrol these sections patrol all of them - not just one of them. But you might be luckier here.

[sasskins]

Thanks all - just desperate, My brother is really getting depressed over this.

[Smowball]

If he is entitled to legal aid he could threaten to take the landlord to court? Or contact his local papers?

[annie0000]

This may be of use:

http://www.direct.gov...squatters/DG_10030253

I believe that often when threatened with the council taking over the property the owners tend to show up.

[boxtops]

which part of the council is he contacting? It sounds to me as if he should be contacting Enivormental Health, writing to the local papers, etc.

[madmaggot]

Has he contacted the council's empty homes officer?

[WF8MAN]

There are other organizations like Environmental Health. (Did you ever see Life of Grime or or was it Filthbusters? Anyway, you know what I mean.) I'm sure they could help.