North West Leicestershire District Council (202531598)

Background

1. The resident moved into the property in June 2025 and first reported hearing rodents in the loft on 11 August 2025, but the landlord took no action. The resident contacted the landlord again on 2 October 2025. The landlord confirmed there was a rat infestation and made 5 visits to property between 6 October 2025 and 15 December 2025 to treat the problem. Following the fourth visit, the pest control measures were effective. The resident confirmed that the issue was resolved in December 2025. The resident’s wife lives with a severe medical condition that the landlord is aware of.

What the complaint is about

2. The complaint is about the landlord’s response to reports of rats in the property.

Our decision (determination)

3. There was reasonable redress which satisfactorily resolved the complaint about the landlord’s response to reports of rats in the property.

Reasons

4. The landlord does not have a specific pest policy. Its lettable standard policy says that it is responsible for treating visible infestations (except for ants), and it will complete repair works to stop vermin entry. It will complete non-emergency repairs within 28 days. Its repairs to empty homes policy states that once a property becomes empty, the landlord will inspect it to identify any outstanding repairs, including a review of the loft.
5. In the landlord’s stage 1 response issued on 20 October 2025, it admitted that its contractor did not check the loft during the ‘repairs to empty homes’ inspection. Had it done so, it may have found the rat infestation and taken steps to resolve it before the resident moved into the property. This was a failing that could have been avoided.
6. When the resident first reported the infestation to the landlord in August 2025, it failed to take any action, which was inappropriate. The landlord was aware of the resident’s wife’s medical condition, and the potential risk that the presence of rats posed to her health should have prompted it to act with greater urgency. This failing is likely to have caused the resident and his family distress and inconvenience.
7. After the resident reported the matter to the landlord again in October 2025, it responded appropriately by arranging pest control treatment, which ultimately resolved the infestation by 15 December 2025.
8. The landlord initially offered the resident £500 compensation in its stage 2 response issued on 20 October 2025. This was reasonable at the time, as it was in line with our remedies guidance for failures that adversely affected the resident. Following receipt of a medical letter, the landlord increased its offer to £1,000. While the original offer was sufficient, the landlord should pay the £1,000 it offered if it has not already done so.
9. The resident has since made us aware that the landlord may have identified another infestation in April 2026. We cannot investigate matters that have not yet been through the landlord’s complaints process. If the resident wishes to pursue this issue, he may raise a new complaint with the landlord and, if necessary, escalate it to us for investigation.

Putting things right

Where we find service failure, maladministration or severe maladministration we can make orders for the landlord to put things right. We have the discretion to make recommendations in all other cases within our jurisdiction.

Recommendations

Our recommendations are not binding, and a landlord may decide not to follow them.