60-year-old homeowner tells of rat problem due to neighbour's hoarding

My life next door to a hoarder: Pest control officers tell 60-year-old homeowner they cannot stop rats invading her garden because of neighbour’s mountains of rubbish

• Glynis Sheard is one of a number of people living in Wildmill, Bridgend in a state of frustration

Pest control officers have told a 60-year-old homeowner they cannot stop rats invading her garden because of the neighbour’s mountains of rubbish.

Glynis Sheard is one of a number of people living in Wildmill, Bridgend in a state of frustration, wondering what is going to be done to improve the situation at a house there.

The occupant has so many items in the grounds of their property, including mounds of metal and wood, that neighbours claim it has brought the rodents to the area.

They want the council to take action and provide support, after claiming it is affecting their quality of life. 

Glynis told Wales Online: ‘I bought this house four years ago, and wasn’t aware of how bad the situation next door was, or how long it had gone on for.

Glynis Sheard is one of a number of people living in Wildmill, Bridgend in a state of frustration, wondering what is going to be done to improve the situation at a house there

‘We’ve had pest control out to deal with rats in our garden but they said we’re fighting a losing battle because of the hoarding next-door. So we now feel there’s nothing we can do about it.’

Locals claim that they have been pushed to the point of wanting to move, but fear their houses wouldn’t sell. 

Glynis said she’s had to put up with a great deal of mess encroaching onto her property. 

She said: ‘I’ve put £60,000 into decorating my own house now which is a lot of money, and it’s not even finished yet. 

‘I don’t think anyone else would want to buy it at the moment because of what it looks like next door.’

Glynis said she believes the issue has been gradually getting worse for the last 52 years. 

She added: ‘The house next to us is in a terrible state, and I’ve contacted everyone I can think of but it now feels like I’m going round in circles. 

‘There is mess at the front, back and side of the property and it looks horrible – people actually slow down in their cars when passing the area, and we are all really disappointed as a community.’

The occupant has so many items in the grounds of their property, including mounds of metal and wood, that neighbours claim it has brought the rodents to the area

Glynis said she’d had to make changes to the way she lived her life at home sometimes, because of the amount of debris next door. 

She said: ‘I don’t let my grandchildren play in the front driveway. I only ever let them play in the back garden because I know that’s safe. I don’t let them in the front just in case they end up climbing up the piles of stuff there, and stuff falls in all the time.

‘I tried to get a fence put up to separate the two gardens but the pressure of everything leaning against it from the other side broke it down. I’m also worried that it’s putting passers-by in danger. 

‘A little while ago a piece of wood, which was leaned up against the wall, fell down and nearly hit some people walking past one day. I just want something to be done now.

‘It was supposed to be discussed in a council meeting last week but I heard this got pushed back. I am worried about my neighbour’s wellbeing because they’ve just got too much now to keep on top of it. 

‘I’ve offered to put things in skips I’ve rented for my own stuff before, but my neighbour doesn’t want to throw anything away and believes it is all precious and valuable.

‘We haven’t spoken properly for about six months. When I first moved in I tried to build a friendship but it became too hard, and I don’t believe anyone has actually been inside for years.’

Glynis said: ‘There is mess at the front, back and side of the property and it looks horrible – people actually slow down in their cars when passing the area, and we are all really disappointed as a community’

The woman living on the other side of the house said she had also encountered issues. 

The resident, who did not wish to be named, said: ‘We’ve got rats everywhere. They’re in the walls and I’ve spotted them in the house as well, and I’m worried about Weil’s disease.

‘I have two children and I’m always worried about them, living here. It is not nice for us to deal with these situations on a daily basis, and I am really disappointed in the way the council has handled the situation.’

When asked if action was being taken, a spokesperson for Bridgend County Borough Council told Wales Online: ‘We can confirm that a number of council departments are working together to engage with the resident so improvements can be made to the property concerned.’

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