A local mother says she fears for the safety of her young children because of mice in her home – and claims the council has failed to act on the problem.
Angela Ashby and her husband live at a council-owned property on Fulmar Road in Elgin with their young daughter and son, who are aged 4 and 3, and their 16-day-old baby.
She says she is extremely concerned for the health of her children – including the not-yet-immunised baby – after spotting a mouse running across her bedroom floor at the weekend.
Mrs Ashby, 23, reported it to Moray Council via its emergency line – but claims they took no action to investigate or help.
The council said last night it is “in the process” of getting pest control to the property – but stressed it wasn’t an emergency.
On Saturday evening, the couple were horrified to spot a mouse’s head peeking out from underneath her baby son’s crib in their bedroom.
After managing to corner the rodent and catch it in a box, they immediately called the council’s emergency line.
Mrs Ashby said: “I explained that I had a newborn and that any diseases that mice may carry could potentially kill my son and all I got back was “I’m sorry about that, but there’s nothing we can do.
“I was angry. My children’s well-being is my number one priority and it should be the council’s too.”
The couple contacted the council again on Monday, but were told that as it was a non-emergency and that they may have to wait up 28 days for a response. Mrs Ashby fears that, if it takes this long, the mice could harm her children.
As the skirting boards are not flush with the walls, Mrs Ashby thinks that the rodents are entering her flat through the gaps and is not sure how many there are.
The couple are keen to be moved to another council flat in Elgin.
When asked to comment on the matter, a spokesperson for Moray Council said: “We don’t deal with reports of vermin as an out-of-hours emergency; anyone that reports this via our out-of-hours service is advised to report this via our contact centre during normal working hours.
“We are in the process of organising a pest control service to visit the tenant’s home, and will liaise directly with the tenant regarding this.”
