A group of Glasgow residents are being plagued by an infestation of rats caused they say by the lack of bin collection, after a flood destroyed homes in the same area
Glasgow residents are saying they are facing a “massive rat infestation”, with dozens of the little critters leaping out of bins and crawling up toilet plumbing.
Homeowners and tenants on Summerhill Road, Drumchapel, are raging that rodent sightings have shot up since Glasgow City Council reduced the area’s bin collections to just one every three weeks in 2021. It comes after the same neighbourhood was destroyed by intense flooding in 2021.
Speaking to GlasgowLive, Moira Berry, 59, said: “I’ve had the [rats] in my garden, and last week one came up the toilet at 5am. I’ve caught two myself in a trap. It’s ever since this bin situation.”
Amy Stuart, 41, also a resident of the area, backed up these claims: “The bins are shocking. Ever since the bin schedule was changed, the rats have come out in force.”
According to local reports, rat holes are visible up and down the row of homes, not far from a children’s playground. Dad-of-four Robert Hanna says he doesn’t like letting his kids play outside due to the rat issue.
“We see them daily. Rats are jumping out of bins. My wife has come home to find rats scurrying around on the driveway,” said Robert. “There have been dirty nappies and sanitary towels out in the street, with rats running around. It’s 2025, and we shouldn’t be living like this.
“We’re having to take stuff to the dump, and we shouldn’t have to do that. We’re paying more council tax, and the council are doing less.”
Amy Stuart added: “I don’t drive, so I can’t take it to the dump. Where can I put all the stuff?”
A spokesman for the council said: “We are currently managing pest control treatments at five properties at this part of Summerhill Road. All of our pest control treatments follow the guidance set by the British Pest Control Association.
“This guidance indicates that environmental issues such as hygiene in bin areas or pest proofing of property must be undertaken first to ensure the effectiveness of the pest control treatment.”
In 2021 a family from the same neighbourhood – Drumchapel – were devastated after yet another bout of major flooding destroyed their Drumchapel home for the eighth time in 14 years, leaving them homeless.
Lorraine Cassidy’s property on Summerhill Road was submerged in filthy water and sewage when torrential rains struck, trapping her and her young daughter Kayla, aged 5, inside for around six hours with water levels rising to the mum’s waist.
The distraught mother expressed her heartbreak, saying: “We’ve worked our entire lives to try and build our family home only for it to be destroyed once again.”