Blackburn mum-of-six 'forced to live upstairs in rat-filled home'

The woman, who wishes to known by her first name Lubna, lives on Hardman Street, Blackburn, in rented accommodation with her children aged from six to 16, and moved in in 2013.

Since then, she says, she has made numerous complaints to her landlord, and pest control had been out several times to deal with rats.

She said: “I have not been able to use the kitchen for such a long time. I go to my friend’s house just to cook.

“I also sometimes get food cooked by the neighbours and then get then bring it over here. It is really nice and helpful of them.

“Otherwise, I am spending all my money on ready-made food which we can just put in a microwave.

“It is just so expensive to carry on like this.

“It is not the way to live.”

Lubna said the kitchen ceiling had given way in December.

She added: “Things have got worse and worse and this is the state of my house now. It really needs a full renovation.

“There are rats under the floorboards and roaming around the downstairs, we can’t sleep at night.

“I am a full-time student and single mum. I don’t know who else to turn to.”

Lubna said she was looking for a four-bedroomed house in the area. “I’ve been struggling to find a council house or private rented four-bedroomed house in Blackburn. I have no family members in the UK at all so I really need a house that is in Blackburn.”

Ward councillors Samim Desai and Zamir Khan both visited Lubna recently after hearing of her plight.

Cllr Khan said: “It is clear this is not a property in a fit state to live in and I have reported it to Housing Needs.

“This is not good for the family’s health, and there was evidence of rats in the house.

“Ideally the family needs a four-bedroomed house and this needs to be in Blackburn so it close to the schools.

“We have asked for her to update us regularly as this is a matter that needs to be resolved.

“We do ask for people to get in touch if they find themselves in a similar situation.”