I'm pregnant and been forced out of my home due to mouse infestation- I lay on the couch and one ran up my leg

Carly, 35, and her three-year-old daughter have moved out of their flat at Meredith Court, on Epsley Close, just outside the city centre. She claims she’s battled the infestation for nearly ‘two years’. The problem ‘got worse and worse as time has gone on’, with mice ending up in her bed, she said.

“I laid on the couch once and it ran up my leg,” she added. Carly complained to her housing association, One Manchester, which asked Manchester council’s pest control team to tackle the problem. When that didn’t work, housekeeper Carly took matters into her own hands.

She added: “Pest control came out and they put out the white boxes and they didn’t work. I’ve spent money on the glue pads, I had to use 36 in one week once.”

The pads catch mice with an adhesive and cost Carly £11 for a pack of 12 – an amount she ‘can go through in one morning’. Carly claims the only solution proposed by the housing association was to ask pest control to repeat the process again, prompting her to stay with family and in ‘hotels’ to get away from the mice.

Now One Manchester has apologised for the infestation and confirmed it has temporarily re-housed Carly and her daughter. A spokesperson said: “We’re truly sorry to hear about the distress this has caused [Carly] and her family. The safety and comfort of our customers is our top priority, and we understand how upsetting a pest infestation can be — especially for a pregnant mother.

“As soon as we were made aware of the issue, we liaised with Manchester City Council’s pest control team (who deliver our pest control services) to arrange multiple visits. [Carly] has been offered the opportunity to move into temporary accommodation until we can investigate the matter and carry out any treatments that may be required – this would include all necessary proofing and a thorough deep clean of her current flat once the pest control process is finished.

“We take these matters very seriously and remain in close contact with [Carly] to provide any further support. We’re committed to resolving this situation as quickly as possible, and are working in close partnership with Manchester City Council to address the issue. We urge any resident experiencing similar issues to contact us straight away so we can act without delay.”

A council spokesperson added: “We are aware that there have been some rodent issues at Meredith Court and we will work with One Manchester who own the property around improvements to the building that could help manage potential infestations in the long term.

“We also understand that living with a potential infestation is deeply unpleasant, and the Council’s pest control team has already contacted the resident directly to discuss the issues she is experiencing, and she will be offered further treatment options.”