By Harrison Galliven, Local Democracy Reporter
A Croydon mum says she is too scared to go into her kitchen alone after discovering a mouse infestation in her council-owned flat.
Esther Dwemoh, a single mum to a young child with special needs, moved into the Croydon council property in July 2024 after spending two years bidding for a two-bedroom home.
But just a few months later, in October, she noticed signs of a serious mouse problem.
She said: “I would be sitting, eating with my son, and I would just see something scurry past my flooring.”
This was followed by mouse droppings being found around the kitchen. She suspected these were coming from a nest hidden behind the kitchen utilities.
Ms Dwemoh said she was never warned about any issues in the flat prior to moving in, despite claiming neighbours told her the previous tenant also dealt with rats and mice.
She said: “The council knew about this infestation but allowed us to move in without doing the proper work.”
She says the ongoing issue is affecting her wellbeing and that of her young son, saying: “I am more afraid to go into my kitchen. I don’t feel comfortable sitting in my kitchen alone, because sometimes they come out and don’t even care who’s around. They roam about everywhere.”
Before moving into her current home, Ms Dwemoh lived in private rented accommodation for three years, which she claims also had a mouse problem. Prior to that property, she was living in another privately rented flat in Croydon. However, she was forced to move from both after her landlords wanted to sell up.
“I chose this place out of desperation,” she said. “Our previous landlord really wanted us out because she wanted to sell the property, and she had increased the rent. Unfortunately, they decided to give me this property, and I had to agree to it — otherwise I was told I would not get another.”
Ms Dwemoh claims she’s faced frustration with other repair jobs since moving in too. “When I moved in the floor was uneven and loose nails were sticking out,” she said. “It took them four days to fix it. I complained about this, but they said they would not do anything about it.
“I’ve had to do a DIY job myself to fix the carpet.”
A spokesperson for Croydon council said: “We are aware of the concerns raised by the resident regarding the pest control issue and ongoing repairs. We understand this situation has been upsetting, and we are committed to resolving it as quickly as possible.
“Pest control attended the property in January and recommended proofing works. However, the resident was unavailable so the works could not go ahead at that time. The proofing works were carried out in March, but as the rodent problem has not been resolved we have instructed pest control to return this week to carry out further work.
“We are committed to resolving the issue and we will remain in contact with our resident to offer support.”
Pictured top: Esther said her young son has noticed a change in her behaviour since discovering the infestation (Picture: Harrison Galliven)
