A Craigens man says he's "at his wit's end" after being told he must foot the bill to sort a rat issue that he says has been going on for more than two years.

David Mcatee told the Chronicle he has been "banging his head against a brick wall" in a bid to solve the issue of rats in the garden of his rented home, which he says has become worse over the past few weeks.

And the 55-year-old said he is afraid to let his nine-month-old grandson and two boys in his care out into the garden to play.

David said the rats are often crawling along his fence.David said the rats are often crawling along his fence. (Image: Submitted)

He said: "Every day I’ll get up and I’ll see a few of them in the back garden, just sitting there.

"I’ve got two youngsters who are in my care, a six-year-old and a seven-year-old, and a nine-month-old grandson who had major heart surgery when he was just a few weeks old.

"So I can’t let any of them out into the garden because you don’t know what kind of things these rats are carrying.

"I’m trying my hardest and I just want a bit of help."

David is a tenant of Shire Housing Association but says his attempts to seek help from his landlord and East Ayrshire Council have been met with no success.

The problem has been ongoing for more than two years.The problem has been ongoing for more than two years. (Image: Submitted)

He says he's been told that pest control is not a free service, and it is considered an environmental issue as the rats are not currently entering his home.

David has set about using his own traps to catch the rats, and says he has caught around 40 over the past few weeks.

David added: "It’s been happening for about the last two years and nothing seems to be getting done about it. I’m having to deal with the issue myself.

"I’ve reported it to the council but they say I’ll have to pay for pest control to come out and deal with it.

"Somebody like me who’s on benefits and disabled and they want me to pay for it? I pay my council tax already.

"Everybody in the street is having the same issues."

David has had to set up his own traps to solve the issues.David has had to set up his own traps to solve the issues. (Image: Submitted)

Shire Housing Association, which owns and manages almost 1,000 properties across East Ayrshire, said it was unaware the issue had been going on for two years.

The company's tenancy management policy on pest control states: "Pest Control is not specified as a landlord responsibility in the tenancy agreement.

"There may, in extenuating circumstances, be situations where Shire shall assist the environmental health service with pest control inside our properties and this may also include support for the tenant with any local authority charges incurred."

A Shire spokesperson added: "We have confirmed with our tenant that the vermin are not accessing the property, therefore we would consider this an environmental issue, and have advised the tenant accordingly."

An East Ayrshire Council spokesperson added: "Pest control treatments are chargeable services, and the council has advised the gentleman that he can either pay for the treatment himself or contact his landlord.

"Many private and registered social landlords expect tenants to pay for pest treatments and this is in the tenancy agreement.

"The council is not under any legal obligation to provide these treatments for free. 

"Our pest control services cost £48, including VAT, for up to three visits, which represents comparably good value for money."