Leeds student demands compensation from letting agent over 'vile' rat infestation in her car engine

Alexandra Spencer, 22, a law student at Leeds University, said that rats have been commonplace outside her block of flats on Clarendon Road in Woodhouse, and believes that this is because her letting agent, Samara Lettings, "do not maintain cleanliness of the yard".

She said that rats had gotten into the engine of her Ford Fiesta that she pays to keep on the grounds of the flats and caused significant damage, leading her to request compensation from Samara Lettings.

The company has responded saying that the presence of rodents in the area "can be a common urban challenge" and that it doesn't accept responsibility for the damage caused.

Ms Spencer said that this is her second year of living in the three-bedroom flat with two friends and her first year she has kept her car on the site, which she has paid £1,000 to the letting agent to do.

She said that she took her car for a service in February and staff found that rats "had completely chewed through my wires". She subsequently approached Samara Lettings about paying for the repairs and cleaning of the car, which she estimated would cost over £1,300.

She also asked to be refunded for the car parking charges, as the grounds were "unsafe and unsanitary" and the presence of rats had gotten "worse and worse". She said she has been parking elsewhere "due to concerns about further damage".

She said: "I've seen four or five rats in the car park around the bins scurrying around. It's absolutely vile.

"Without proper maintenance and sanitation measures, the issue will persist. It is also not nice when getting into your car to have rats scurrying at your feet."

The letting agent responded saying it had investigated the matter, saying: "We routinely treat for rodents, mainly to prevent their access to the building, but complete eradication outside the premises is impossible.

"Despite our best efforts, we have been advised by our pest control experts that achieving a completely rodent-free environment outside, especially in urban areas with high human activity and outdoor waste bins, is not possible. It is an unfortunate reality that some level of rodent activity may persist on the streets and in the vicinity of buildings, including our premises.

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"In light of this, I must convey with regret that we are unable to accept liability for the issues related to your car that have arisen from these external environmental factors."

Ms Spencer has continued to push for the letting agent to cover the costs of the car repairs though, and said that she would seek legal advice on the matter.

She said that she has had to work more hours at her job at KFC to pay for the costs, adding: "It's affecting everything. Because I'm having to pay all this money to get my car fixed I'm having to work to afford it which means I can't concentrate at uni.

"At first it sounded like they would help because they understood the issue but then it suddenly changed."