A letter of complaint was sent to the Police Department on August 5 this year, regarding a rat infestation on Triq Has-Sajjied, Birkirkara coming from a certain property which houses a number of horses as well as other animals.

The letter said that the property belonged to an English national, however it was broken into by Maltese persons who are currently squatting. The animals present, the letter read, attracted “an enormous quantity of rats which no doubt feed on the animal fodder, with the result that these rats are entering my client’s property, at will, something that has been happening for the past several years”.

Residents who contacted this newsroom said that rats were seen as late as last week.

The police were requested to investigate the case due to the inconvenience caused by the neighbours of the property. A copy of the letter was also forwarded to the health authorities.

The letter explains that the situation had been brought to Police attention on a number of occasions besides also being brought to the attention of the public through a number of newspaper articles.

The articles being referred to were published by this newsroom last year, when animal welfare had gone on site to inspect the area. In December 2014, this newsroom revealed that complaints were being made as far back as 2001. Animal welfare had also, at the time, gone on site and said that the place had been cleaned and that the place will be subject to periodic checks.

Residents also sent a letter the Prime Minister as well as the ministers for justices and home affairs as well as Mepa, reporting the insect and rodent infestation. The letter mentions that there is no clean water that enters the premises.

The dwelling is a house of character situated within an urban area.

Another letter was sent in May this year to the Birkirkara mayor, stating that the situation results in unsavoury smells and also mentioned the rat infestation.

Speaking with this newsroom, Birkirkara mayor Joanne Debono Grech said that the council cannot act on these things. However, said that the council had written to the police. She also said that it is, most likely, the health directorate that would need to take action.