THE rat population in the East End of the city is creating “havoc” for residents as it’s feared numbers have risen since the coronavirus pandemic began.

Milnbank Housing Association has confirmed it’s vermin reports have more than tripled since the beginning of the nationwide lockdown last year.

The firm confirmed it receives around 10 to 15 reports annually, however, complaints have shot up to more than 60 since March 2020.

The housing association confirmed a collapsed drain near Abernethy Street had provided a route for vermin to access the homes within the building.

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Up to 10 residents were understood to have been decanted and moved to other properties while the issue is tackled - a task only being made more difficult by the creatures.

A spokesman for the organisation said it was “concerned” by the number of rat sights, adding that many tenants found it “distressing”.

Councillor Elaine McDougall said the number of complaints she has received from constituents has also increased.

She said: “The official lines seems to be that the vermin population isn’t rising, but that’s just not what it looks like for people living here.

“There are some houses in the area which are uninhabitable because of the rats. They’re causing havoc.

“People who see rats must report them straight away to Glasgow City Council so a true picture of the population can be formed.”

She added: “If reports are recorded properly, hopefully it will spur the council on to tackling the issue before it gets any worse.”

Glasgow City Council is providing assistance to help repair the drain, however, Cllr McDougall said it is paramount the vermin population is brought down.

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As previously reported, city binmen claimed they had come up against more rats while going about their duties since lockdown measures began.

While, last year a Freedom of Information request confirmed rat sightings had risen despite a drop in reports, with 6065 vermin spotted outdoors in 2020 compared with 4668 in 2019.

Indoor sightings declined from 1502 to 1339.

A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said: “We have been undertaking pest control a number of treatments within the East Centre ward and we will continue to respond to requests for support as required.

“We will continue to liaise with the housing association and other relevant agencies to address any concerns that residents may have.

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“If the collapsed drain in Abernethy Street continues to present a public health issue we will be happy to arrange a further site visit with the housing association to do what we can to find a solution with them.”