Estate off Oxford Street where rats are ‘as big as cats’ and thieves use the garden to stash stolen goods

By Adrian Zorzut, Local Democracy Reporter

Life on an estate just off Oxford Street is a nightmare for some residents, as rats “as big as cats” run around and thieves often stash stolen goods in the communal garden, they say.

Moore Buildings, off Gilbert Street, may look like a quiet oasis off one of London’s busiest streets, but residents living in the Peabody-leased estate say they’re fed up of the giant rats climbing up their walls and finding stolen items in their courtyard.

Peabody said pest control has visited the building and put measures in place.

Keith Turnbull, 68, has lived on the estate for more than 20 years, and said giant rats have started invading the roof garden on one of the buildings in the estate, using drain pipes to run up the seven-storey Hanover building and devouring potted plants.

He said: “They are like ants. They suss out a route and then the rest follow.”

Will Gharraie, 39, said he could hear the wandering rodents squeak at night. He said: “It’s terrible. We can hear them squeak anytime it’s dark, really.”

Mr Gharraie said he was worried they would soon start invading homes, putting the infestation down to people leaving their rubbish out.

Another concerned resident on the estate, Edel Kelleher, 59, said: “They’re filthy, dirty rats and some of them dig in our garden. We have children and elderly people. What if they get into the building?”

Residents said rats have been a problem on the estate since the pandemic. They have now complained to Peabody, which has since installed bait boxes and regularly cleans out areas where rubbish is kept.

Another issue residents face is the lack of security fencing around the ground floor garden at Moore Buildings. Without it, thieves can easily enter, they claim.

They said the garden has been turned into a ‘stash spot’ for thieves stealing from nearby shops and claim the goods are dug into the garden and retrieved at a later date.

Ms Kelleher said drugs and knives are also hidden. She said: “We try our best to look after our neighbours and what we find is that we are all in the same boat. It’s a beautiful place but it’s also horrendous.”

Edward Lucas, the Lib Dems parliamentary candidate for the Cities of London and Westminster, said: “Giant rats in the heart of Mayfair sounds like a metaphor for what’s wrong with Britain. But shockingly, for these residents, it’s reality. Peabody has been letting down these tenants for months.

“It’s not just the rats; it’s the sloppy maintenance. Leaking roofs and the broken gate make life dangerous and miserable — it’s high time the management got a grip.”

A spokesman for Peabody said: “We arranged for a pest control company to visit the estate last week and they have put measures in place to curb the problem.

“Unfortunately, in a central London location like this, where there are food businesses, construction sites and multiple railway lines nearby, rodents are common and hard to eradicate from outdoor areas. But we understand residents’ concerns and are doing what we can.”

Pictured top: Hanover building in Westminster (Picture: Adrian Zorzut)