'Maggot infestation' Mum claims housing association refusing to act

PREGNANT mum fears for the health of her young children because of a maggot and fly infestation beneath the floor of their flat.

- Tristan CORK

Jess Rumble-Bear said the housing association responsible for the property is refusing to take action, despite a pest controller recommending urgent intervention.

The housing association Sovereign (SNG) hit back, claiming they found no evidence of any maggot infestation when they visited, and said that the behaviour of Jess’ partner Wesley - who is the chair of the Bristol branch of tenants union ACORN - was “unacceptable”.

The row over what needs to be done in the flat in Emersons Green escalated this week, after the family and other ACORN members went to the offices of Sovereign in Filton to make their case. They say they found staff had been told to work from home that day to avoid the protest.

The family say they made their first complaint about rubbish being left outside, leading to maggots crawling into brick vents, back in 2017. They then reported that maggots were coming out of the skirting board of the one-bed flat back in 2020.

Over the next five years, they said they regularly reported an issue with flies and maggots, but claim no one from the housing association SNG came to investigate. Jess, who is pregnant, lives in the flat with her husband Wesley Bear, their eight-month old baby, and Jess's teenage daughter.