ORLANDO, Fla. — Neighbors in a Delaney neighborhood are calling a home infested with rats a health risk.
Channel 9’s Cuthbert Langley confronted the owner of the Orange County home that neighbors say is a health risk.
"Hi, sir. Are you the owner of this home?" Langley asked.
"What exactly are you doing to clean it up right now?"
“I'm doing something today. I need to clean up these logs that came down during the storm,” said the owner, who would not give his name.
Channel 9 recorded video of rats climbing the windows inside the home.
Neighbors said they rats are affecting them.
“This is bringing our property value down. This is harmful to my kids who come outside and they want to play,” said neighbor Kris Zara.
Zara, who lives across the street, said the rats come into her yard. She said a stench comes from the house, and it has been going on for a long time.
But the homeowner said he only recently started hearing complaints, and would not say how the home became rat-infested.
“I don't believe it is impacting their residences,” said the homeowner.
“Why not?” asked Langley.
“I think there's rats in the trees and everything. I have no control over that,” he said.
Code enforcement officials said they filed a complaint against the homeowner because of the yard debris.
“Do you think these concerns are overblown?” Langley asked.
“Yes. I think it's people with too much time on their hands,” he said.
The homeowner said he's working with the county to clean up the yard and has laid traps to kill the rats.
Code Enforcement manager Robert Spivey released this statement to Channel 9 Tuesday:
“Code Enforcement was appalled by the conditions shown in the Channel 9 piece. What we know is that the owner of the home actually resides there with a tenant. Code Enforcement took the owner to the Code Enforcement Board this year and this lead to him repairing broken windows, replacing torn screens and making other improvements to the front of the home. Unfortunately, the county does not have authority to force the occupants to leave and exterminate the vermin.
A Violation Notice is being issued: rodent infestation is a violation of the county Property Maintenance Code. Failure to remove the infestation is subject to a fine of up to $1,000 per day.
In addition, staff is reaching out to the owner to ascertain more information about why this condition is allowed to exist. If the county social services folks can be of help, help will be offered that might, for example, include temporary lodging. It is an unsafe condition for the neighbors to be sure, as well as to the occupants.”
Cox Media Group
