A "traumatised" mother and grandmother living together at a Nantwich retirement complex have been left in limbo for three weeks, after rats were discovered in their assisted living apartment.

Maxene Knapper, 69, and her mum, 94, first reported a pest nuisance at Mill House, Queens Drive, to The Guinness Partnership in March, believing it was mice.

Following multiple complaints, the presence of rats became apparent at the ground floor apartment, with Maxene and her mum fleeing the 2008-built accommodation three weeks ago.

Maxene Knapper and her mum fled their Mill House apartment three weeks ago and haven't been back their since (Mill House).

The elderly women were moved to an "unsuitable" guest room for Maxine's mum who suffers from ill-health.

Maxene told Nub News: "We moved into Mill House two years ago and the last few months have been absolute living hell.

"In our abandoned apartment there is currently rat poison and traps down. The rats are believed to be coming from water pipes in the kitchen.

"Because we fled the apartment, we are now living in a guest room with one bed and no proper seating which is so unsuitable for my mum. There is no wet room, food preparation or anything. It is an even bigger nightmare during a heatwave.

"Due to current living conditions and the stress with her only having the bed or her wheelchair to sit in, my mum cries everyday and has recently said she has had enough and wanted to die.

"Unfortunately because Guinness have not shown us any consider or care, we had to contact a GP who came over to check on my mum.

"They were so horrified at the current living conditions, they contacted social workers. Crewe councillor, Dawn Clark, also visited and she was just as shocked by our situation and took photos.

Maxeneand her mum's 'unsuitable' guest room at Mill House, with no wet room, proper seating or food preparation area (Cllr Dawn Clark)..

"Due to such high concerns, deemed a threat to her life, they are going to remove her from the situation, taking her into respite care which she will have to fund. We are already paying the rent and service charges here to Guinness.

"Over the last week, another resident, just three doors down from our apartment has reported rats. A 97-year-old resident next door to us says she has heard scratching too.

"Right now, a lot of people are terrified with the rat situation in Mill House. Guinness have just constantly tried to make excuses and make it feel as though the situation is our fault.

"Guinness has shown zero kindness with no apologies. They have been absolutely heartless and something has to be sorted for the safety of everyone here."

Currently, Maxene and her mum leave the guest room early in the morning to sit at The Wishing Well Bistro all day until the evening.

When possible, the pair go to friends' apartments within the complex to try and take their mind off the situation.

Maxene said: "It is only through the the kindness of our friends we can keep ourselves occupied and go to their apartments from time to time.

"If it wasn't for them we would have nowhere to relax. The Wishing Well Bistro is an amazing facility. The charity does so much for the local community, they deserve a lot of praise.

Currently, Maxene says the guest room is a 'threat to life' to her 91-year-old mum during a heatwave (Cllr Dawn Clark).

"My health isn't in a good way, but it is my mum who I am most worried about. Guinness need to start taking responsibility and sort out this mess."

Guinness confirmed its contractors had missed scheduled appointments for pest control to inspect the apartment, issuing an apology to Maxene and her mum, but said there was "no evidence" of rats.

A Guinness spokesperson told Nub News: "We have previously carried out pest control and prevention work in response to the reports of rodents in Ms Knapper's [Maxene's] property. 

"There were instances where our contractors missed scheduled appointments, and we have apologised to Ms Knapper for this.   

"Following more recent reports from Ms Knapper, our specialist contractors carried out a further visit to Ms Knapper's property this week. 

"There was no evidence of rodent activity, however as a precautionary measure we are sealing any holes in Ms Knapper's kitchen where there is a risk that rodents could enter the property.

"Our contractors also visited other flats at Mill House this week, again no evidence of pests was found. Our contractors will carry out further checks, including at Ms Knapper's property, in the coming weeks."

Guinness says there was no evidence of rodent activity, but is sealing any holes in Maxene Knapper's kitchen as a precautionary measure (Guinness).

Responding to Guinness, Maxene said: "They are still not addressing the issue of us in a hellish unsuitable room and mum having to go into respite care.

"We live and pay handsomely to live here.

"Our argument wasn't how long the pest control took but how they have neglected us while it is all going on.

"They should have offered us same, or better, but not worse accommodation, that was a threat to life to a 91-year-old in a heatwave."

READ MORE: Four residential plots left on new Nantwich family homes development.

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