COUNCIL tenants living in White City and Old Oak Common are up to five times more likely to suffer from rat infestations.

Figures obtained by the Chronicle through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request show ward-by-ward breakdown of rat infestations treated across Hammersmith and Fulham by the council.

It can be called out to treat rodent-related issues for tenants while private home-owners or renters can call out their Public Protection and Safety Division to pay to have pests removed for between £75 for a rat infestation and up to £175 for bedbugs.

Overall, council home call-outs for rats has dropped from 80 to 72 in the past 12 months while private call-outs has also dropped from 141 to 121.

But College Park and Old Oak Common and Wormholt and White City wards continue to have the highest rate of call-outs in the borough with neighbouring Shepherd's Bush Green and Avonmore Park & Brook Green among the lowest.

A spokesman for H&F Council said: “We are pleased to see the borough's rat population is falling and having the cleanest streets on record is playing its part.

“A range of factors can encourage growth of the rat population, such as badly maintained sewers, large scale building work, or the train line near Old Oak.

“The imbalance in White City and Old Oak is because the vast majority of housing there is council-owned, so we take responsibility for dealing with pest control issues. People living in private accommodation are free to use any pest control firm they choose.”

Diseases carried by rats include Salmonella, Weil's disease, E.coli, Cryptosporidiosis and Tuberculosis

Signs of rats include scratching noises, droppings, distinctive smells, nests or burrows and they can get through holes of less than 1cm.

COUNCIL HOME RAT CALL-OUTS

Addison: 2010/11: 5. 2009/10: 3.

Askew: 2010/11: 1. 2009/10: 10.

Avonmore & Brook Green: 2010/11: 1; 2009/10: 1.

College Park & Old Oak: 2010/11: 20. 2009/10: 17.

Fulham Broadway: 2010/11: 3. 2009/10: 1.

Fulham Reach: 2010/11: 3. 2009/10: 6.

Hammersmith Broadway: 2010/11: 2. 2009/10: 1.

Munster: 2010/11: 5. 2009/10: 4.

North End: 2010/11: 4. 2009/10: 2.

Palace Riverside: 2010/11: 2. 2009/10: 4.

Parsons Green & Walham: 2010/11: 1. 2009/10: 1.

Ravenscourt Park: 2010/11: 0. 2009/10: 2.

Sand's End: 2010/11: 1. 2009/10: 4.

Shepherd's Bush Green: 2010/11: 5. 2009/10: 1.

Town: 2010/11: 1. 2009/10: 4.

Wormholt and White City: 2010/11: 18. 2009/10: 19.

PRIVATE HOME RAT CALL-OUTS

Addison: 2010/11: 6. 2009/10: 10.

Askew: 2010/11: 5. 2009/10: 7.

Avonmore & Brook Green: 2010/11: 6. 2009/10: 3.

College Park & Old Oak: 2010/11: 12. 2009/10: 12.

Fulham Broadway: 2010/11: 1. 2009/10: 0.

Fulham Reach: 2010/11: 3. 2009/10: 13.

Hammersmith Broadway: 2010/11: 11. 2009/10: 9.

Munster: 2010/11: 16. 2009/10: 20.

North End: 2010/11: 4. 2009/10: 2.

Palace Riverside: 2010/11: 11. 2009/10: 13.

Parsons Green & Walham: 2010/11: 10. 2009/10: 14.

Ravenscourt Park: 2010/11: 10. 2009/10: 9.

Sand's End: 2010/11: 6. 2009/10: 6.

Shepherd's Bush Green: 2010/11: 6. 2009/10: 11.

Town: 2010/11: 6. 2009/10: 9.

Wormholt and White City: 2010/11: 5. 2009/10: 3.