The housing management company has been accused of putting profits before its responsibilities, and ‘undermining the lives’ of local residents
18:57, 01 May 2026
Veronica Strode, 71, is one of several residents concerned by the lack of waste disposal on a nearby housing development(Image: Liverpool ECHO)
A quiet corner of Liverpool has become overrun with rats, according to residents, after mounds of uncollected rubbish pile up high on a nearby housing estate. The problems of wind-blown waste, roaming vermin, and noxious smells, has become so bad, people are now afraid to leave their doors ajar when they step out into the street
The ECHO reported on the rubbish pile up at the apartment complex on Back Beau Street (April 22), just off Fox Street in Everton, after being contacted by local resident, and Lib Dem campaigner, Kevin Robinson-Hale, who described the situation as ‘horrific’.
At the time of the original visit, the ECHO saw more than a dozen residents trying to dispose of their rubbish correctly, but who were forced to place them on the floor due to the sheer scale of the uncollected waste, mounted high in the bin stores, and with no space readily apparent.
The ECHO returned this week (April 30), and found the situation was much the same, bin stores completely full, with no available visible space to dispose of it properly. We also spoke to residents of the surrounding neighbourhood to see how it was impacting local residents.
Rubbish piled up on a housing estate in Everton, just off Fox Street, pictured on April 24(Image: Liverpool ECHO)
We met Veronica Strode, 71, who is one of several residents concerned by the lack of waste disposal on the nearby estate, where the bin stores and discarded rubbish bags sit just a few metres from her front door.
Just in front of her door lies a well-attended garden, with colourful plants and flowers sprouting up towards the sun, and presents as a good example of how much pride people take in their neighbourhood.
However, Veronica and her neighbours appear to be fighting a losing battle, as the stench and detritus from the bin stores severely impacts the local environment, including the ever-increasing existence of rats and other vermin. Veronica said: “This has been going on for a couple of years now and it’s getting worse.
“You can see how well we try and keep the place, but what chance do we have with all that rubbish piling up, left in the open, in the sun. The smell is awful and it’s attracting rats, with rubbish blowing everywhere.
“I’ve got my door open now, and for the longest time, I could just leave it open.
“I can’t now, I wouldn’t dare, because you don’t know what’s gonna run in, with all the rats running around, and that’s really terrifying to think they could be coming into your home.
Rubbish piled up on a housing estate in Everton, just off Fox Street(Image: Liverpool Echo)
“We’ve been on the phone to the environmental health a number of times, and then it gets removed but then it comes back again. I really hope something gets done soon to solve it properly.”
Mr Robinson-Hale also returned to the site, and he told us: “The bin situation didn’t just happen overnight it’s a culmination of years of mismanagement.
He added: “It’s strangely not surprising to see the inaction taken over the situation and the community is the bearing the brunt.”
The housing estate, including its maintenance and waste disposal, is managed by a company called Xenia. In our initial report two weeks ago, a spokesperson for Xenia said it is actively working to resolve the issues, citing ‘environmental factors’ and the residents not ‘fully utilising’ the available bin stores.
We contacted Xenia for a second time and relayed the detail of what we had found, as well as the complaints from local residents. A spokesperson for the company repeated the claims about residents not using bin stores correctly, and also added an update.
Xenia’s spokesperson said: “We have been in communication with the council regarding the bin area at Fox Street and have also arranged for ad hoc collections to be made at the site.
Rubbish piled up on a housing estate in Everton, just off Fox Street(Image: Liverpool Echo)
“On a number of occasions our contractors have arrived to site and the works had already been completed, without us having received any prior communication on this. We are happy to continue working alongside the council to ensure that collections are kept on top of and the bin area is in order.”
The ECHO also contacted Liverpool City Council around the management of waste disposal on the estate. A spokesperson told us: “We understand that this has been a frustrating experience for the residents at the apartment complex. We are exploring legal avenues to resolve the issue.
“As Xenia manages the site, they are responsible for presenting waste for collection and clearing any excess. However, we are regularly visiting the site and carrying out additional waste collections to limit the impact.”
Cllr Jane Corbett said she has been aware of the ongoing issues on the estate and has placed the blame squarely at the door of the owners, and the management company Xenia, she said: “This is shameful behaviour from Xenia! They took over the management contract for the external areas in July 2023 and it’s gone downhill ever since.
“The council has now collected the bins and cleared the area, yet again, picking up the pieces left by Xenia on this appallingly managed site.
“Xenia continue to put their profits before their responsibilities and so seriously undermine the lives of not only the residents living there but also in the surrounding street such as Ebor Lane.
“I will continue to work closely on this with the council as well as Kim Johnson our MP until we reach a resolution.”