She says the fleas have bitten her too
17:27, 08 Sep 2025Updated 17:30, 08 Sep 2025
Resident Emma Laycock aged 34 with her dog Buster, she says the council are not sorting an issue with fleas in a communal garden. It’s leaving her having to clear fleas from the dog all day.
Picture Jason Roberts / Manchester Evening News
A woman in Stockport says she feels ‘ignored’ by the response of her landlord over a garden which is ‘infested’ with fleas.
Emma Laycock lives in a flat on Betley Road in Reddish which is managed by Stockport Homes, a social housing provider owned by the council.
She has access to a communal garden area which is shared with other properties on the road, but claims an infestation is leaving her dog Buster covered in fleas every time he uses it.
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The 34-year-old said she was offered help to clear the fleas from her flat – but felt this would not solve the root of the issue and only lead to the fleas returning when Buster goes out again.
Stockport Homes said the council’s pest control experts recommended installing monitoring traps inside Emma’s home to confirm if fleas were present, followed by a free indoor treatment – but said the offer was declined.
Emma has lived at the flat for around five years.
A spokesperson said: “We completely understand how upsetting this has been for Emma and her dog, and we want to reassure her and other residents that we’ve taken her concerns seriously and acted quickly.”
Emma said the fleas have even bitten her and are harming hers and Buster’s quality of life at the property.
She also explained that she’s suffered a problem with a leaking roof in the home where she has lived for the past five years.
Emma lives in the flat with her dog Buster (Picture: Jason Roberts / Manchester Evening News)
“I’m sick of being ignored and being treated like a lesser member of society because of where I live,” she told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
“It’s so undignified, I can’t have anyone in my property because they might go home with fleas.
“If it was one or two fleas I would have given up a long time ago, but it’s not, and the principle now is bigger than anything.”
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Emma has provided pictures showing large amounts of fleas she has taken from Buster’s skin each time he goes out, which she says is around four or five times a day.
She added: “The general wellbeing of tenants is not even in the realm of possibility when these people are looking at situations, it’s just what’s cost effective and what’s not.
“I’m not a tick box, I’m a human being, so treat me like one.”
A spokesperson for Stockport Homes said: “As soon as the issue was raised, we sought advice from pest control specialists, carried out treatments where we could, and asked our maintenance teams to keep a close eye on the area.
“On the property itself, a roofer attended on July 30 to re-fix slipped tiles and clear the gutters.
“While minor water ingress was noted, no further issues have been reported since. A follow-up inspection is taking place today, and we’ll continue to provide updates and support where needed.”
Stockport Homes explained that fleas in outdoor areas are naturally occurring and would be difficult to remove entirely, and that solutions such as fencing off the communal garden would not be feasible or resolve the issue.