By Julian Loevenich
So far, Gabriela Krumnow (62) has looked from her balcony into the countryside. On trees, hedges, meadows. Now she’s looking at rats!
Not one, not two – at least a dozen. They climb up the garbage cans, pull out the leftovers, have found the rodent paradise on earth.
Formerly a courtyard idyll, today a plague of rats Photo: Ralf Gunther
“I’m afraid that one day they’ll be here in the apartment,” says Krumnow. This year the plague has taken its course. The garbage cans in the courtyard at Burscheider Weg 25 overflowed, the rats came – and stayed.
The Spandau woman’s apartment belongs to Gewobag. At the end of April, Krumnow wrote the state-owned company an e-mail, complaining about their suffering. To date, she has not received an answer.
Gabriele Krumnow (62) no longer feels comfortable on her balcony Photo: Ralf Gunther
“It really disgusts me,” says the pensioner. The animals are particularly active at night. That’s why Krumnow now sleeps in the living room. The adjoining balcony creates some distance to the squeaking animals, which repeatedly trigger the motion detector.
Everything on sale: This rat has decided on a piece of bread Photo: Ralf Gunther
Gewobag is aware of the problem. “We immediately commissioned a pest control company,” says a company spokeswoman for BZ. The number of baits has already been increased.
Regarding the waste problem, it says: There should be additional collection dates and the tenants should be informed on signs about correct waste disposal. The Gewobag spokeswoman: “We hope that our increased measures will end the rat infestation in the long term.”
Shopping paradise: For the rats, the garbage cans are a real treasure trove Photo: Ralf Gunther
long term? Krumnow hopes it will go faster. “I want to be able to sit on my balcony again,” she says. However, the animals still feel comfortable in their yard.