RESIDENTS of Hopfields Close in Farnham are furious after claiming bins have been left uncollected for more than seven weeks, causing the likes of maggots, foxes, flies and rats to move in permanently.

“We all have one child or more and this is how we are having to live - its disgusting,” commented a disgruntled resident.

The resident who wishes to remain anonymous said that the bins had not been emptied for more than seven weeks after bin collectors refused to take them due to weight capacity, causing the area to become over-ridden with mess.

“I contacted the housing association, and all they are saying is they can’t get anyone out until next week and then next week will come and it will be the same,” the resident continued.

“Everyone has put in complaints and environmental health have been involved, but still nothing’s done. Residents are having to take their own rubbish to the dump because they can’t fit it in the bins.

“I can’t have my windows open, the smell is that bad. I can’t put my rubbish in there, I can’t even get in the bin area – I wouldn’t let my worst enemy go in there. I don’t want to be here anymore, it’s just making me feel depressed.”

Independent housing association Mount Green which runs and cares for Hopfields Close, said that it is aware of this ongoing problem and that staff are doing their upmost to resolve it.

“The problem is that the bin area is not being used properly by its residents, while many are using the area perfectly others are not,” said Nick Ronald, chief executive.

“The problem is we are not sure why this is happening or why residents are dumping rubbish on the grounds, unless there is no space in the bins.

“It costs Mount Green a lot of money to clear up each time. It seems to go in cycles, it will be fine and then suddenly it will flare up again. We are looking at other ways to resolve this and are considering installing CCTV, which will help us identify who is causing this problem.

“They are nice flats and they are very well kept by residents. We just want them to enjoy it – it is very frustrating for us and them.

“We hope to find a resolution in the near future and when we identify who is doing this we will charge them.”

The bins at Hopfields Close are emptied weekly by Waverley’s bin collection contractor, Veolia, which said it hasn’t missed a collection yet.

A spokesperson for Waverley Borough Council said: “[Late last month] Veolia was unable to fit a rubbish collection from the flats into one of its vehicles, due to the volume of the waste and the high level of contamination by un-recyclable materials.

“However a second vehicle attended on the same day, to collect all the waste and crews also litter picked the area.

“There have been no missed bin collections reported in the past six weeks. In response to concerns raised by the residents, an officer will visit the site to ensure there is adequate bin provision.”

Waverley will also contact the flat’s management agent to offer its support and assistance, to ensure the bin areas are managed effectively and residents know what goes into each of the bins.

If residents are concerned they should contact the council directly as the authority responsible for the collection of household waste.