Galway couple awarded €25k after rats infest their cars

A couple in Tuam have been awarded €25,000 after both their Toyota cars were infested with rats, with pools of urine and rat droppings found in both.

By Declan Whooley

Ina and Alan Dempsey got more than they bargained for when they bought their new Avensis cars in 2006 and 2007. Ina first noticed a hole the size of an apple in the back seat and when they called a pest controller, they were shocked with the findings.

“He found rat droppings all over both cars,” she said. “They were even in the glove compartments and papers in my glove compartment had been eaten."

Not only that, but pools of rat urine were found in the side pockets in the car boot and also in her husband’s work helmet.

It was found that the rodents had found their way into the cars by gnawing through a vent under the wheel arch on the passenger’s side of the car.

The couple were refused a refund from both the car dealer and Toyota Ireland, but sold them at a knock-down price to a trade buyer, losing more than €18,000 on the cars.

“I could never sit in those cars again. We couldn’t even bring ourselves to look at them after that,” she said.

Galway Circuit Court said that Toyota made little effort to help the couple and awarded them €25,000 to cover the losses on both cars.

We will be checking our own cars nervously this evening.