TORONTO -- Some residents in a north Ajax neighbourhood are spotting rats in and around their properties and one man wants the town to step in.

Rob Chipman said he first discovered rodents around his house in December. First in his backyard and then on the side of the house, so he set up a box with some poison and traps with peanut butter.

“It’s disgusting. It was only after I caught the first five that I’m like 'this is a big problem,'” he said.

Chipman said he has now seen 10 rats and caught seven.

To get a handle on the situation, Chipman said he contacted the town and learned getting rid of rats is a actually private property issue.

Chipman said he is concerned because rats can carry disease and be aggressive. He also read information from Durham Region that for every rat seen, suspect that there are 25 unseen.

“I want to be able to protect the families and pets in the neighbourhood,” Chipman said. “I’d like them [the city] to take some responsibility for that. Set traps, put poisons down the sewers, at least control the population of the rats.”

A few blocks away, James Roberts said this past spring he found a rat nest near his home along with a surprise in his backyard.

“[I] set up the barbecue and opened the lid and there was a friend sitting on a grate. That started my war with the rats,” Roberts told CTV News Toronto.

After getting rid of the nest, Roberts said the rodents did not return. He said he has lived at the property for 24 years and this was the first time he has ever encountered rats.

“If they [the city] have knowledge that there is a problem with the rats they should be doing more,” Roberts said.

Ajax by-law services manager Derek Hannan told CTV News Toronto that the reason the rats are moving in is because of construction. He said that Ajax is a growing community and disrupting land with rodents is part of the pain of expanding.

Hannan said that the town has received fewer than a dozen reports, but sightings have increased. He said that the town will only get involved if there is a nesting or infestation issue.

“Across the entire region we are dealing with this. We’re hearing from lots of our neighbours that the rodent population, whether it be winter, the high levels of Lake Ontario, construction, are increasing everywhere.”

The town said there were reports about a potential infestation in south Ajax over the summer after the demolition of a building, but has received no evidence of further infestation since.

Hannan said the town will monitor the situation, but as of Tuesday, it’s still a private resident issue.

People who have sighted a possible rat nest can contact the town’s by-law services department.

Hannan suggested that if residents are having trouble getting rid of rats on their own they should call a professional.