An Edgware family forced to stay in a house with a stench of dead rats say they were treated "disgracefully" by housing authorities.

Parents Jenny and Jim Barnett, of Wakeman House in the Stonegrove estate, first noticed the "absolutely atrocious" smell last November.

Four months later Barnet Homes, which is responsible for council housing in the borough, has failed to fix the problem and the family have not acquired enough housing points to move.

Mrs Barnett, 31, believes the rats have affected her six-year-old son Ryan's health after he began suffering from chest pains, fever and aching earlier this year.

Over the last two months he has been off school for nearly three weeks.

She said: "The smell has been around for ages and my son is really ill now. It's disgraceful."

After pest controllers made several attempts to eradicate the rodents, Barnet Homes moved the family into a hotel for 11 days at the beginning of March, while they tried to fill holes in the property's kitchen where rats were thought to be entering.

But two weeks ago a pest controller found another dead rat outside the front door and Mrs Barnett asked to be moved permanently.

Barnet Homes refused her request, saying the work required to solve the problem was "minor".

Labour MP for Hendon, Andrew Dismore, said it was a "pretty appalling situation" for the Barnett family to be in.

He said: "They have really been messed around. The council is supposed to have solved this problem, but it hasn't."

Edgware Infant School headteacher Alison Holding reiterated Mrs Barnett's concerns about her son.

In a letter to Barnet Homes, she wrote: "Ryan's mother feels the current poor condition of their home is affecting Ryan's health.

"She shares our concerns about Ryan missing so much school due to ill health at such an important stage in his education.

"Addressing the housing needs of this family, I would be grateful if you would pay particular consideration to ensuring Ryan is able to live in healthy conditions in order to safeguard his well-being and effective education."

Barnet Homes said it had done "everything possible" to help the family, sending out pest controllers six times this year.

Mr Barnett, 36, said it would not have been in his family's interests to bid to move if the problem was not serious.

He said: "In 2009 we will be given 1,000 points and £4,000 to move out as the building is being knocked down for regeneration. So why would we want to move out now if we weren't concerned?"