Plea for council to clean up 'rat-infested' house left to rot for more than a decade in Northampton

A neighbour is once again pleading for the council to do something about the house next door in Northampton which has been left as an unsightly mess for more than a decade.

David Nicholls is calling on West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) to bring the 'rat-infested' property next door to him in Murray Avenue, Abington, 'back in to use'.

The house has boarded up doors and windows, a ruined garden wall and the front garden is a state - no one knows what the inside is like but David believes it is full of rats and vermin.

Since buying his house in 2008, David said the house has been like it is now and he has over the years reported it to both Northampton Borough Council and now WNC but to no avail.

David said: "The council keep saying it is working with the owner but nothing's changing. The council knows the property is empty.

"All my neighbours have seen rats recently - we've been putting out traps for them. I've found loads and loads of rat faeces in my loft.

"It doesn't look like the council is working with the owner and making sure the property doesn't become a rat-infested den. It looks like negligence.

"I have asked WNC when the property was last inspected and when the property was cleaned so it is not encouraging vermin but the council keep ignoring me.

"The council should be looking to put the property back into normal use. The question remains, why is the place all overgrown?

"You're just waiting for the council to do something and wondering when it will be. This has been going on forever. It's been going on for so long it's become a landmark."

A WNC spokesman said they were aware Mr Nicholls' complaint.

The spokesman said: "The council continues to investigate, and progress action in line with the latest findings from the local government ombudsman.

"The council is not the owner of the property, and is not responsible for the property.

"WNC confirms that where possible it will take enforcement action to secure improvements to the property and the neighbourhood when the law allows.”