Homeowners billed for expensive clean-up

Homeowners in the city have been billed by the council for the forced clear-up of their eyesore properties.

Worcester City Council said it has invoiced the owners of four empty and neglected homes in the city for the cost of clearing waste and tidying overgrown gardens.

If the charge is not paid, the city council has the power to move to reclaim the costs from the homeowners.

One eyesore home that has now been cleared up is a property in Somers Road in Barbourne – which has been empty for over a decade and was in such a state it could barely be seen through the overgrown trees and hedges.

The city council enforced the sale of another home in Somers Road – which had been empty for several years and the subject of several legal actions because of its appearance – which has now been refurbished and being used for its original purpose as a home.

The council stepped in to carry out an extensive tidy-up after the owner failed to respond to its ‘tidy up’ notices after complaints from neighbours.

Another home in Kilbury Drive on the edge of the city was tidied up by the council including freeing up both front and rear gardens and removing a vandalised car left on the driveway.

Of the 179 homes in the city that have been empty for two years or more, 15 are said to be ‘dilapidated’.

Owners of homes that have been empty and unfurnished for two years face having their council tax bills doubled with the charge increasing if it has been empty for five or even ten years.

Cllr James Stanley, chair of the city council’s communities committee, said: “Empty and neglected homes can have a big impact on the lives of city residents, dragging down the image of an area and potentially becoming a target for vandalism and fly-tipping.

“I am very pleased that the city council has been able to take action against some of these homes and help to avoid them becoming a blight on their neighbourhoods. I want to encourage residents who know of other untidy, empty properties to let us have the details at www.worcester.gov.uk/report-it.”