Furious residents living in one of the Britain’s most desirable suburbs have said their ‘hoarder’ neighbour has turned their street into a ‘health hazard’ because he has let oozing mountains of rubbish pile up in the front drive and garden of his crumbling home.
Locals in St Albans, Hertfordshire, said the ‘vile’ property has massively affected the value of their home and even prevented them from being able to sell.
Meanwhile, their 80-year-old neighbour Roger, who wades through the noxious waste to leave his home just once a day, has refused help.
Instead, he constantly brings rubbish back to his home, letting the rancid smell accumulate, attracting giant rats and fruit flies.
‘It’s vile, it’s literally like a landfill. In this weather it’s like hot cooking s***. It’s a health hazard,’ one resident told the Daily Mail.
‘In his mind he think he’s helping to recycle but no one should be living like that.’
Roger, a retired engineer inherited the house from his parents, who bought the home in 1936. He lives there alone without any heating or water, eating cold microwavable meals.
Oozing mountains of rubbish are piled up in the front drive and garden of the crumbling home
The windows are smashed, the front of the house is held up with an acrow prop
Locals in St Albans, Hertfordshire, said their 80-year-old neighbour Roger, who wades through the noxious waste to leave his home just once a day, has refused help
The windows are smashed, the front of the house is held up with an acrow prop and even though the rubbish reaches the top of the front door he insists he plans to recycle.
Sitting on the cracked window ledge of his home, looking out at the sea of filth, he told the Daily Mail: ‘I t’s not so much rubbish it’s only stuff that needs recycling. I have friends and I could rope them in but I don’t want to disturb them. It does need doing there’s no doubt about it. It’s a question of getting organised.’
But residents said a few years ago the council came to clear up the mess – and it quickly returned along with the ‘unbearable’ stench.
Average house prices in the area, which is in a city considered to be one of the best places to live in the UK, are around £700,000.
However, Roger’s neighbours say his ‘vile’ property has massively affected the value of theirs and even prevented them from being able to sell.
Claire Lewis, who has lived on the road for 14 years said: ‘It is an eyesore you can see people walk down the street and double take.
‘Quite a few years ago next door had rats in the garden we had blow flies coming into our property and that was gross.
‘I don’t know how he clambers up and down. I feel sorry for him, he’s autistic, but it brings the property value down for everyone.
‘We’ve just got used to it over the years. It doesn’t look nice he seems to go and collect rubbish and bring it back it’s beyond hoarding but it is a mental illness. But that’s his way.’
Roger’s neighbours say his ‘vile’ property has massively affected the value of theirs and even prevented them from being able to sell
Omar Provencal, (pictured) a local tradesman in the area, for Prestige Renovations (St Albans Limited) told the Daily Mail he thinks most people are waiting for Roger to die so that the house can be renovated
The garden path at the property in St Albans is full with burst bin bags full of recyclable waste
Another resident added: ‘It’s disgusting it smells. I literally opened my door and it stinks. I am all for people living however they want to live but in the house.
‘I worry about what we’re smelling when it heats up and we’re in the sun. There’s loads of rats there’s always rats. I feel like the council have given up on this little street.
‘I feel disappointed in the council and it’s just annoying because it knocks the house prices down we think if we waited we could get a lot more for our money it’s just awful.
Omar Provencal, a local tradesman in the area, for Prestige Renovations (St Albans Limited) told the Daily Mail he thinks most people are waiting for Roger to die so that the house can be renovated, giving the road a more upmarket status.
‘It’s derelict he cannot live in it it has to be knocked down and the house needs to be rebuilt,’ Mr Provencal said.
‘People are waiting for him to die so it can go up on the market.
‘I see him coming in and out every day. He’s really well known in this community and respected, really educated. People have offered to help him but he’s refused every time.’
Another local described it as ‘possibly the most vile house in Britain’.
They added: ‘Despite numerous complaints to the council and environmental health, they seldom help.
Roger’s front garden is so full of rubbish locals say it has impacted their house prices
Claire Lewis, (pictured) who has lived across the street with her family for fourteen years said she’s become accustomed to the decayed home
Residents said a few years ago the council came to clear up the mess – and it quickly returned along with the ‘unbearable’ stench
Average house prices in the area, which is in a city considered to be one of the best places to live in the UK, are around £700,000
‘It’s a huge nuisance to live close by, the smell in summer is horrendous, and the streets are full of rats I’m sure it’s also probably a fire hazard in the heat.
‘The resident is a nice man, I support his way of living, but would prefer it was restricted to his own house, and not out on the street or my front garden where his ‘belongings’ are regularly blown by the wind.
‘His house and back garden are literally full to the brim. He sleeps in his front garden somewhere as he can no longer access his house – his hallway is full to the ceiling.’
Other residents who have complained to the council numerous times say they feel let down.
‘I feel like the council have given up on this little street,’ one neighbour said.
‘It’s disgusting it’s worse than anything I’ve seen. I don’t like opening the front windows because it’s hot and I smell it all summer.
‘I worry for my health and my children, I’m super health conscious and this hazard is completely out of my control.’
Chris Traill, strategic director of community and place delivery for St Albans City and District Council, said: ‘We understand residents’ concerns about conditions at a house in the Clarence ward of St Albans.
‘For a private property, under the law there is only a limited number of actions that we can take.
‘Our conversations with the property owner are confidential and we cannot disclose these in detail.
‘The main issue for us as the District Council is the accumulation of rubbish which has happened on a number of occasions over several years.
‘Our environmental enforcement team has intervened and organised the removal of material from outside the property on the grounds that it is a health hazard.
‘This has occurred several times with the householder being charged for this work.
‘We are currently investigating concerns that rubbish has been allowed to mount up again and we are considering further action.
‘A member of our team has been in contact with the property owner for some years, making them aware of their responsibilities as well as the various help that is available to them.
‘At least one other public agency has also been involved. ‘
