eyesore and empty houses in hyndburn

cmonstanley · 23-06-2010, 20:47

Rishton landlord fined over eyesore house (From Lancashire Telegraph) wonder if they will catch up with the landlord who left the house empty and an eysore on orange street for 10 years

Neil · 24-06-2010, 07:40

Quote:

He was fined £525, handed a £15 victim surcharge and ordered to pay £100 legal costs and £3511.68 investigation and clean up costs.

If left unpaid the Coun Peter Clarke said the property would be sold within 10 months to obtain the money.

The fine is not enough and 10 months is too long.

It is good news that this has happened. I hope it is a warning to others that Hyndburn are starting to get tough on landlords.

Mick · 24-06-2010, 08:03

There is just 1 house in our street that is empty and when the regeneration was going on the landlord was found and asked about having free windows and doors and fence and gates he refused all this and now looks an eye sore as it stands out from the rest of the street

Ken Moss · 24-06-2010, 16:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil

The fine is not enough and 10 months is too long.

It is good news that this has happened. I hope it is a warning to others that Hyndburn are starting to get tough on landlords.

There is an awful lot of pussyfooting around when it comes to landlords.

A block on Spring Street in Rishton is now so decrepit as to be a danger but has been in such a state for around 11 years. Several notices have already been served on the landlords (in Manchester) which have been ignored and the stance is that we must give them sufficient time. 11 years isn't enough?

It has dragged an entire area down, Hyndburn needs blanket legislation and fast. The decent landlords actually want the scheme, even though it will cost them more money.

Restless · 24-06-2010, 20:34

bit much when where talking about great harwood haha

g jones · 24-06-2010, 21:35

I worked with Rochdale, Salford and Manchester Councils, the CHA Agency as it was then, and Phil Woolas MP when he was the minister to bring this legislation to Hyndburn.

I did a full opposition debate with a presentation that took a lot of time and effort and was laughed and mocked at loudly by Councillor Clarke and Councillor Britcliffe plus others for the whole 15 minutes.

I am glad these people have seen the foolishness of their actions and are doing what they were asked to do back then for the public who are fed up of this sort of problem.

The fact it has taken 4 years to get the message through is frustrating and yes it's the same answer again, why can't we have a Labour Council for this would have been done 3 years ago and would now be being done across the whole borough.

cmonstanley · 24-06-2010, 21:54

there seems to be a general leniency towards certain slum landlords in hyndburn,plus what about the landlords who quickly bought as many houses in the regeneration areas just before the regeneration areas were anounced

g jones · 24-06-2010, 21:58

I did the presentation on tackling visual blight on 23 January 2007 though I did table it the last meeting in 2006.

http://www.hyndburnbc.gov.uk/downloa...107_minute.pdf

I have to say we have still got much further to go. The original proposition I put forward highlighted the huge advantages of the Law of Property Act 1925 and this property is the first chance The Council are taking to use it almost three and half years later.

They have made mistake after mistake in getting half way to where we should be. Taking on big enforcement projects that were lost expensively in court (Monroes) when advised not too, refusing to do works in default for 2 years, understaffing underestimating the problem, failure to get departments to collaborate or enforce the laws seriously, misunderstanding of the law completely and giving poor advice, refusing training for staff, allocating just one part time staff, failure of leadership to recognise the opportunities, failure to extend enforcement and a failure to find solutions for arson and boarded up properties despite them being outside of the law.

cmonstanley · 24-06-2010, 21:59

what i heard is they buy a couple of houses on the street leave them to rack and ruin bringing down house prices so they can buy half the street when they come up for sale.

g jones · 24-06-2010, 22:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmonstanley

there seems to be a general leniency towards certain slum landlords in hyndburn,plus what about the landlords who quickly bought as many houses in the regeneration areas just before the regeneration areas were anounced

True.

There is a lax attitude by Conservatives. The issue is not a real priority to them despite the headline in the press because of the lack of substantive borough wide action.

We should be on the ball, quick to act on behalf of residents with enough staff (2 or 3?) to act. This is a question of existing legislation.

g jones · 24-06-2010, 22:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmonstanley

what i heard is they buy a couple of houses on the street leave them to rack and ruin bringing down house prices so they can buy half the street when they come up for sale.

Not sure they do that but I cannot speak for them.

What I do know is they buy them, put up a crappy partition and call it three bedroom to get an extra £10k and other devious falsifications from the district valuer.

The Coalition have also scrapped plans for a national landlords register and tougher regulations for letting agents.

daisychain · 18-07-2010, 21:18

HEy! What about the eyesore of the empty houses just off Hyndburn road in Accrington. Anyone kno what is happening there?

g jones · 19-07-2010, 16:53

Top end Steiner Street, partial demolition. Bottom end Russia Street on facelift grants. Council has just received circa £7.7m to do them up.
Bit of a delay with the coalition budget.

abara · 11-08-2010, 12:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by g jones

Top end Steiner Street, partial demolition. Bottom end Russia Street on facelift grants. Council has just received circa £7.7m to do them up.
Bit of a delay with the coalition budget.

By "Top end Steiner Street" do you mean nearest to Blackburn Road. If so do you know if Platts Social Club is going to be demolished? What will they replace houses with -more new houses

Studio25 · 11-08-2010, 13:04

I think the council threatened the owner of the site of Great Harwood's derelict old firestation that they would tear down what's left of it, clear the site, and then bill him. Apparently, he did it himself, redeveloped the site into some apartments, and because they weren't occupied within two weeks the local scrotes have done in all the windows and filled the interior with graffiti.

It would probably have been cheaper to let the council do the work...