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• Irresponsible Homeowner Landed with Big Bill

Introduction

(Article date: May 17, 2010) Three dilapidated properties have cost an East Herts resident nearly £4,000 in fines and court costs after he was prosecuted by East Herts Council.

Laurence Brittain of Lorne Croft, Wellpond Green, owns several properties in Bishop's Stortford but doesn't live in them. Two of the properties, 102 and 188 Dunmow Road, are derelict, while another, 35A London Road, has an incomplete rear extension that was started in the 1990s but was never finished.

Neighbours expressed their concerns to the council regarding the state of these three buildings.

The council held several meetings and exchanged letters with Mr Brittain for more than a year but he failed to repair the buildings. In March the council served formal notices on him, giving him four months to make essential repairs and improvements. Despite further correspondence Mr Brittain did not comply with the notices.

East Herts Council prosecuted him for failing to comply with the notices. He pleaded guilty at Hertford Magistrates' Court on May 4 to all three offences. Magistrates fined him £500 on each count and ordered him to pay prosecution costs of £2,332 with a £15 victim surcharge.

If Mr Brittain now fails to "do everything in his power to secure compliance with the notice as soon as practicable," he will be guilty of a further offence and could face an ongoing penalty of up to £100 per day for each offence.

East Herts Council's Executive member for housing and health, Bob Parker, said: "Empty homes can attract vandalism and anti social behaviour. They look ugly and are a wasted asset that someone could be living in. This successful prosecution highlights our commitment to stamp out this menace in our district.

"No-one deserves to live next to derelict properties like those subject to this case and we will do everything we can to ensure compliance with our empty homes strategy. Any home owner with an empty or sub-standard home in the district is welcome to contact our empty homes officer for help or advice in bringing their empty home back into use."

Further questions about Irresponsible Homeowner Landed with Big Bill

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