Council owned garage block

Caitlin_Bree

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help or has been in the same position.

The council owned garage block next to us has been earmarked for development,.
They don't have the money to do anything with it at the moment, so for the time being (until they do something with it) garages are currently being used to store their rubbish. (See photos)

This is going to, or has already, attracted rats to the area (I know of at least one person whose house backs on to them, has had to call exterminators out)
It is also attracting kids who rip the fronts off, pull out the contents and smash them. They've been boarded up several times.
The council agree that the area is an eyesore but refuse to do anything other than "make the area safe as necessary".

Does anyone know if we can make them dispose of their rubbish as a means of "making the area safe"? I think the vandalism and vermin would be less of an issue if the contents were removed.

Having said that, I do realise it's council owned property, so can they do what they want with the area?

daveyjp

Every year Councillors are elected. Contact your local ones and lodge a complaint via them.

Caitlin_Bree

Thanks for your response, the question still stands though.. if it's legal for them to be doing that, I won't have a leg to stand on against any councillor.

daveyjp

A building owner is responsible for its security and safety to reduce danger to trespassers and any rubbish has to be controlled. If you have rats this is also a concern. A picture tells a thousand words and Councillors generally do sit up and listen.

olly300

Who have you contacted in the council? Environmental Health?

If kids are playing in the garages and they are derelict then it's dangerous as they may injury themselves, as well as the fact vermin are living there.

One issue when complaining to organisations is how you complain.

Also as well a contacting them and a local councillor the local newspaper would probably like to do a story on it.

Strangely local councils don't like their misdeeds put in the local paper as the national media can pick up the story a few days later.

Caitlin_Bree

I'm not exactly sure how it works, but the complaint has been made by us and some neighbours to the company that manage them on behalf of the council, (they have a website with a form to report vandalism etc) so not to the council themselves per se.

I thought I'd ask before reporting them to anyone, as what I'd really like to do is report the council (to the council) for flytipping, or whatever's going to make them sit up and take notice.
Rats have been seen, so I think the next step is to report them to someone else, as merely reboarding the garages is not going to make the problem go away.

Also, I did consider that the local paper may like the story,. If it doesn't get sorted out, I'll consider taking it to them. I feel pretty aggrieved that the council can impose fines for flytipping, and yet dump rubbish themselves.