RESIDENTS who live near a £800,000 home that was torn down by its owner say it is a disgusting eyesore which has ruined their street.
Mohammad Ali Khan, 45, knocked down the three-bed house in Hounslow, west London, last January and yesterday, only the front wall remains.
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After the demolition, bricks lay scattered and the walls have been left in disarray.
According to residents who live on the street, the owner only had permission to get rid of the garage but proceeded to tear down the entire property.
And locals say they have been left worried about their safety as ripping down the semi-detached house has led mice and squirrels to burrow into the house next door.
One neighbour, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: “I have been here a long time and have never had problems with vermin and now I have got mice in my kitchen.
“Squirrels get into the eves so I have had pest control round to try and sort it out.
“More and more foxes have started to appear next door too. I don’t have too much of an issue with foxes but there are so many there now.”
The frustrated resident added: “It was an illegal demolition so it shouldn’t have been able to happen.
“It’s an eyesore. When I walk out my door all I see is the grey protection around it.
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“What really worries me is they want to take the facade down too and rebuild it but the facade should really be there as this is a conservation area.”
Hounslow Council’s building control service started investigating the property when neighbours voiced their concerns about safety while the building work was taking place.
‘HORRENDOUS’
The joining neighbour said: “At one time the facade was in danger of falling down. It was very worrying.
“It was horrendous when it was being knocked down, it was noisy.”
She added: “From my point of view the future worries me because of the building work. I don’t know what they’re going to do with the wall that joins us.
“I’m worried it will be turned into a business which will take away from the community feel here and once you start other people will do the same.”
Another neighbour next door was left in shock when part of the building fell through his fence.
The resident, who did not want to be named, said: “It didn’t bother me really at first, I just didn’t want windows looking into mine which they said was ok.
“But one day a pole went through the fence by my boy’s bike shed and if he was there, it could have injured him or damaged his bike. He often leans his bike on the fence.
“When it happened no one came to say sorry and that’s when I called the council and found out that the work going on was illegal.”
“The guy who owns it owns a few nursing homes and my worry is that they’ll turn it into another one.”
Anonymous resident
The man captured the footage on the CCTV on his house back in January 2022, and is also worried about the property’s future, adding: “It’s just a shame.
“The guy who owns it owns a few nursing homes and my worry is that they’ll turn it into another one.”
Mr Khan was ordered to pay a fine of just over £6,000 after being found guilty of instructing a contractor to demolish a building without notifying the local authority, as required by the Building Act 1984.
But residents along the road do not think this is a steep enough punishment.
One said: “It is quite a lump sum but I have heard he has a few properties elsewhere so it probably isn’t too much for him.”
However, not all residents are affected by the work, with one woman, who lives opposite the building site, said: “It obviously isn’t nice to look at but it isn’t too bad for us.
“I feel bad for the woman who lives next door especially during the winter as she is exposed to the elements.”
‘STRANGE’
The remains of the building have also caught the attention of passers-by.
Another neighbour said: “I have noticed people stopping and looking at it when they walk past because it is a bit strange.
“When the panels weren’t there, it was worse but it doesn’t really bother me. If I was living next door, it would maybe but from here it’s fine.
The case was heard at Uxbridge Magistrates Court on February 3.
Although the prosecution has been successful, there is still a dangerous structure notice in place and this will remain in place until the remaining front facade is removed or the house is re-built.
Reacting to the sentence, Councillor Tom Bruce, cabinet member for regeneration and development at Hounslow Council, said: “I hope this prosecution and hefty fine sends a strong signal that we take these types of crime – which blight our neighbourhoods and threaten the safety of residents – very seriously and are fully prepared to pursue them.
“Flagrant and reckless breaches of planning rules and building regulations are not acceptable in our borough.
“This serves as a reminder to every resident that the correct procedures must be followed when undertaking construction on your property or hiring contractors.”
The Sun have approached the homeowner for comment.
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