The owners of a detached house in Marshfield have been ordered to pay more than £7,000 and handed Remedial Orders after being prosecuted for breaching a Community Protection Notice on their neglected property.
The property in Marshfield | Photo © South Gloucestershire Council
Separate cases were made against the joint owners – 69-year-old Colin Steer of Keynsham and Alyson Steer, 67, of Somerset – with an initial plea hearing on 17th March where Alyson Steer was found guilty in her absence.
Colin Steer pleaded not guilty, and a trial was set for Bristol Magistrates’ Court on 23rd June where he was found guilty.
Alyson Steer was fined £1,250, ordered to pay £2,378.10 in costs and a £500 victim surcharge, and was given a Remedial Order to complete works in one month.
Colin Steer was fined £625, ordered to pay £2,000 costs and a victim surcharge of £250 and was given a Remedial Order to complete works in two months. The combined total in fines and costs is £7,003.10.
The court heard that the corner plot house has remained empty since 2022. It had been left wholly unmaintained, with the gardens overgrown and untidy.
Rubbish and miscellaneous items had been left on the land, along with an abandoned car. The property and outbuildings were left unsecured, and the front boundary wall was starting to collapse onto the pavement.
A Community Protection Notice (CPN) was served on each of the joint owners, requiring them to clear all the overgrown vegetation, tidy the land, remove the rubbish, secure the property and remove or replace to make safe the boundary wall, by 30th June 2024.
None of the requested work was carried out, and the condition continued to deteriorate. The notice also provided for ongoing maintenance of the property and the land.
The only work that was undertaken was the removal of the surrounding boundary wall; however, the bricks were not disposed of and were left in an untidy pile on site.
Following the Remedial Order issued against Alyson Steer, the overgrown gardens were cut back but she failed to progress any further works and the garden was again becoming overgrown and untidy.
Prior to pursuing this prosecution, the council’s empty homes team had previously written to and contacted the owners several times about their property and repeatedly offered advice and assistance, without any proactive response.
Councillor Sean Rhodes, cabinet member responsible for environmental enforcement at South Gloucestershire Council, said: “Empty, unmaintained properties can have a negative effect on the community and we will take action if necessary when this detrimental effect is persistent and unreasonable.
“Empty home owners who are undecided what to do with their property can contact South Gloucestershire Council’s empty homes officer for help and advice.
“This can include financial loan assistance, help with buying or selling via an interested purchasers list, and a lettings and management service.”
Residents affected by an empty property that is causing problems can report it by contacting 01454 865565, [email protected]
