Frustrated Altona North residents say that a hoarder’s failure to clean up his property is making their life hell.
A resident, who asked not be named for fear of escalating tensions
with her absentee neighbour, said the Paproth Grove property was strewn
with garbage, had metre-high grass and was attracting wild animals.
“He hasn’t lived there for about four years and he’s got snakes
and grass as high as the front fence and five or six cars that have just
rotted there for years and years,” she said.
“We can’t live at our property because there’s an infestation of
fleas, snakes and spiders. It’s been very stressful on us as a family.
We’ve had to stay in hotels and live in family’s houses.”
Animal rescuer Mandy Hall, who entered the property with police
permission to free a trapped swan, described the state of the property
as putrid.
“It’s quite scary, to be honest with you. It’s completely
overgrown [with] grass and trees and garden, but everywhere there’s just
old car wrecks, old trucks, with grass growing up all around them.
“Even looking into the property, it’s a bit freaky because even the front gate had chains and padlocks everywhere all over it.
“All the windows were nailed closed. And then the perimeter fence
line, there’s nails tapped all into the tops of the fence so if you went
to put your fingers on the fence it would stab you.
“It’s just creepy that somebody has gone to so much effort. What’s in there?”
The council’s acting director of corporate services, Hamish Munro, said the owner had been ordered to clean the property.
“Hobsons Bay City Council has issued a notice to comply to a
property in Paproth Grove, Altona North, seeking the immediate clean-up
of the property,” he said.
“The council has the authority to direct owners of properties that have become unkempt to maintain their property.
“If no action is taken, the council can engage a contractor to undertake remedial works at the owner’s expense.”
