redkite
19-02-10, 09:37 AM
www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk (http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk) - this is south devon.co.uk - 19-Feb-10
'House from hell' to be converted back into family home (http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/news/House-hell-converted-family-home/article-1850158-detail/article.html)
THE LANDLORD of the 'house of hell', closed down by police, has endorsed the shutdown of their multi-occupation property.
And Andy Windsor, of the Paignton-based property company Windsor Estates, promised the address in Mallock Road, Chelston, will be converted back into a family home.
His announcement yesterday was immediately greeted with delight by residents who had suffered a year of misery at the hands of the booted-out tenants.
One neighbour said: "It's good news. It's just what we want to hear. This is a family street for families, and we've got it back. Peace has broken out at long last."
Mr Windsor revealed his firm has been saddled with a repair bill of an estimated £3,000 after the Mallock Road property was 'trashed' within hours of the closure notice being served on Tuesday.
"Doors were kicked in and abusive words were written in paint on the walls. There were even hand-marks in paint on carpets. The place was just trashed," he said.
"The property will be given back to the street as a residential home. There is no way we intend to upset the neighbours by turning it back into a house-share again."
Residents have confirmed a similar property let by the firm in Mallock Road attracts no trouble at all from the family who rent it.
Mr Windsor said: "We have endorsed the police action in Mallock Road.
"Some tenants have no respect for anybody or anything. They just don't give a damn.
"They didn't care about their neighbours or the police or us. We made attempts to see the tenants, but it didn't make any difference. They didn't care.
"Gone are the good old days when a landlord could throw out a bad tenant. But with the civil system now operating it's a slow process for landlords."
He said his firm would be more than happy to 'work in partnership' with the police in relation to all the 212 properties they managed across the Bay.
A police spokesman confirmed that two tenants, Levi Duff and Jade Bassett, had been charged in connection with alleged criminal damage caused to the closed property at 37
Mallock Road before the police swoop on Wednesday afternoon.
The pair, arrested on Tuesday, will appear before Bay magistrates on March 4.
The closure order, resulting in the property being boarded up, is effective for three months.
One resident who did not wished to be named said everybody was 'pleased' with the closure of the property.
The residents revealed in the first two weeks of 2010 there had been 15 emergency calls concerning the house and that there had been more than 100 such calls concerning the house in the last year.
"Hopefully this will change our lives and we can get back to normal family life in a normal family street which has been lacking for the last 12 months," they added.
PC Jason Currie-Smith, the Police Neighbourhood Beat Manager for Chelston, said that PCSOs and officers from the PACT team had been providing reassurance to nearby residents.
"At the end of the day we have worked really hard with the community and it has been a real joint effort between the antisocial behaviour team and residents.
"The police and Community Together Team have taken an active role in helping to bring about this closure," added PC Currie-Smith.
'House from hell' to be converted back into family home (http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/news/House-hell-converted-family-home/article-1850158-detail/article.html)
THE LANDLORD of the 'house of hell', closed down by police, has endorsed the shutdown of their multi-occupation property.
And Andy Windsor, of the Paignton-based property company Windsor Estates, promised the address in Mallock Road, Chelston, will be converted back into a family home.
His announcement yesterday was immediately greeted with delight by residents who had suffered a year of misery at the hands of the booted-out tenants.
One neighbour said: "It's good news. It's just what we want to hear. This is a family street for families, and we've got it back. Peace has broken out at long last."
Mr Windsor revealed his firm has been saddled with a repair bill of an estimated £3,000 after the Mallock Road property was 'trashed' within hours of the closure notice being served on Tuesday.
"Doors were kicked in and abusive words were written in paint on the walls. There were even hand-marks in paint on carpets. The place was just trashed," he said.
"The property will be given back to the street as a residential home. There is no way we intend to upset the neighbours by turning it back into a house-share again."
Residents have confirmed a similar property let by the firm in Mallock Road attracts no trouble at all from the family who rent it.
Mr Windsor said: "We have endorsed the police action in Mallock Road.
"Some tenants have no respect for anybody or anything. They just don't give a damn.
"They didn't care about their neighbours or the police or us. We made attempts to see the tenants, but it didn't make any difference. They didn't care.
"Gone are the good old days when a landlord could throw out a bad tenant. But with the civil system now operating it's a slow process for landlords."
He said his firm would be more than happy to 'work in partnership' with the police in relation to all the 212 properties they managed across the Bay.
A police spokesman confirmed that two tenants, Levi Duff and Jade Bassett, had been charged in connection with alleged criminal damage caused to the closed property at 37
Mallock Road before the police swoop on Wednesday afternoon.
The pair, arrested on Tuesday, will appear before Bay magistrates on March 4.
The closure order, resulting in the property being boarded up, is effective for three months.
One resident who did not wished to be named said everybody was 'pleased' with the closure of the property.
The residents revealed in the first two weeks of 2010 there had been 15 emergency calls concerning the house and that there had been more than 100 such calls concerning the house in the last year.
"Hopefully this will change our lives and we can get back to normal family life in a normal family street which has been lacking for the last 12 months," they added.
PC Jason Currie-Smith, the Police Neighbourhood Beat Manager for Chelston, said that PCSOs and officers from the PACT team had been providing reassurance to nearby residents.
"At the end of the day we have worked really hard with the community and it has been a real joint effort between the antisocial behaviour team and residents.
"The police and Community Together Team have taken an active role in helping to bring about this closure," added PC Currie-Smith.