Anger over the council-bought homes which sit empty on edge of city

Norwich City Council bought a four-bedroom detached house from Les Royal, 70, for £290,000 in mid-July 2021.

This is located in Harpsfield in the Chapel Break area of the city.

But neighbours have described the home becoming an eyesore with overgrown weeds at the front and back at the property.

The city council has admitted the home has been caught in a backlog but the authority hopes to complete works at the property by the end of the year.

Mr Royal said: "My wife and I lived there for around 15 years but downsized and sold it to the council. It has been empty ever since.

This council-owned property has been abandoned in Harpsfield (Image: Archant)

"There are 3,400 odd people on the waiting list for council homes yet there are empty properties like this. It's absolutely ridiculous."

The former owner of the home was even told by a housing officer that the council did not believe it owned the home at one stage.

An email sent to Mr Royal by a council home options officer on July 28, 2022 - which has been shared with the Evening News - says: "As previously stated by my colleagues we do not own this property."

Figures from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities shows there were 3,436 people on the waiting list for council homes in Norwich last year.

Mr Royal referred to Norwich South MP Clive Lewis' previous comments calling for an increase in the number of council and mutually owned not-for-profit cheap rent homes.

But Mr Lewis chose not to comment when contacted by the Evening News and Mr Royal said the MP ignored his multiple emails about the abandoned property.

Norwich South MP Clive Lewis. Photo: Antony Kelly (Image: Archant Norfolk 2017)

Sereice Roberts, 30, lives next door to the empty home in Harpsfield and often receives letters addressed to the city council - including unpaid utility bills.

The mum-of-one has recently been handed a no-fault eviction by her landlord who wants to sell her home- but Ms Roberts said she has been told she cannot move into the empty home.

She said: "It's completely neglected at the back. It's in a terrible state.

"I have been evicted and there is an empty house next door but the council has not even looked into the possibility of me moving in or acknowledged it."

There is another bungalow around the corner in The Crofts which was purchased by the council that has also remained empty having been purchased around two years ago.

The empty bungalow in The Crofts (Image: Archant)

A 77-year-old woman living next door, who did not wish to be named, said she has taken it upon herself to cut the lawn so it does not become overgrown.

She added: "I have probably only seen three movements in there since it was sold around two years ago."

It is understood the city council loses around 150 homes each year through the government's Right to Buy scheme.

A spokesman for the city council said: "We reported earlier this year that we have a backlog of repairs and maintenance work and confirmed we had appointed additional contractors to help clear that.

The overgrown front garden of the council-owned home in Harpsfield (Image: Les Royal)

"Properties we purchase require rigorous safety checks, as well as significant work to bring them up to the additional standard we set as a council, before we can make them available as council homes. These works have been caught in the backlog.

“We fully acknowledge there are some properties that need to be turned around much quicker and made available to residents who need them – this is something we are deeply committed to and is why we appointed contractors to help us address unacceptable delays.

"Good progress is now being made on this and the majority of work is expected to be complete by the end of the year.

“As soon as the necessary works are complete, homes will be available through the city council’s home options register for all eligible applicants to bid on.”