Untidy property

[ChunkyBoy]

Had a letter from the council today saying they have had a complaint that my property is untidy. They mention section 215 of the town and coutry planning act and have given me 30 days to replace all the windown frames or repaint and repair them plus fascia boarding plus cut and remove and tidy front and back garden.
They also ask me to confirm my intentions in writing witn 14 days.

First question do i have to write back as i have phoned them for over 50 mintues today then left my name and phone number and they never phoned me back.

Second question as i have not got the money to pay for these repairs should and am i allowed more time to sort the problems out.

At present i have had my benefit money stopped and only get a phaze payment of £6 a week

[EDDIE51]

How do you get a council to issue a s215 notice ?
I ask because there is a house just up the road that has 23 rotting rusty cars and vans in the garden plus loads of other rubbish, they have been there for years . Loads of people have complained as the place has rats living amoung the rubbish and kids have been injured plying in the scrap cars. Nothing gets done though , we have lived here since 1977 and it was bad then , there are more cars now.

[bushbaby_de]

Eddie - you need to make a complaint to the Planning Enforcement Team as its usually them who has the s215 powers, although i have heard of it being Environmental Health in some Council's. Its often best to report to both as Env Health obviously have other powers depending on the nature of the mess.

[EDDIE51]

Thanks I'll give environmental health a call on Monday.

[ChunkyBoy]

Update, The front garden done, front fascia and gutter painted ( £180 ) Have had to order two new windows for front upstairs , front downstairs windows need a second coat ( unable due to weather) next job as soon as we have some warmer dry weather. ( warning on paint tin says it must be 8c or over during drying period)

Back garden bought a brush cutter as it was the cheaper option and used a machete and cut the lot down, even the rose bushes ( the lot has gone )

Not been able to start on back upper windows or fascia and gutter with the bad weather, lower window painted.

When they put the new windows in i will be over £1150 in debt and i feel like i am living in Nazi Germany not England in 2012. I will not be able to give anymore updates due to the fact i am having my internet cut off next week then my home phone line will be going.

[Svejk]

Chunky, I feel your pain if you're caught in a pincer movement between the council & DHSS. I hope your situation improves soon.
On a practical level ,you can get unlimited internet access* for £5 per month with Vodafone Pay As You Go. This is non contract so no worries if you can't pay & service resumes when you can. Other firms may have similar, I don't know.
*unlimited e-mails, google,AB etc.I think they charge more for videos & suchlike. Anyway, good luck.

[ChunkyBoy]

thetaliesin thank you for that info don't think my laptop will work on the new dongle type things as it is an old laptop, looks like a radio and cd's to keep me company for the future