Leeds hoarder faces £75,000 bill

24 January 2009

A LEEDS man whose house was piled high from floor to ceiling with rubbish has to pay £38,0000 to clear up the mess – and may have to pay out more than £75,000 when legal fees are included.

Leeds County Court ordered Anthony Cockerham to pay for his local council to remove the tons of rubbish he had hoarded in his home and which led to a rat infestation.

The 61-year-old, who lives in Oakwood in Leeds, had refused to allow contractors to enter his home to deal with the problem.

When they obtained a warrant to enter, they discovered bags of rubbish and newspapers piled up as far as the ceiling. The junk filled 17 skips.

He was fined £34,310 to cover the costs incurred by Leeds City Council in clearing the rubbish and tackling the rat infestation.

He must also pay the legal costs that could top £40,000. The case began four years ago.

Leeds City Council's executive board member for environmental services, Steve Smith, said: "You may say an Englishman's home is his castle but when public health is at stake we have to take measures to protect people.

"The simple fact is that the conditions in this house threatened the health of its occupants and those living nearby.

"With the court awarding the council costs, we have also made sure the process of clearing the house and then the long battle to get Mr Cockerham to pay will not leave the council taxpayers of Leeds out of pocket."

A neighbour complained about a rat infestation in 2005. Environmental health officials instructed Cockerham to ensure the that his premises were free of pests. He failed to do so and then refused to let council workers into his home.

Do you want to use a fully licensed & insured house clearance company?

Do you want a reliable house clearance company that always turns up on the day & has never let a customer down? Click here & see what hundreds of our past customers have said about us.

We perform full house clearances, removing everything requested such as carpets, cookers, washing machines, all clutter & furniture. We also clear garages, lofts, office spaces and commercial buildings. If requested, we can also clean the property to help improve its rental chances or its selling appeal on the housing market.

Call us today on FREEPHONE 0800 0352653 or contact us via e-mail.

Click Here To Calculate Your Carbon Footprint