Ontario woman says neighbours' abandoned house infested with bugs, overgrown weeds
An Ontario woman says her neighbours' house that has been vacant for three years is now overgrown with weeds, has a racoon problem and is infested with insects.
"The last time I saw my neighbour was October 2018 so this house has been abandoned since then," Brampton woman Christine Reece told CTV News Toronto. “We don't know if this (home) is a fire hazard or if there are water leaks … we just don't know what is happening."
Reece said she noticed the townhouse beside her started have issues about five years ago, but she says three years ago the owner moved out and never came back.
The home is overgrown with weeds and bushes. Insects, including an infestation of earwigs, are now affecting her property and raccoons have moved in next door.
According to Reece, there are several holes in the soffit of her neighbour’s house where raccoons climb in and out of each day.
"I used to have raccoons in my roof, but now they have moved into the (vacant) home and left my roof and my attic, because now they know they have an empty home all to themselves," she said.
Along with weeds, there is also garbage and junk that she says she has to look at each day beside her neighbour's townhouse unit.
There are insects on the interior windows of the home and Reece said no one knows for sure what's happening inside.
Reece said her family of five is no longer able to enjoy their backyard.
"There are rats, mice, raccoons, there is everything going on over there and it's a health hazard," Reece said.
There are failure to comply notices on the door for by-law infractions, and Reece has called the City of Brampton to complain, but she's been told the homeowner continues to pay his taxes on the property.
Reece said she just wants the mess cleaned up.
"I want the city to maintain it, because I’m tired of living with raccoons. I’m tired of not being able to enjoy my summer in my backyard, because at a certain time everyone has to run inside because the raccoons are coming," Reece said.
CTV News Toronto contacted city officials in Brampton who said they are "aware of property standards issues at (the property) and has laid multiple charges resulting in convictions against the property owner."
"The city continues to actively seek compliance with the property standards by-law and is currently reviewing next steps to address the matter," the city said in a statement. "By-laws are essential to maintaining a healthy and clean city, and every resident has a role to play in upholding these standards. The City of Brampton’s By-law Enforcement team is committed to keeping the city clean, safe and enjoyable for all, and takes all complaints about properties in the community seriously."
Reece said after CTV News Toronto visited her home, the city agreed to come and remove the overgrown weeds and bushes. A wildlife control company also visited the property but has so far not blocked the raccoons from getting inside.
Reece wants the city to deal with issues with the vacant home problem before animals start getting into and damaging her home.
Neighbours are also concerned that the vacant house could affect property values on their street.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
The pros and cons of discussing mental health issues in the workplace
A group of lawyers has written what they call a groundbreaking book about how mental health is perceived in the legal profession.
Explosion at train station leads to discovery of stolen car on Montreal's South Shore: police
Police are investigating after a BMW exploded in the St-Lambert Exo train station parking lot on Montreal's South Shore.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
A candidate for Germany's key party was beaten up while campaigning for European elections
A candidate for Chancellor Olaf Scholz's center-left party in next month's election for the European Parliament was beaten up and seriously injured while campaigning in an eastern city, the party said Saturday.
Two killed after collision with truck on Hwy. 417 near Limoges, Ont.
Ontario Provincial Police say two people were killed after a car and a transport truck collided in the westbound lanes of Highway 417 near Limoges, Ont. on Tuesday afternoon.