The current owner of a rat-infested home in Peterhead could be forced to foot the bill for a council clean-up operation.
Water dripping from a damage pipe has been filling the property in Rose Avenue for the last 12 months but the supply has yet to be switched off.
The walls of the two bedroom property are covered in mould, while worried neighbours have been woken by the sound of parts of the interior “collapsing”.
Now Aberdeenshire Council has revealed it may use “legislative powers” to bring in contractors to tackle the vermin outbreak and make the building safe, with the owner having to cover the costs.
A councillor who has been contacted by people living nearby has raised the issue with a top council boss and local politicians.
The Rose Avenue house is at the centre of an emotional family fallout after it was left to Leia Stephen, 17, and her sister by their grandmother.
The siblings will inherit the property when they are 21. In the meantime, it is being “cared for” by another family member, who has declined to comment on the matter.
Last night, a council spokesman said: “Officers have been investigating the matter and, following a visit, contacted Scottish Water to effect any necessary repairs, including the shutting off of any water flow.
“We understand that as this is a shared supply it will take some time to resolve, especially if entry has to be forced to the property.
“We are trying to ascertain whether neighbouring properties are directly affected, in which case we may use legislative powers to employ tradespeople to carry out appropriate works.
“We would of course attempt to recover the cost of this work from the property owner.”
Peterhead South and Cruden councillor Alan Fakey is working with neighbours worried about the situation.
He is trying to help resolve the situation but has been thwarted in his attempts so far.
Mr Fakley urged council chief executive Jim Savege and Banff and Buchan MP David Duguid to step in.
He said: “I have been working on this case for the past two weeks.
“I have spoken to environmental health, housing and Scottish Water to no avail.
“I wrote to the chief executive of Aberdeenshire Council and David Duguid our MP.
“I am awaiting to see what can be done. This seems to me a very frustrating yet eminently solvable issue.
“My thoughts are with the neighbours who are living in fear of water damage to their own properties.”
Claudine Summers, who lives next door with her partner and daughter, is worried that the problems in the adjoining property will impact on her own home.
The 46-year-old said: “It is just horrendous. I am not getting anywhere at the moment.
“Nobody has come in to turn the water off and even when they do stop it running this house is still going to be a health hazard.
“I raised the issue with environmental health but because it is not affecting my property at the moment it seems they won’t do anything.”
