My neighbour's 'eyesore' renovation means I'll never be able to sell my £150k ... trends now
An electrician claims his neighbour's renovation has left him with a collapsed fence, a garden stinking of sewage and a rat infestation.
Etizaz Raja bought the three-bed property in Northamptonshire for £150,000 with a mortgage in 2017 with his life savings - and hoped to sell it soon to fund his dream home.
The 34-year-old spends the week living in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire while the property is being renovated and returns to it on weekends.
But Mr Raja now fears he'll never be able to find a buyer for the property due to ongoing building work by his next-door neighbour Abul Azad.
Mr Azad, 51, was given permission for his extension some six years ago and dug the foundations but then stopped to receive further advice.
In that time however, Mr Raja's fence has collapsed into the 10ft-deep hole and he now says he can smell sewage and see rats - a claim Mr Azad denies.
Etizaz Raja, 34, bought the three-bed property in Northamptonshire for £150,000 in 2017 with his life savings - and hoped to sell it soon to fund buying his dream home
His next-door neighbour Abul Azad was given permission for an extension in 2018 and workers dug an enormous hole in his garden
Mr Raja's fence has collapsed into the 10ft-deep hole as a result - and he said he can smell sewage and see rats
Mr Azad received planning permission for a ground and first-floor extension in June 2018.
Council documents said Mr Abul had to have started work by August 2021 - three years from permission being granted - for the permission to be valid.
He started work by digging the hole in early 2023, according to Mr Raja.
Mr Azad said he's now waiting on advice from engineers about filling the hole, which he excavated because he wanted 'better' soil to build his extension upon.
But the work means pipes carrying sewage are now exposed, which Mr Raja says has caused liquid to leak out into the garden.
This has discoloured the temporary wood used to hold the earth in place and attracting flies, he claimed.
He said because of the situation, the fence dividing the two gardens has collapsed. Mr Raja said it was caused when his garden 'started sliding' due to Mr Abdul's construction work.
Mr Raja claimed a large pile of the excavated soil is attracting the rats.
He said: 'It stinks - we've got rats running around in the garden.
'When I walked over [to his neighbour's garden], I saw a rat running over the fence towards the brook.
'I've been here seven years. I've never seen a rat in my life.'
Devastated Mr Raja said he's had sleepless nights worrying about his neighbour's property and fears his life savings will be tied up in a house he no longer wants.
He said the stress has caused weight loss - and is furious with the council for not intervening.
Devastated Mr Raja said he's had sleepless nights worrying about his neighbour's property and the fears his life savings will be tied up in a house he no longer wants
Pipes he said carrying sewage have been left exposed, causing liquid to leak out into the garden - discolouring the temporary wood used to hold the earth in place and attracting flies, he claimed
MR Raja said the stress has caused him to lose one and a half stone in weight and he can't sleep at night
The construction work at his neighbour's extension has been affecting Mr Raja's property
