Dad who demolished half a semi-detached home then fled UK defends ‘nightmare’ transfer
A man who tore down half a semi-detached house before moving abroad has blamed council delays and safety guidance, while his ex-neighbour reports severe damage to his home
A man who flattened his half of a semi-detached house before fleeing abroad has spoken out(Image: Charley Atkins / SWNS)
A dad who flattened his half of a semi-detached house before heading abroad has hit back after leaving his former neighbour stranded next to a mountain of rubble. Dad-of-four Chris Rhodes ripped down his side of the Pudsey property in Leeds, leaving Shivarna Mitra trapped in what she describes as a living nightmare.
The 44-year-old claims it has left her battling damp, mould and a home which is now unsellable. But Mr Rhodes insists he did nothing wrong, placing the blame squarely on his ex-neighbour and local council bosses for escalating the problems.
Speaking to MailOnline, the 47-year-old said: “There were very unfortunate circumstances that cost my wife and I a significant amount of money and stress also.”
Shivarna Mitra says she is living a ‘nightmare’ due to the dispute(Image: Charley Atkins / SWNS)
He claimed it “created a bad situation of which I tried to work with all parties concerned at every point to resolve.” reports the Manchester Evening News.
Ms Mitra, who shares the property with her young son and elderly mother, has previously called the last four years a “nightmare”.
She purchased her three-bedroom home in May 2021 for £217,000 and invested approximately £80,000 in refurbishments, which included a £35,000 garden and a new kitchen.
Ms. Mitra claims it has left her battling damp, mould and a home which is now unsellable(Image: Charley Atkins / SWNS)
But since the semi-detached home was demolished, she has claimed that gaps left in her walls and roof have allowed rain, rats, squirrels and wasps in – which Mr Rhodes disputes.
She added she had battled cancer and undergone major surgery during the ordeal, saying: “Instead of recovering, I’m fighting battles from my hospital bed on emails.”
Mr Rhodes, who works as a self-employed carpenter, purchased the property next door in July 2022 for £280,000.
Mr Rhodes insists he did nothing wrong, placing the blame squarely on his ex-neighbour(Image: Charley Atkins / SWNS)
Planning permission for two extensions was granted that summer, with construction beginning in October 2022.
Ms Mitra alleges he exploited the planning approvals to tear down the entire house, something he firmly denies. She alerted the council in January 2023, saying the works violated planning consent.
Mr Rhodes maintains that storm damage rendered the gable wall dangerous and claims that, in line with Health and Safety Executive guidance, he dismantled it alongside the front wall.
He said: “I had a discussion with the HSE and it was agreed [that pulling the wall down] was necessary and the correct course of action to avoid any risk or danger to others and their properties.”
The council served a stop notice in May 2023, which he insists he fully observed. He said that a planning enforcement officer informed him he ought to have sought demolition permission.
Mr Rhodes said: “This goes against what the Health and Safety Executive said and I had an obligation, both legally and morally to immediately make things safe. I accepted that there would be planning ramifications at this point but the number one priority is safety.”
He subsequently sought approval for an entirely new dwelling. He alleges the council disregarded him for months following his application, adding: “I received zero response from my many answer machine messages and emails.”
The initial application was rejected, though a second proposal for a five-bedroom property gained approval in May 2024, but the property has not yet been constructed.
Mr Rhodes sold the plot with planning permission earlier this year for £115,000, saying he did not want his family “exposed to all the nastiness.”
He maintains Ms Mitra attempted to obstruct the reconstruction at every opportunity and questioned her opposition if the vacant site was genuinely problematic.
He also refutes Ms Mitra’s allegation that he behaved aggressively towards her. He said “This did not happen and I was in no way, shape or form, aggressive with her.”
He claimed she was hostile towards his construction workers and summoned the fire service for non-existent blazes. Ms Mitra denies being abusive or aggressive.
Mr Rhodes also disputes that his contractors caused damage to her property. He said: “We did not touch her roof as is shown in the videos and images. We left approximately two feet of our roof so as to protect the top of the wall from direct weather.”
A Leeds City Council spokesperson said: “The building was taken down by the owner without the necessary council permissions being in place. The owner was advised by Leeds City Council to submit a Section 80 Demolition Notice but did not do so.”
The council said that building control officers subsequently determined the adjacent property “remained structurally stable” and advised weatherproofing the exposed party wall.
The spokesperson added: “As these are privately owned properties, the council advised Ms Mitra to contact her house insurer and take legal advice. The council will continue to monitor the site and take any appropriate action as necessary.”
A spokesperson for the HSE confirmed the regulator inspected the site after the property had been demolished and provided verbal guidance regarding scaffolding and site security.
They said: “At the time of the HSE interactions there were no breaches of health and safety legislation that required formal enforcement.”
Ms Mitra’s insurance company has initiated legal proceedings, which she estimates are still approximately two years away from reaching court.
