Residents of a Chelsea street claim their multi-million-pound homes are unsellable because of a neighbour's neglected property, which is overrun with Japanese knotweed. The owner, Nicholas Halbritter, a former councillor for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC), was prosecuted in 2017 for failing to deal with the invasive plant, but locals say it remains, now standing nearly 10 feet tall.
Christine Gambles, 69, says she wants to sell her home after her husband died four years ago, but fears the knotweed will deter buyers. She said: 'Who the hell is going to buy a house with knotweed in it? The house is derelict. Foxes literally live inside it. It is blighting my life.'
Other complaints include noise from foxes mating in the basement, a burst mains pipe causing constant water leaks and attracting mosquitoes, and the property's unsightly appearance. Residents have urged RBKC to act and involved their local MP.
Mr Halbritter, 75, admitted in court in 2017 to failing to comply with a notice to maintain land, which included tackling the knotweed and clearing rubbish. Yet neighbours say the infestation has worsened. Ms Gambles added: 'I have tried to talk to him, but he always runs down the road or slams the door in my face.'
Properties on Ifield Road can fetch over £1 million for flats, and a terraced house sold for £3.7 million two years ago. Residents fear the knotweed and neglect are lowering property values and making homes impossible to sell.
