Shivarna Mitra says her £217,000 three-bedroom semi-detached home in Pudsey, Leeds, West Yorkshire, has been left "unsellable" after her neighbour illegally demolished his adjoining property. The 44-year-old mother says the demolition has caused extensive damage, including holes in her walls and roof, leading to water leaks that have harmed the electrics, carpets and wallpaper.
Mother's 'nightmare' after neighbour's demolition
Ms Mitra, who spent years saving for her deposit and moved into the house in May 2021, says the property is now suffering from damp, mould, and infestations of rats, squirrels and wasps. She claims she is powerless to address the problems as she cannot gain access to the adjacent land, which neighbour Chris Rhodes has since sold.
"I was really chuffed when I bought it - but the whole ordeal has been a nightmare, and it's caused me to be very ill," she said. "I have gone through cancer and had a major operation while all this was going on, so instead of recovering, I'm fighting battles from my hospital bed on emails."
Planning applications and demolition
Mr Rhodes bought the neighbouring property for £280,000 just over a year after Ms Mitra moved in. He submitted two planning applications for extensions to Leeds City Council in June and August 2022, both approved. However, Ms Mitra alleges he used these as a pretext to illegally demolish his house, a claim he disputes.
Work commenced in October 2022, and Ms Mitra's concerns grew when Mr Rhodes removed the roof, exposing her home to winter conditions. In January, she contacted Leeds Council, alleging a breach of planning consents. She claims the authority instructed him to halt work, which he denies.
Structural concerns and legal action
Mr Rhodes maintains that after a storm "the gable wall became unsafe" and, "following HSE guidance" and "to avoid any risk or danger to others and their properties", he demolished the wall plus an additional front wall. He says the council only indicated an application should have been submitted after the demolition, which he argues conflicted with "safety" and his "guidance".
Work continued until May 2023, when Ms Mitra claims an official stop notice was served - by then, she says, it was "too little too late". She said: "In the time he was asked to stop he had pulled down his side of the party wall and the breeze blocks meaning I only had a layer of bricks protecting my house from the outside. From the foundations, first floor, second floor, and up to the roof I am now exposed."
Ongoing impact and council response
Ms Mitra says rats chewed the wires, requiring a full rewire, and water ingress has caused mould and damp, affecting her son's chest and her health. She says her heating bill is around £630 a month. After an initial application to build a five-bedroom property was rejected, a subsequent application was approved in May 2024. Mr Rhodes sold the plot with planning permission in May 2025 for £115,000.
Ms Mitra fears the property will never be reconstructed, as the new owners are "not cooperating" and wish to "do things quickly and cheaply". Mr Rhodes refutes claims his work caused the issues and says he was treated unjustly by the council. He added: "There were very unfortunate circumstances that cost my wife and me a significant amount of money and stress. This was a series of unfortunate circumstances that have created a bad situation, of which I tried to work with all parties concerned at every point to resolve."
Ms Mitra claims the council has offered no assistance, stating it is a civil matter, though her insurer has successfully lodged a legal claim. She says it will still be two years before the case reaches court. Leeds City Council confirmed the property was demolished "without necessary permissions" following concerns of structural instability, and stated that a team had inspected the property and found it "remained structurally stable". It 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."
