From the street, this 1960s semi-detached property appears shabby and unloved, but its run-down exterior tells the story of thousands of forgotten homes across Britain. Wheelie bins block the decaying, battered front door and garage entrance, where blue paint has peeled away over time and white flakes from window frames. Behind boarded-up windows, litter lies in front of a side door, leading to hollow rooms where memories were never made.
The Addams Family house of Fareham
This ramshackle Hampshire home has sat quietly for more than six decades, with only rats scurrying inside and foxes visiting its overgrown garden. Neighbours jokingly call it the 'Addams Family' home, but there are fears squatters could break in, and some feel it 'brings down the value of the area'. Locals agree something must be done about this tumbledown property, which is a blight on a neighbourhood where similar homes sell for £350,000.
The house has been reported to Empty Property Hunters, who are working to find a new family for it. It is one of 265,000 long-term empty residential properties across the country that have been vacant for more than six months, according to the property investment firm.
A story of probate and decay
Built in the 1960s, the three-bed semi-detached house in Fareham has never been lived in since it was purchased as a pair by the owners of next-door. The former elderly owners, now deceased, bought the neighbouring property hoping their children would move in and help with their care. Today, both homes lie vacant as the family battles probate, while neighbours hope new owners will eventually move in.
Anne Page, 84, a frustrated neighbour, described the situation as 'dangerous'. 'I am scared stiff at night. I have seen people try to break in for years,' she said. 'It is filled with foxes and rats, and the whole situation is just silly. I try to keep an eye on it, but it is very stressful. I don't need this at my age, and neither does the rest of the community; it's a big stain on the area.'
Valerie Edwards, 84, who lives three houses away, said it was 'such a shame' the properties lay empty. 'They could do them up lovely and they'd be a great home for a big family or two small ones. Anne has seen squatters trying to break in so many times. Something has to be done, and the question is why hasn't it? This could be one of Britain's best-kept estates bar these shacks.'
Nigel Harrison suggested the homes may need to be knocked down. Phillip Jones, 46, a Royal Marines veteran, described the home as a 'permanent fixture'. 'It's been a permanent fixture sadly, someone should intervene - this is an expensive area. Maybe if they sold it, the money could go to veterans, we have so many homeless at the moment.'
Married couple Sophie and Val Sargeant agreed it was a 'shame'. Mrs Sargeant said: 'They're ugly and it's sad. I saw someone cutting the bushes back a while back but nobody seems to care.' Mr Sargeant added: 'It's like the Addams Family house isn't it? Nobody has ever touched it or lived in it. It could so easily be converted and given to a nice family.'
Another anonymous neighbour said: 'To say the community is a little browned off by the situation is an understatement.'
Empty Property Hunters step in
Simon Taylor, founder of Empty Property Hunters, said: 'This isn't just a property story. It's about neighbours, communities and thousands of homes sitting empty during a housing crisis. Together, we believe we can really make a difference. Houses remain empty for lots of reasons. Some owners simply can't cope with probate, inheritance rows or the cost of repairs. That's where we step in and try to unblock the situation. The maddest thing? Homes like this are often sitting in areas where families would bite your hand off for the chance to buy one.'
This comes as a mansion with a stinking swamp and overgrown garden, home to foxes, was left to rot in an exclusive west London street. The four-storey home on Ilfield Road, Chelsea, was vacant for more than a decade after a dead person was discovered inside in 2010. Forty-six neighbours signed a petition, leading the council to issue a Section 215 notice to owner Nicholas Halbritter to tidy the land and trim knotweed.
Christine Gambles, 70, who has lived next door for over 20 years, said: 'My husband spent ten years of his life before his death four years ago fighting this. Now I am at the end of my tether because next year I really need to sell my home. How much more money have I got to spend out of my own pocket because of this man's neglect? Fighting this has taken over my life.'
How to report an empty property
To report a property, take a clear photo, submit the address and upload your picture to Empty Property Hunters. Signs a property may be empty include overgrown gardens, boarded-up windows, build-up of post, no lights or activity for long periods, neglected appearance, and neighbours saying nobody has lived there for years.
