Generally, a property that has been lying vacant for over six months is considered abandoned. Some properties may not fall in this category, such as holiday homes. People who can’t afford a decent house often wonder why someone would abandon his or her home.
Nevertheless, such properties can become a cause for many problems in an area. A house or a mansion that has been left in an abandoned state can have some undesirable effects on others. Here, we’ll take a look at some of the problems that an abandoned property can cause:
1. Problems for the homes nearby
An empty house can affect the value of its neighboring homes. It can also adversely affect the value of the entire street in some cases. This will come to light when a person next door is trying to sell a house. The empty house, some rusting vehicle, and an overgrown garden can be some of the dangerous signs.
They can significantly reduce the market value of surrounding homes. In worst cases, the homes in the neighborhood won’t sell at all!
2. Crime
Criminals have the tendency to store their stolen goods or commercially grown cannabis in abandoned homes. An empty house will some day or the other become a target of such criminals or burglars. Some even use such properties as places for selling drugs.
Burglars can easily enter an abandoned mansion or house and steal anything. They then sell the stolen items such as pipes, radiators, and other items made of metal.
3. Illegal occupation
Some individuals, especially those who are homeless, can make an abandoned property their home illegally. The likelihood increases when such a property is located in areas of high demand. One of the examples of such areas is a central city location. The illegal occupants are sometimes well meaning people who can’t afford a decent home.
Many of them might do some repairs and upkeep the property at their own cost. The illegal occupants who pose a threat to others in the neighborhood are usually the criminals on the run. Such people just need a place to live somewhere and most of them damage the property before moving on.
4. Arson
Homes that are abandoned become an easy target for arsonists. These individuals are often teens or mischievous kids who won’t be quite aware of what they’re doing. They can cause gas pipes to leak, resulting in an accidental fire. They might play with faulty electric wiring, leading to fatal accidents.
5. Rodents and harmful creatures
With no one living in an abandoned house, rodents or other harmful creatures can get an easy access. They can cause a lot of damage to the property and also become a nuisance to the homes nearby. Lack of cleaning and flushing of toilets can affect the sewers from the house. The bathrooms begin to emit unpleasant smells and allow vermin to enter the property.
Vegetation can also become a threat to the house with trees and bushes growing into the rafters. Trees can become a threat to the foundations owing to their roots. Such a situation of a house is often referred to as ‘reclaimed by nature’.
