Latest news with #hoarding
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
LA residents say ‘hell house' is now drawing squatters after the owners ‘hoarded themselves out of their home'
The Los Angeles neighborhood of Westwood is "well maintained" with "surroundings [that] are quiet and clean" according to comments on the online real estate marketplace Trulia. But now, one home that neighbors describe as a 'hell house' — attracting squatters, drugs and criminal activity along with a growing pile of garbage — is making life miserable for residents. Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 5 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Nervous about the stock market in 2025? Find out how you can access this $1B private real estate fund (with as little as $10) As KTLA reports, the underlying issue is that the older brother and sister who own the home are anti-social hoarders who regularly engage in profanity. "They've been a menace to the neighborhood for the whole time that we've lived here," said Amy Gordon, a local resident. But Gordon says things went from bad to worse in the past year as the pair 'hoarded themselves out of their own home' — moving into their cars out front, essentially opening their front door to problems. Now the neighbors have banded together to address the challenge, and their city council rep is taking action. Serious hoarding presents a number of concerns for both hoarders themselves and their neighbours. Safety is a serious issue. Hoarding can attract rodents, increase risk of fires and — in the case of the Westwood 'hell house' — intruders. Gordon says the home is attracting people who leave drug paraphernalia around the community, including across the street from a school. Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says — and that 'anyone' can do it It also impacts property values — as the home where the hoarding takes place drops in value, so do other homes in the area. However, it's important to approach the situation with compassion, since hoarding is a real disorder that affects people of all ages. Area resident Carrie Livingston, told KTLA that she called Adult Protective Services to try to help the homeowners, to no avail. Neighbors reached out to city police, city leaders and even building and fire inspectors to get the "hell house" owners the help they desperately need. Since then, community residents have filed restraining orders against the brother and sister. They've also gathered more than 150 signatures on a petition they sent to their city council representative Katy Yaroslavsky. And that got a response. Yaroslavsky promptly asked the city attorney to declare the property a public nuisance and reached out to the Los Angeles County supervisor to provide the siblings with mental health support. She's also advocating for policy change in such situations, saying it takes too long for the city to step in on properties like this one. 'The process is slow, complicated, and leaves neighbors in limbo,' she said in a statement. 'I support current efforts to streamline how the City handles nuisance properties and will keep pushing to move that work forward.' If you find yourself next to a hoarder, you could try speaking to your neighbor directly about the problem, but they may not be responsive. Like the residents in Westwood, you may need to seek intervention. It helps to be aligned, as they have been, in your approach. Reach out to local law enforcement if you feel you're in danger and connect with a local resource like Adult Protective Services and health departments to check in on your neighbor and try to help them. This process could take some time. It's important to protect yourself and your loved ones — as well as your property — in the meantime. Consider constructing a fence, sealing garbage and recycling bins and bringing in a pest control company if required. Document the evolving situation with images, video and notes — particularly in the event your property ends up sustaining damage due to your neighbor's hoarding. Contact the local code enforcement office if you feel your neighbor has violated a specific ordinance. For example, if there are piles of trash outside your neighbor's home seeping onto your property, that's something you could bring to your town or local law enforcement agency. Report any violations of homeowners association (HOA) rules to the HOA board, as Nolo legal services advises. From there, they should be the ones to step in and take action. You may, depending on the circumstances, have grounds to file a lawsuit against your neighbor if their hoarding has caused damage to your home or cost you money in a specific way. Even if you're not in danger per se, you have the right to protect your home and community. And you could help people suffering from a very serious disorder. Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in 'great wealth'. How to get in now This is how American car dealers use the '4-square method' to make big profits off you — and how you can ensure you pay a fair price for all your vehicle costs Like what you read? Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise straight to your inbox every week. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
CTV News
3 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
‘A conglomeration of acquired goodies': N.B. man with cancer sells stuff to declutter
Gerry Carroll poses for a portrait with his wife Mary in Riverview, N.B., Thursday, May 29, 2025. Carroll, who has been told he has terminal cancer, has decided to sell his possessions in order to ease the burden on his family after his death. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ron Ward FREDERICTON — It was a complete shock when Gerry Carroll was diagnosed with cancer and was given months to live. The retired Riverview, N.B., sales representative said he had gone to see his family doctor in December 2023 for what he described as a 'gurgling' noise in his stomach. His family physician sent him for a scan, which showed malignant polyps. 'I think you have someone else's report there,' he remembers telling the doctor. A few weeks after he had time to process the news, Carroll said he wanted to make sure he found a way to get rid of some of his possessions that he has been collecting for nearly six decades. 'He's a hoarder,' said his wife, Mary Carroll. Her husband roared with laughter. 'I just have this acquisition problem,' he retorted. Carroll said there was no room left in his garage for all of his stuff. His collection spans almost everything, including two scooters, 'speakers, speakers, speakers,' books, cassettes, movies, televisions, VCRs, power tools and clothing. 'You name it, I have it,' he said. 'It's just a conglomeration of acquired goodies.' Part of his collection includes all the contents of a neighbour's apartment who was moving to a nursing home, he said. 'Almost ended 59 years of wedded bliss.' But he also began to worry about how his wife would deal with all the stuff when he dies. Inspired by a British practice where people sell things out of their vehicles, Carroll said he decided to do the same, and posted his idea on social media. The response was huge and positive. A property owner in Moncton, N.B., let Carroll use his empty lot. Heading into his second weekend of sales, Carroll said he plans on holding a bazaar every weekend until he gets rid of his stuff. Getting rid of all that he's acquired over the years, he said will leave his wife with 'peace and quiet.' 'I'm not getting rid of any of our personal belongings or things that our daughter may have given us or anything like that,' he added. Mary Carroll first met Gerry Carroll on Jan. 25, 1965, at a dance in Bible Hill, N.S. 'When I met him, I didn't like him,' she said with a chuckle. 'I thought he and his friend were show-offs.' Carroll asked her if he could escort her home, she said. She refused. At another dance a few days later, she said he asked her again if he could give her a ride back to her house. She turned him down again. But he didn't give up. 'I knew he was just going to go through (each day of) the week. So I said, 'Yes. I will go home with you,'' she said. 'That was the beginning.' It wasn't long before the two were married. Mary Carroll said she is taking it one day at a time as her husband deals with terminal cancer. While she is not fond of her husband's habit of collecting things, she said she doesn't know how to feel about him selling everything. 'It's something, I guess, that keeps his mind occupied,' she said. For Carroll, he said the sales are a way to meet people, have a few laughs and get some money. 'I'm 82. I've been married to my wife for 59 years, and we have a daughter and three beautiful grandchildren,' he said. 'That's about as good as it gets.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 31, 2025. The Canadian Press
BBC News
6 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Middlesbrough hoarder 'didn't know' behaviour was mental disorder
Like many people across the country, Susan Lindo is a home she shares with her husband Robert is full of stuff with shelves bursting at the brim and piles of boxes and bags on the bedroom is completely inaccessible due to the amount of belongings wedged in night, the 59-year-old from Middlesbrough has to climb over a mountain of bags just to get into always thought her conditions were born out of laziness, but then an interview with BBC Radio Tees changed her life. While talking to the show about her hoarding, she was told it was a mental health interview came after Clouds End CIC in Birmingham, who support hoarders, described the behaviour as "a mental health emergency" which required "urgent action".After she put the phone down, Susan had a life-changing realisation, which she describes as a complete shock. Her hoarding behaviour had begun in her childhood, her parents "were exactly the same" and it was "indescribable" what they had in their home, Susan way of living was "normal" and, despite her best efforts not to be like her parents, when she grew up and got a home of her own, she struggled to stop possessions from amassing."I wasn't brought up to know how to tidy, I didn't even know how to put the vacuum cleaner on," she Robert does, and takes on most of the cleaning, washing and disposing of rubbish. The 63-year-old collects books - he reckons he has more than 2,000 - but has not bought any new ones in months. During the revelatory radio interview, Susan heard a warning from Cleveland Fire Brigade about the dangers of hoarding."Hoarding creates serious fire risks," a firefighter said, adding: "Cluttered homes can easily fuel fires, block escape routes and make it harder for firefighters to respond to emergencies safely."The brigade offers free home safety visits, the spokesman said. "We understand that many people who struggle with it may feel overwhelmed or not fully realise the dangers in their homes."Susan became immediately concerned about the fire risk in her own home, particularly with Robert's collection of books and the reams of paper they have just one exit mapped out, the front door, as the only alternative - the kitchen door - is blocked by bins. "To get out [in a fire]? I honestly don't think we would," she says. Susan is far from alone in her struggles, according to Hoarding Disorders UK, which offers support."There has been a tremendous increase in the volume of calls and emails we have received since [the coronavirus pandemic]," a spokesperson is a mental health and anxiety-based disorder, she explains, and "we are living in anxious times".Rachel Bebbington, a counsellor at Let's Connect in Hartlepool, mental health charity started a project in 2024 offering support with decluttering, deep cleans and psychological can range from deep emotional attachments to particular possessions, to a belief that one day a kept item may have a use, Rachel says. There is also often an overlap between hoarding and self neglect, with physical and mental health issues contributing, while for some like Susan it is a learned behaviour from their will "bury their head in the sand" or not even realise the extent of their problem, while others will feel embarrassed to let people into their homes, Rachel the source or reason, help is available, she urges. Having realised the extent of her disorder, Susan is now feeling motivated to sort her has tried before, appearing on a TV show in 2021 which saw her house decluttered, however she started hoarding time though she is adamant she will tackle it and regularly takes items to a local charity shop, which makes her feel good to be able to help others."My ideal is everything in the place as it should be, I need to get it done because enough is enough," she tackling the mess by chipping away 10 minutes at a time, small chunks so as to not become too overwhelmed by the task."I know what to do, it's getting my mindset sorted," she says. Susan wants people to know there is help out there for those with the disorder."People should not feel ashamed of it, cause I'm not ashamed of it, it's just the way I am, the way I've been brought up," she says."Don't be frightened of asking for help. "I think a lot of people bury themselves in the things they've got, and just think one day it'll [get sorted], but one day might not come." If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, information and support can be found at the BBC's Action Line. Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
The Sun
7 days ago
- General
- The Sun
I'm fed up with my hoarder neighbour – she has sheds full of junk, is constantly trespassing & is totally unapproachable
IF you think your neighbours are bad, you've come to the right place and will need to think again. Whilst most neighbours will argue about broken fences or stolen parking spaces, this homeowner has criticised her 'hoarder' next-door-neighbour for having 'yard sales' by her pad. 3 3 3 Posting on social media, an anonymous woman has complained about her nightmare neighbour who not only constantly trespasses, but is totally 'unapproachable' too. Writing on Reddit on the r/BadNeighbors thread, a woman who writes under the username @Prudent-Ad7028, revealed all about her 'trashy' neighbours. She explained that she and her husband bought their house a year ago and have recently been left fuming with their renter neighbours. She highlighted: 'Our neighbours are renters and I'm also about 90% sure that the wife is a hoarder. 'They're our next door neighbours and the side of our house is regularly used as a lean-to for their junk. 'I've also recently seen her and her two teenage sons sitting right next to our house and our windows.' Not only this, but the woman also shared: 'She had two sheds, one in her driveway and one right behind her house, both of which are filled to the brim with junk - to the point that there's no way her yard is this filthy and the inside of their house isn't. 'This woman and her sons spend all day every day lugging s**t in and out of those sheds and setting up 'yard sale' tables along the side of our house.' Clearly fuming with the mess, the woman continued: 'I'm at my wits end, but she's completely unapproachable and any time I try to speak with her politely she ignores me. 'We also don't want to be on bad terms with the people we have to live right next door to, even though I feel they are deliberately trespassing and disrespecting our property line. Listen to the noise-hell neighbour I live with. Whose blaring TV makes my flat SHAKE 'When we bought the house we were told that our property line ends at their driveway, but I haven't gotten any paperwork proving that yet.' Unsure on how to proceed, the woman then added: 'Yesterday another neighbour gave me their landlord's number and told me to tell him about it, but I'm honestly worried it'll make things worse. 'I'm kind of mostly venting, but also looking for advice.' The Top Five Reasons Neighbours Squabble One study by Compare the Market revealed the top reason British neighbour's argue Broken fences - top of the board was broken fences and whose responsibility it was to fix it Parking: one of the leading drivers of neighbour disputes, with 54.1 per cent of people having issues with people parking in front of their house, parking bay or driveway Trees - complaints about a neighbour's tree cracking your garden path was also common with nearly half of participants finding it frustrating Bin wars - outdoor bin etiquette continues to ignite the most furious debates between neighbours Nosy Neighbours - some people have their eyes and ears at the ready to have a peek causing problems for others Reddit users react Reddit users were left gobsmacked by the user's neighbour and many eagerly raced to the comments to share their advice. One person said: 'I would get a survey done and put up a fence.' Another advised: 'Call the fire marshal, that is a fire hazard and they won't play around with that s**t. Especially if you tell them you're worried if their trash pile catches fire then your house will too. 'Also report them to your town's code compliance and your county health and human services.' Whilst a third recommended: 'Call your city Code Enforcement and complain about the trash, the sheds, the encroachment on your property and the endless yard sales. 'If it's a decently run department, they can be pretty effective. I've seen neighbours call on other neighbours here, and it worked really well.'
Daily Mail
10-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Furious neighbours claim hoarder next door has refused to 'empty his bins for 25 YEARS' causing infestation of two-foot rats in their homes
Furious neighbours have claimed a hoarder pensioner living next to their homes has refused to empty his bins for 25 years - causing an infestation of two-foot rats. Locals in Thornhill, Cardiff, said neighbour Glynn Cross, 80, is making their lives hell with festering mountains of junk and bins piling up in the gardens of his three-bed detached bungalow. One neighbour said he even has a 4ft-high pile of empty milk cartons which he refuses to throw away. Now, following a court case in Cardiff this week, retired chemistry teacher Mr Cross has been fined and issued with a criminal behaviour order over the clutter at his home on the smart housing development. The order means Cardiff council officials can enter his property by force and clean it up. He was also fined £100 for failing to comply with a previous order to tidy up his jungle-like garden. Mr Cross's long-suffering neighbours are now waiting to see whether or not he will roll his sleeves up and clear the clutter - or have it done by force. One fed-up neighbour, retired merchant navy worker George Davis, 89, said the stress of living next door to Mr Cross and his vermin have made his wife, Gillian, 85, ill with heart trouble. 'I know it sounds incredible but she has had 81,000 passing-out episodes in the past 10 years because she has been in such pain from her heart and the doctors and specialists have all put it down to living next door to this man,' Mr Davis said. He added: 'His house and the gardens around his house are an absolute bloody mess. 'Everything he's ever owned is piled up indoors and the gardens are full of whatever he can't fit inside. 'I've never seen the man empty his bins for 25 years. 'As a result, dozens and dozens of rats are nesting in and around his house and they scamper around the estate here looking for food. 'We see three or four every day running across our garden and they are huge. They at least 2 foot long, plus the tail. 'I saw three of them sitting on a branch on a tree in our garden. They were like monkeys. 'My wife was sitting on the patio at the back and she looked down and saw a giant rat sitting next to her. She was terrified. 'I feel sorry for the man, I really do, because clearly this hoarding habit is a psychological problem, but he just has to clear everything out and keep only what he really needs. Why should we all suffer because of his issues?' Another neighbour, who asked not to be named, told how Mr Cross even grabbed anything he could from skip on their driveway when they were renovating their home on the estate a few weeks ago. The house owner, a man in his early-30s who works as a mortgage broker, said: 'We were stripping the house out and throwing everything into a skip at the front of our house and one evening Mr Cross called round and asked if he could grab some things out of the skip and take them home with him. 'I didn't have a problem with that because I kind of think, as the saying goes, a rich man's rubbish is a poor man's gold. 'He dived straight into the skip and took just about everything – all the wood, roof tiles, some bricks, anything he could find in there. I've no idea what he did with it.' Next door neighbours Michael and Diane Clarke, said they wish Mr Cross would leave the estate and find somewhere else to live. Retired education and careers advisor Mrs Clark, 83 said: 'I've had as much as I can take now. 'I wish him no ill but he is a nightmare to live next door to. 'I don't think he has ever taken any of his rubbish out. He just collects and hoards. It's all there under his roof and in the garden. 'Some of the rooms in the house are so full of his junk that you can't get into them. I've seen the state of the place through his front windows. 'I've asked him to tidy his garden up but he just says 'Diane, you've no idea how people live in the countryside, have you?'. 'It's no wonder we've all got rats terrorising us when he keeps his place like this. 'The other day I was putting dinner out on the dining room table and looked out of the window and saw a huge female rat giving birth. It wasn't a sight we wanted just as we were sitting down to eat. 'Needless to say, my husband and I were not hungry after that.' Cardiff council's cabinet member responsible for Shared Regulatory Services (SRS), councillor Norma Mackie, said: 'The owner of this property is causing unnecessary suffering to his neighbours due to the state of his back garden. 'This has been going on for two years and his neighbours should not have to continue tolerating it. 'We have tried to help on numerous occasions but even when our contractors went to clear the accumulation of waste on his behalf he refused them access. 'There was no alternative but to take action against him. 'Now that the criminal behaviour order is in place the council has powers to enter the property by force to carry out the work if we need to do so.
