‘Clean up your houses’

A RESIDENT of Eden Terrace in Strabane has spoken of his deep concerns regarding some of the vacant properties in the area, which are falling into a severe state of disrepair.

The resident, who asked not to be named, is a long-term homeowner in the street and he says Eden Terrace has “never looked worse.”

Speaking to the Chronicle, the local man said, “It’s an absolute disgrace. I have lived in this street, on and off, my whole life… The problem is this: We have around half a dozen houses in Eden Terrace which, for one reason or another, are left empty for long periods. The owners of these houses rent them out and neither the renters nor the owners actually look after the outside. It gets especially bad when the renters leave the houses and the owners don’t care enough to clean them up or try and make them presentable or habitable for future renters.

“It’s almost as if the owners don’t care.”

He continued, “The worst looking houses are at the top end of Eden Terrace; these landlords are neglecting their properties and it’s not fair to the residents in the street who actually take pride in their properties to ensure that they look nice and are safe.

“I don’t know whether any young people have tried gaining access to the derelict houses but I hope not, as it’s clearly an accident waiting to happen, should they gain entry.”