RUBBISH has been left to pile up in the back garden of an empty house targeted by fly-tippers.
Residents in Abbey Hulton claim to have reported the problem to Stoke-on-Trent City Council a number of times.
Graham Wallace, aged 71, said he first contacted the council on December 15 when he spotted the waste in the garden of the Bryant Road property which his home backs on to.
He says he has rung Stoke-on-Trent City Council eight times about the issue.
He said: "The people living in the house moved out before Christmas and left a lot of rubbish in the yard.
"It could fill a three-ton truck and since then other people have added to it with beds being dumped and more bags of rubbish.
"The council officers have repeatedly promised to sort it out, but it's just getting worse.
"Dogs have been scattering it around the yard so it's no longer piled up.
"I'm worried it will attract rats.
"I don't understand how the council can leave a house empty for so long when there are supposed to be 10,000 on the waiting list."
The council admits there has been a delay in removing the rubbish, but said new tenants are lined up for the two bedroom semi-detached property.
However former city councillor Mr Wallace, who has lived in Abbey Hulton for 60 years, believes the service tenants receive do not justify regular rent increases.
Mr Wallace add: "This is right on my doorstep and I have had eight different promises from eight different people that it will be sorted.
"Most recently, they guaranteed it would be done a fortnight ago, but it's still here.
"I've done everything I possibly can and I do not believe what I'm being told any more.
"They can instantly fine you if you drop a piece of litter in the street, but they cannot come and sort this out.
"Council rents go up every year but the services are terrible, and this empty house is just going to waste when so many people are desperate for a home."
Last week, thousands of council tenants learned they will have to pay nearly seven per cent more in rent from April.
The record increase will see about 6,300 city tenants in the city who do not receive housing benefit pay about �4 extra a week, or �208 a year, on average.
The increase comes on the back of savage spending cuts to try and claw back more than �30 million following reduced Government funding to the authority.
Councillor Brian Ward, cabinet member for housing, planning and transportation, said action was being taken to clear up the site.
He said: "There have been some issues with the property in Bryant Road, specifically regarding the rubbish in the garden.
"However, while there has been a delay in removing this rubbish, the property has now been viewed by a prospective tenant.
"This means the refuse should be cleared away by the end of this week, before that person is due to move in."
Kier, which is responsible for looking after Stoke-on-Trent City Council's 19,500 houses, has reduced the amount of time it takes to make empty properties habitable to 10 days.
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