THIS picture shows the eyesore state outside a home in a Basingstoke suburb – and now the owner has been told to clear it up.

The house, in Normanton Road, Oakridge, has had rubble and rubbish covering both the front and back gardens. A plank of wood, placed over uneven ground, has to be used to get to the front door.

The owner of the property rents it to four occupants who all live in separate bedrooms inside the house.

He gained planning permission in September 2011 to extend the rear of the house. Neighbours claim he started the work more than a year ago and then abandoned the project.

A tenant living in the property, who did not want to be named, said the landlord’s plans were to create a sixth bedroom in the extension, but he had not had time to finish the work because of problems arising at other properties he owns and rents out in the town.

The borough council has now ordered the owner to put the property back to an acceptable standard and requested a number of improvements be made, including levelling surfaces inside and outside of the home, creating clear level paths to and from the property’s exits and entrances and removing rubble, debris and building materials.

Tracey Cole, head of resident services at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, said: “The work must be completed by June 1. Following a complaint received about rubbish at the property, we have also requested any rubbish on council land be removed immediately.”

Labour Norden ward borough councillor, Paul Harvey, said he reported the landlord to Environmental Health and Planning, and said the issue highlights the need for a “mandatory register of all landlords.”

He added: “This HMO (house with multiple occupants) in Normanton Road is a dangerous building site. It’s totally unacceptable and a complete safety hazard for the tenants living in the property let alone the neighbours, and it makes a pressing case for a mandatory register of HMOs but also enforcement of standards for all HMOS.

“Local residents have been subjected to this for far too long and we need to see action from the authorities to sort this out.”

He added: “It’s about time we sorted out the poor landlords who are causing these kinds of dangers.”

The Gazette has been unable to contact the owner of the property.