A man has been prosecuted and ordered to pay more than £4,000 after ignoring notices about his “dangerous” bungalow in Loughton.

Daniel Harrington failed to respond to enforcement notices by Epping Forest District Council to clear up his house in Willingale Road, Loughton, and fence it off to avoid further rubbish dumping.

Magistrates described it as “an eyesore and a dangerous environmental risk” before imposing financial penalties and costs of more than £4,000 on the owner.

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Building works to the single storey bungalow had been stopped giving the impression it was abandoned which led to it being used for fly-tipping.

Epping Forest District Council said this became self-perpetuating with others seeing it being used as a dump and adding their own rubbish including fast food containers, fridge, and a sofa.

Cllr Holly Whitbread, who is responsible for housing, said: “This case demonstrates that we take enforcement breaches extremely seriously and are prepared to engage the prosecution process if people refuse to comply.

“The outcome is testament to the diligence and hard work of our private sector housing team in bringing this serious situation to court and achieving such a successful outcome.”

On November 19 of last year Mr Harrington was served a notice requiring him to provide details of the land ownership and any other persons having an interest in the property.

He did not respond, despite a reminder being delivered to him at an address in east London on December 13.

In January 2022, further notices were served requiring him to clear the property of dumped rubbish that may harbour rats and mice.

He was also required to clear the site of all waste, secure it with fencing, and carry out regular inspections.

Earlier this month, on October 18, Chelmsford Magistrates Court agreed to deal with the matter in his absence.

Mr Harrington was fined £2,000 for failing to provide details of land ownership and £500 for the Town and Country Planning Act offence.

He was also ordered to pay the Council’s prosecution costs of £1,419.69 and a victim surcharge of £190.