THE tenant of a "house from hell" could get a £1,500 payout as Burnley council moves in to close the burnt-out property.

Housing chiefs decided last night to seek a closure order for the Accrington Road terrace home where six young people - including two children - were rescued.

The property had been the source of neighbour nuisance complaints for months.

Tenant Jason Marron and visitors to the house, said last night to be owned by a former Burnley councillor, were treated in hospital after a blaze described by neighbours as "a disaster waiting to happen."

The housing committee decided to go for formal closure after hearing the house was unfit for human habitation and £20,000 would be needed to put it right. And that, councillors were told, could mean the tenant was entitled to a home loss payment of £1,500.

A report to members says the owner of the property would also be legally entitled to compensation if they could prove there had been loss in value of the property due to the closing order, but this was unlikely.

Coun Gordon Birtwistle, who described the property as "the house from hell" after investigating neighbourhood complaints, said it was owned by a former councillor who had shown no interest in improvements. He told the committee: "It was a nightmare scenario for neighbours even before the fire.

"Now it is worse after the horrendous fire, leaving it virtually derelict and a danger to other properties in the block.

"Rain is seeping through to other properties and I believe we must do something - the neighbours have suffered enough."

"The landlord is in France at the moment."

The report to members says the closing order could be followed by compulsory purchase by the council, leading to renovations and the property being sold on.

It states the present owner had not indicated ability or willingness to renovate the property.

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