A council tenant fears being evicted or going to prison over failing to tidy his ‘monstrosity’ of an overgrown garden.
Richard Bates believes he is the victim of a ‘council witchhunt’ over the state of his garden at his home in Melton Mowbray.
The authority approached him in September 2024 over the situation at the front of his house before being hit with formal warnings and a fixed penalty notice.
Council workers eventually moved in to tidy up the site and clear up the ‘very overgrown vegetation and any other items that could provide food and harbour vermin’.
Richard, 58, was later taken to court but said he could not attend as his dad had just died.
He was found guilty of failing to comply with community protection order and fined £500, ordered to pay £500 towards council costs and a victim surcharge of £200.
The unemployed tenant says he cannot afford the £1.2k costs and fears more ‘persecution’ from the authority.
Richard, who has lived in the property for 19 years, has since improved the state of the garden, with help of locals.
A council tenant fears being evicted or going to prison over not being able to pay a £1,200 fine for his garden
The council approached him in September 2024 over the situation at the front of his house before being hit with formal warnings and a fixed penalty notice
It now has an England flag hanging on a fence, a bird box and new plants.
His property also stands out with two signs next to his front door which say ‘asylum for the criminally insane’ and ‘Bates Motel’ – a nod to the home of Norman Bates, the killer in Alfred Hitchcock thriller, Psycho.
Richard said: ‘They won’t leave me alone. This is council persecution.
‘I’ve lived here 19 years and they have caused me no end of problems. They made a bigger problem out of the garden than it was.
‘I was getting around to doing it. I cannot afford the costs and they know that. They just want me out. It’s a scandal. I’ve been here 19 years. They’re treating me terribly.
‘I’m dumbfounded by it all. I was getting letters and warnings but I have not acted on them. I don’t think it’s been that bad. I did cut some of it back.
‘I am being picked on. They are targeting me.’
Richard fears more court action, eviction or prison, if he does not pay the fine.
He added: ‘I fear they’ll try and do me for contempt of court for not paying the fine. I think they want me out. They want to evict me.
‘I have no idea what will happen now. I’m trying to get the money together. It’s been a huge stress on my life. I refute their claims it was that untidy.
‘Look at it now – it’s brilliant. I can’t see how sending some people out to cut it back can leave them charging me £1,200.
‘Someone is having a right laugh there.’
His garden now has an England flag hanging on a fence, a bird box and new plants
Other issues at the property included a toilet which would not flush, he added.
He said: ‘They’ve come after me for an untidy garden but they’ve left me with loads of issues.’
He is now looking to take legal action against them.
He added: ‘I want to take them to court. This is not how you treat tenants. I have a long list of issues with the authority.
‘I am being victimised. They are coming down on me like a tonne of bricks.’
One neighbour said: ‘I feel sorry for Richard. He just let the garden go a bit and now they’ve turned him over. He cannot afford that bill.’
But, another local said: ‘The garden was like a jungle. I’m glad action has been taken.’
Councillor Sarah Cox, portfolio holder for corporate finance, property and resources at the council, said: ‘Even with support from our teams, the resident failed to adhere to the conditions set out to him, forcing us to take necessary action to keep the area clean and free of pests.
‘We take issues such as anti-social behaviour very seriously.
‘If a supportive approach fails, we will not hesitate to enforce and act to keep our communities a safe and thriving place to live.’
Melton Borough Council was approached for comment on Richard’s claims.
