Couple’s fury as council demands £1,600 bill claiming fire-ravaged home is ‘habitable’ despite being devastated in blaze

A COUPLE have lashed out at their council for handing them a £1,600 bill after saying their fire-ravaged home was “habitable”.

Julia Milton and her husband Derek Ateyeo’s bungalow was burnt-out during a blaze at their home in Fremington, North Devon on December 14, 2018.

Two fire engines spent hours putting the fire out which was sparked by an electrical fault.

The couple have been renting a property in Barnstaple ever since the fire.

Julia has now lashed out at the council after the couple were presented with a bill for council tax stating the house was “habitable”.

She told : "You can see from these pictures that it clearly isn't habitable.

"If you drive past the front of the house it doesn't look too bad, but no one from the council has been in and inspected it.

"It really is unbelievable."

Julia, who lived in the property with her husband and 11 dogs, was woken up in the night at 3am by a large bang.

She said: "I got up to have a look and that's when I saw the fire.  My husband's workshop, which is attached to the garage, was like a huge orange fire ball."

You can see from these pictures that it clearly isn't habitable

Julia Milton

While everyone and the animals managed to get safely out, the bungalow was left badly damaged and the couple “lost almost everything”.

Head of Resources at North Devon Council Jon Triggs said a set of criteria needed to be met before a property can be classified as derelict and uninhabitable, so no council tax is due.

He said: "The criteria states that the property is no longer capable of being repaired without very significant reconstruction.

"Where the intrusion of the weather, rot or severe vandalism means that only substantial structural work would make the property habitable, the band can be deleted.

"Due to budget cuts from central Government, we no longer able to offer Council Tax discounts for properties that are deemed to be uninhabitable, irrespective of the reason.

"However, we will always provide as much help and support to our residents as possible.

"As new information regarding this property has come to light today, my officers have spoken personally with Mr Atyeo this morning and have arranged for our property inspector to revisit to reassess their position.

"If we find that the property is clearly derelict, my officers will request the Valuation Office remove the property from the valuation list from the date of the fire."