Mr Powe said neighbours should not be forced to live near such an eyesore and it was the department of Family and Community Services’ (FACS) responsibility to clean up the property and get it ready for new tenants.

He said the only thing the department had done since  the previous tenants vacated the property last year was change the locks.

“The neighbours are sick of seeing it,” Mr Powe said.

“I’ve heard the people who lived there before just left everything behind, they left it like it was when they lived there.”

Mr Powe said broken furniture was strewn outside the house, windows were broken and the yard was overgrown.

“I think it’s disgusting, horrible,” he said.

“You see it around town a lot, it’s not just in this area.”

Mr Powe said neighbours  did not allow their children to play anywhere near the house.

“There are rats and mice there, it just needs to get cleaned up,” he said.

“There’s a shortage of houses and this is a four-bedroom house that’s vacant.”

Mr Powe said neighbours had even resorted to mowing the front lawn themselves in an effort to improve the streetscape.

A FACS spokesperson said the department had been “closely monitoring this property since July last year.”

“[FACS] has approached the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) to grant an Order for Specific Performance to ensure that the tenant maintains their tenancy responsibilities by caring for the property,” the spokesperson said.

“Following this order, local client service staff have attempted numerous times to visit the property unsuccessfully.”

The spokesperson said as a “last resort” FACS was given permission by NCAT to access the house, which they found was not being satisfactorily maintained.

“FACS is now working through processes to legally terminate the lease and declare it abandoned,” the spokesperson said.

“Once this process is complete, make-good maintenance works will begin so the property can be offered to suitable tenants in the near future.”

tracey.prisk@fairfaxmedia.com.au