Story perspectives

Council Warns Unpermitted Demolition Triggered Mitra’s Unsafe Home

By Drooid · Oct 5, 2026, 4:35 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Chris Rhodes demolished his half of a semi-detached house in Pudsey, Leeds.
Leeds City Council said the demolition lacked required permissions and urged Mitra to seek legal advice.
Neighbor Shivarna Mitra says the demolition created holes that caused damp, mould and rat infestations.
Mitra claims her three-bedroom home is now unsafe, unsellable and cannot be repaired without access.
Rhodes denies wrongdoing, stating he followed Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance after a storm made the gable wall unsafe.

History

Historical Context

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, passed in 1974, created the Health and Safety Executive and gave Leeds City Council enforcement powers over unsafe building work. It authorises unlimited fines and up to two years' imprisonment, and lets councils issue improvement notices. These powers back the council’s challenge to Chris Rhodes’s unauthorised demolition that Shivarna Mitra says left her home unsafe.

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Story summary

Chris Rhodes demolished his half of a semi-detached house in Pudsey, Leeds.
Leeds City Council said the demolition lacked required permissions and urged Mitra to seek legal advice.
Neighbor Shivarna Mitra says the demolition created holes that caused damp, mould and rat infestations.
Mitra claims her three-bedroom home is now unsafe, unsellable and cannot be repaired without access.
Rhodes denies wrongdoing, stating he followed Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance after a storm made the gable wall unsafe.

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