A mummified corpse discovered in a dilapidated £4 million Chelsea mansion has been identified as an Irish builder named Frank. The property on Ifield Road has been at the centre of a prolonged legal dispute, with neighbours claiming its poor condition has rendered nearby houses unsellable.
Owner Ordered to Remove Japanese Knotweed
The owner, Nicholas Halbritter, has now been ordered to remove Japanese knotweed from the garden after it became a rat-infested 'jungle'. Concerns about the house date back at least to 2010, when a rotting corpse was found in the basement after residents complained about a smell.
Residents have given the deceased's first name as Frank and described him as a lodger. They said he was a regular at a local pub, and when he stopped showing up, they raised the alarm. Using a ladder from a neighbouring garden, police entered the property and found the corpse, which was so decomposed that many officers vomited.
The policeman who discovered the body was on his first day on the job and was so distressed that neighbours gave him whisky. Locals say drains have turned the inside of the home into a swamp, making it an ideal breeding ground for rats and foxes, whose screeching keeps them awake.
Japanese Knotweed Infestation
Japanese knotweed has turned the garden into a jungle, with weeds sprouting 10 feet high over the back wall and into neighbours' gardens. The rear of the home is overrun with knotweed capable of sneaking into masonry and spreading to other properties.
Mr Halbritter is thought to have moved into the house with his mother Elizabeth after the death of his father Sidney. He is believed to be unmarried with no children. The death of Elizabeth, a convicted shoplifter, is believed to have triggered his apathy towards the upkeep of his home.
Legal Action and Council Intervention
Following an appeal from residents who signed a petition, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) has issued Mr Halbritter with a Section 215 order, legally compelling him to tidy up the property. Mr Halbritter, a former councillor and chair of the local Royal British Legion branch, does not live in the house but visits regularly.
Residents have laid bare the long list of issues plaguing the property. Lead petitioner Nik Hoexter told a council meeting: 'There's rampant knotweed, rats, foxes, a mosquito swarm from a leaking mains, which has been going on for two years. The house is rotting from the inside out.'
Despite his public service, neighbours describe him as a 'neighbour from hell' who avoids conversations about the state of his home. Next-door neighbour Christine Gambles said: 'He beetles up the street and runs in the door. If I ask him for a conversation, he literally slams the door in my face.'
Previous Section 215 Notice
This is not the first time Mr Halbritter has been served a Section 215 notice. In 2016, he was told to tidy the garden by neighbouring borough Hammersmith and Fulham but did not comply. He pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay £1,513 in costs. The garden was cleared by November 2017.
A Kensington and Chelsea council spokesperson said: 'Following the decision of the Planning Applications Committee, we are proceeding with a Section 215 notice and will progress it in line with legislation and guidance.'
