Steel gates, warning signs and the start of demolition works outside a mouldy, abandoned home has brought relief to a Wellington street.
Earlier this month, RNZ reported a 1980s era large mouldy, abandoned home on Kabul St in Khandallah had been decaying for years, bringing a strong smell to the area.
One neighbour, Paul Ash, said it was attracting crime and had become almost "an industrial-sized puffball of mould spores".
The owner of the home was contacted by RNZ and acknowledged it had become an eyesore. He confirmed demolition would start about September 17.
Nearly two weeks on the owner seems to have stuck to his word, as windows have been removed, a wall taken away and large gates in front of the house warning it was now a construction site.
Jenny, who owns a home in Kabul St, said residents would be relieved something was going to happen to the building.
"It has been in a very dilapidated state for a very long time and it needs to be pulled down because it seems like the only option."
Neighbour Pat Glasgow had lived in the street for 19 years and in the past year the smell the house had created was "pretty awful".
"It must be really damp and wet inside."
The abandoned home had let the street down, she said.
"We'll be quite happy I think to see it down."
The owner of the home earlier acknowledged the impact the house had on the street.
"The neighbours have been very patient over the years."
Wellington City Council said because the home was vacant and not an immediate risk to life it could not require the owner to knock it down.
Its senior health advisors had assessed it several times, most recently in June, and determined it was not safe to live in.
Police advised the abandoned home's owner it may pose a structural, health and safety risk, it attracted criminal activity and was an opportunity for squatters.
