TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – One early November morning in 2022, a house at 4710 West Laurel Road in Tampa caught fire.

Neighbors said it has sat abandoned ever since, not getting repaired or torn down.

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“It’s a very sad situation, and I hate that it’s come to this,” said Lynette McKown, who lives next door. “No one wants to lose their house in a fire, it’s tragic, but it needs to move forward.”

McKnown says the house is not only an eyesore, it’s dangerous.

“I’ve seen kids, children, playing in the backyard, going up the back steps, going into the house, upstairs, which is being held up by like one board,” she said.

Fed up, McKown called Better Call Behnken for help getting answers.

Public records show the City of Tampa Code Enforcement got involved right after the fire and has cited the homeowner for the yard and debris, even ordering the home demolished last June.

A permit was pulled but the demolition did not move forward.

Then, months ago, the property was listed for sale for nearly $1.5 million.

Consumer Investigator Shannon Behnken called the city and was told the demolition order has a due date of Monday, Sept. 16. With that date just days away, the real estate agent who listed the home told Behnken she’s unaware of any plans to tear down the house.

The agent said the plan is to let the new buyer decide whether to tear down the house or apply to renovate the home.

City officials said if the homeowners fail to tear down the house, the city will move forward to demolish themselves and send the property owners the bill. A spokesperson said that could happen within weeks or months.

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