Battersea residents have been left disgusted by Wandsworth Council after a wall collapsed in their garden and the council told him he might have to pay to clear the rubble and foliage

Nicholas Rutheven, 35, moved into the house on Eversleigh Road a year ago. He and his neighbours have been asking the council to fix the structural problems on a wall separating their houses from a public footpath.

The structural damage was caused by an ivy tree pulling back on the wall, creating cracks. When this was reported to the council, an inspector told residents to cut the tree back, but did nothing fix the wall.

However, on Thursday, August 16 the wall collapsed into the gardens of three houses. Mr Ruthven was working at home that day, he described how he discovered the collapsed wall, “I heard a large crash and went downstairs, when I was trying to figure out what it was, I looked outside a saw the wall had collapsed.

“My neighbours and I have been reporting the issue over the past six months. The walls back onto a public footpath and bridge over the railway track, so now our houses are exposed. We are expecting a baby and now despite the temporary fencing, I am concerned about the safety and security of our houses.”

The fire brigade, British Transport Police, an emergency structural engineer, representatives from the council and railway all attended the incident.

Mr Ruthven said: “The representative from the council had the cheek to suggest that we would have to pay to clear the rubble and foliage! I don’t see why we would have to do this, the ivy branches of the tree go under the bridge on both sides. The way we have been dealt with by the council is very disappointing.”

According to Mr Ruthven, Wandsworth Council did not take any physical action to fix the wall over the last six months and described them as ‘negligent’.

A Wandsworth Council spokesperson said: "Repairs were carried out on this wall last year, and the council was in the process of engaging a contractor to carry out further repairs. Ongoing problems were caused by overgrown foliage. We have requested that Network Rail clear overgrowth on their land, have secured the wall with temporary fencing and will be carrying out remedial work."