Couple buys a dream house and disappear... 23 years later, they're nowhere to be found

In 2002, in Aubusson (a French town located in the Creuse department), an Irish couple buys a large manor…and never sets foot in it. 22 years later, the Irish owners are still nowhere to be found.

The house has been unoccupied since it was purchased. It's now in a deplorable state and even threatens to collapse. As the Irish owners have never visited it, maintenance has been greatly neglected.

Because of the 'house next door'

In 22 years, the building has never been renovated. It therefore endangers residents' safety: roof tiles are falling and the facade is crumbling, reports France 3 Nouvelle-Aquitaine, as relayed by the media outlet Demotivateur. Despite the installation of a protective net and the establishment of a security perimeter, the threat still looms. Neighbours testify: "We have damp everywhere on the walls, it's because of the house next door that's collapsing. We can't do any work until it's demolished."

The municipal funds

To restore support locals, Stéphane Ducourtioux, the mayor of the Creuse sub-prefecture, turned to the judiciary. He had tried several times to contact the owner, in vain. "He's untraceable, unreachable," he declared. Although the court has given its approval to demolish the house, a hiccup remains in the mayor's throat: "This demolition is the owner's responsibility, but it's the municipality that acts on behalf of the owner. We work at a loss, we know fully well we'll never recover the money."

(MH with Raphaël Liset - Source: Demotivateur - Illustration: ©Unsplash)