RESIDENTS have hit out about the amounts of rubbish which is being left around student homes in a residential area of York.

Irene Linfoot and her husband, Vincent, live in Barstow Avenue, near Hull Road.

The couple said some of the nearby housing was badly maintained by landlords and tenants.

Mrs Linfoot, 66, said: “It’s just terrible.

“You look out of the window and all you can see is rubbish. You’d think the houses weren’t lived in.

“There’s rubbish thrown on the street.

“The bins are often overfilled too, meaning the bin men won’t take the extra bags.

Mrs Linfoot said the litter was not the only problem.

She said: “I’m undergoing hospital treatment in Leeds, and when I get back I shouldn’t have to park right round the avenue and walk home, but cars are double- parked all the way up the street.

“It is getting to be a real pain, and definitely causing us stress.”

Another resident, Alan Judson, said the badly-maintained homes affected the reputation of the city.

“York is never going to win Britain In Bloom with the state of some of these properties,” Mr Judson said.

“They look terrible, there are all-night parties, and the landlords are taking homes away from first-time buyers for easy money.”

Upset by the litter and parking issues, Mrs Linfoot and other concerned residents contacted their ward councillor for support.

Coun Roger Pierce, who represents the Hull Road ward, said the issues raised were not the only problems caused by the privately-let accommodation, as the low number of families “could deny residents a support structure”.

He said: “Residents want to live in an attractive and stable environment, but some of the housing in the area can deny them that.

“I have spoken with one resident whose grandchildren don’t want to stay with them in the area because there are no other children for them to play with.”

Coun Pierce said he would like to see the rules about parking on roadside grass verges enforced by the council.

A statement from the University of York said: “Both the university and the students’ union actively encourage students who choose to live in private accommodation to be considerate towards their neighbours.

“The proper maintenance of privately-rented properties is the responsibility of landlords.”