Neighbours living next to a run-down bungalow fear a legal battle could be looming if the new owner misses a December deadline to make it habitable.
The neglected bungalow in Kings Road, Wrose, was bought by Bradford Council using a Compulsory Purchase Order because its previous owner had been admitted to hospital long-term and it had fallen into disrepair.
Several people wanted to buy the property, which was sold to Bradford Councillor Ishtiaq Ahmed in December 2012.
A condition of the sale was that it would be brought back into use within a year, but ten months later the windows are still boarded and tall weeds are tangled across the garden.
Neighbours say little appears to have been done – and they claim that no-one has been working at the property since June,
George Young, 86, lives in the bungalow attached to the dilapidated bungalow, and Astrid and Alan Pargeter live the other side. They worry that if the work is not completed, there could be court proceedings which will further delay repairs to the bungalow has been run down for nine years.
And they say a broken fence at the end of the back garden has also led to groups of trespassing teenagers on motorbikes tearing up the drive every evening to access the grounds of Bolton Villas cricket club to the rear.
“It’s getting frightening,” said Mrs Pargeter, 75.
“I was sat in my garden reading my book and I looked up and this woman said, ‘mind your own business, it’s nowt to do with you’.
“I thought, I was only reading my book!”
Mr Young’s daughter, Jane Cranston-Young, said they were “absolutely thrilled” when it was sold.
“We thought it was absolutely fantastic, then nothing,” she said.
She is frustrated that Bradford Council appears not to be keeping check on progress.
“I think they have a duty of care  after taking possession and selling it to somebody,” she said.
Councillor Ahmed was keen to reassure residents his workmen should meet the deadline for renovations.
“Work is ongoing and I am hoping it will be finished by Christmas. This is a private property and I have tenants wanting to go in,” he said.
“The thing is there was more work to do than anticipated. For example when the floorboards came up the joists beneath were rotten. Contractually I am still within the 12 months and while people only see the exterior, there have been improvements inside.”
Coun Ahmed said he was unaware of the the drive being used as a cut through to the cricket club.
The Council did not give any specific details of what checks are being done to monitor the work or what would happen if the work was not completed.