The Mayor of Rotorua is calling for a law change to make it easier for councils to demolish derelict houses.
Steve Chadwick says there are seven derelict houses in the Rotorua district, and they're a magnet for rubbish-dumping, vandalism and arson.
But she says under current law, it's incredibly difficult to do anything about them.
Mrs Chadwick says even when the owners can't be traced, there's a very high legal threshhold for councils to meet to be able to take over properties for demolition or repair.
She wants an amendment to the Building Act that would define a derelict site or building.
