SELLING your house is often far from plain sailing.

But one Hampshire homeowner is having to contend with a derelict boat containing barbed wire and other rubbish that has been dumped beside their home.

The 16ft vessel is just inches from a “For Sale” sign outside an end-of-terrace property in Andromeda Road, Southampton.

Two tyres have been wedged under the hull to prevent the craft from toppling over.

It comes just weeks after another boat was dumped in a Southampton car park after being abandoned by fly-tippers.

The rigid inflatable was taken to a residents-only parking area in Springford Road and left in one of the bays.

The latest incident involves a boat first seen on the back of a lorry that was parked near an electricity sub-station.

The lorry later appeared in Andromeda Road and then vanished – leaving the boat behind.

One resident said: “It was dumped in the middle of the night by someone who thought they could get away with it.

“It’s the first thing we see when we come out of our front door.

“One woman said she’d phone Southampton City Council every day until the boat was removed. I’m told other people have been calling the council as well, but nothing has been done.

“The boat is next door to a house that’s up for sale.

“When you’re trying to sell your home the last thing you want is a boat full of rubbish being dumped outside.”

Cllr Don Thomas added: “It never ceases to amaze me the lengths some people will go to fly-tip when it would be just as easy to take material to the council recycling centre and dispose of it legally.”

Residents say the boat was first seen in nearby Saturn Close.

Two mattresses have been dumped beside an electricity sub-station in the same street – directly beneath a sign that says fly-tipping is a crime.

Offenders risk a maximum fine of £50,000 or up to five years in prison.

The Daily Echo tried to contact the owners of the house for sale but they could not be reached. A city council spokesman was also unavailable for comment.

Last year critics claimed that fly-tipping had grown worse since weekly bin collections were scrapped.

Responding at the time, a city council spokesman said the authority took the issue seriously.

He added: “We respond to reports of fly-tipping on public land within 24 hours of the report being made.

“If the matter is urgent we try to respond the same day.”