It was not an empty house
It must be empty to file a complaint against an overrun house; unfortunately, this house was not. Very awful was the odor, so horrible that neighbors couldn’t understand how someone could ever live in such a place. Despite this, they kept an eye on the house and saw “alive” individuals. After a time, the smell subsided, and the nearby residents no longer felt alarmed.
They may have had an infection issue that was resolved. People returned to their normal routines and went about their daily lives when the stench had subsided. However, it didn’t last long.