Ensure you don't leave items outside your property or you could face a £500 fine
Last updated: 13/9/2024
If you place items on public land next to or close to your property you are at risk of receiving a £500 fine for fly-tipping.
That’s the message from Rushcliffe Borough Council (RBC) who are continuing to crack down on waste or other unwanted items being left on roads, pavements and public areas.
Leaving household items in these places can be classed as fly-tipping and could result in a fixed penalty notice, even if the intention is to freecycle.
All unwanted waste, such as furniture, white goods, garden refuse and rubbish bags must be stored on the property of the owner or in a skip that is licensed to be in a public area before ensuring it is disposed of lawfully.
Enforcement officers from Rushcliffe Borough Council’s (RBC) contractors WISE, Waste Investigations Support & Enforcement seek to prevent residents leaving items on public land, which can lead to an area becoming unsightly and encourages others to also leave waste.
The action of the ongoing enforcement and awareness campaign with residents and businesses has seen a reduction in reports of fly-tipping in Rushcliffe from 1,129 cases in 2020/21 to 868 in 2023/24.
From July 2023 to July 2024 WISE issued 114 fixed penalty notices for fly-tipping offences to householders or businesses for leaving items in this manner.
A further six fixed penalty notices were issued where residents’ waste has ended up being fly-tipped and linked back to their property, having not checked they were using a licensed waste carrier and not complying with their Duty Of Care.
If fines are not paid you could be prosecuted in the courts.
Residents can check whether a waste carrier is registered online at Environment Agency website or by calling 03708 506 506.
It is also advised that if you are having building work done that you check the contractors are a registered waste carrier and if removing waste from your property they will be transferring it to an authorised person. This is a legal requirement before anything can be taken away or disposed of from any residential or business address.
When residents are considering arranging for anyone to collect waste from their household, they should always carry out the following checks:
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions - always ask a carrier what exactly is going to happen to your waste and seek evidence that it is going to be disposed of appropriately. A legitimate, professional waste carrier who wants your business should not object to being asked reasonable questions.
- Ask for details of their waste carrier registration through the above Environment Agency link above.
- Record the vehicle registration numbers of any vehicle used by a private waste carrier to take your waste away.
- Ask for a proper invoice and receipt.
- Never accept unsolicited offers to have waste taken away.
- Caution is advised when selecting a company from a social media site given the increased risk of fraudulent or unlicensed traders.
Other ways of legally disposing your unwanted waste items include:
- Book RBC’s Bulky Waste Collection or call 0115 981 9911
- Take it to a household waste recycling sites operated by the County Council, find out a list of local sites including Rugby Road in West Bridgford.
- Donate them to charity.
- Arrange for a licenced waste carrier to collect and dispose of the item(s)
Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Environment and Safety Cllr Rob Inglis said: “It’s vital you don’t leave waste outside or near your property on public land or you could be fined for fly-tipping, even if you intend the items to be reused by someone who wants them or free-cycled.
“In many cases leaving items in public places can blight an area, invite more dumping and create further hazards to pedestrians or encourage others to not dispose of litter and larger items correctly.
“If you are looking to get rid of waste from your property you must ensure you check the licence of the waste carrier you choose to employ and check with the Environment Agency.
“If items from your property are linked to fly-tipping we could be knocking on your door with a fixed penalty notice as we have done in four cases with residents in the last 12 months, it’s your responsibility to carry out the necessary checks.
“Our action to find irresponsible business owners who choose to blight our landscapes in Rushcliffe by dumping rubbish will continue and we will not hesitate to also fine those who flout the rules.”
If you see any instances of fly-tipping in the Borough you can report it online including pinpointing the location of the fly-tip on a map which can help the Council locate items and aid their swift removal or call 0115 981 9911.