Residents warned to take responsibility for household rubbish otherwise risk the chance of being fined

Leeds residents are being warned to make sure they arrange for registered waste collectors to remove any household rubbish from their property otherwise they may find themselves with a fine.

Earlier this year the government agreed to give local authorities the power to issue fixed penalty notices to householders whose waste is illegally fly tipped because knowingly or not the householder has allowed an unauthorised person to take it away and it has been flytipped. In Leeds the new rules come into effect from June 2019.

Local authorities already have powers to prosecute householders for this type of activity. However, these prosecutions are costly for the regulators and for the court, and leave the householder with a criminal record which in some cases seems too severe.

The new powers to issue fixed penalty notices will mean that if a householders waste has been found to have been disposed of illegally they could receive a fine of £200 (or £150 if paid within 10 days)

Councillor Mohamed Rafique, Leeds City Council executive board member with responsibility for environment and active lifestyles said:

“It is very important that all householders understand their responsibility when it comes to removing and disposing of their rubbish.

“When looking to get rid of larger items it is key to ensure that you speak to an authorised company or the council to help you remove the waste, otherwise you could land yourself with a fine.

“In educating and calling on residents and businesses not to unknowingly allow their waste to be flytipped and to help identify the people they see committing this crime, we can all achieve so much more to help keep Leeds clean.”

To find out more about the fixed penalty notices visit - https://www.leeds.gov.uk/residents/bins-and-recycling/get-rid-of-unwanted-items