Between April and December, we spent £278,607.85 on removing waste – which could impact your service charges
What happens when you report anti-social behaviour: Fly-tipping
Continuing our series on how to report anti-social behaviour (ASB) and what to expect when you do, here’s what you need to know about fly-tipping.
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What is fly-tipping?
Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of rubbish. That includes any household waste that’s not disposed of in the correct way, as well as large items, such as fridges and sofas.
It’s considered a serious offence and could result in a large fine, or even a prison sentence. It’s worth being aware that if you pay someone to take away items and they illegally dump it, you are considered responsible too. Please check that anyone you trust to do this has a licence to collect waste.
Obviously it’s not nice for the community to have rubbish dumped near their homes – and, depending on what the waste is, it can be a health hazard and encourage vermin. Fly tipping can also attract other people to dump waste in the same place, making the situation worse.
Who’s responsible for cleaning up?
Clearing fly-tipped rubbish from public land is the responsibility of the local council. Because it’s such a costly problem, councils will aim to find out who has dumped the waste and prosecute. For example, Bedford Borough Council publishes photos of people who have fly-tipped and asks for help in identifying them.
The council has recently increased the Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) for fly-tipping, which now ranges from £300 to £1000 depending on the amount of waste fly-tipped. The FPN for residents who pass on waste which is then fly-tipped to people without a license has increased to £600. In South Cambridgeshire, an FPN for fly-tipping could be up to £700.
Clearing dumped rubbish from private land is the responsibility of the landowner. So, if waste is dumped in the communal area of a block of flats owned by bpha, it’s our responsibility to clear it. This is very costly – between April and December 2024, we spent £278,607.85 on removing waste that had not been disposed of properly. This can impact how much your service charges may be set at.
How to report fly-tipping
Please do report fly-tipping – we want the area around your home to be safe and look good. Local authorities have the same approach. If the fly-tipping is a regular problem and there are multiple reports, it’s more likely to result in an investigation.
- If you notice rubbish you think has been fly-tipped, where possible, check with your neighbours to see if someone has arranged to have it cleared – leaving waste outside that is due to be collected promptly is fine, as long as it doesn’t block any entrances, exits or the pavement
- If there’s no plan in place, please report the issue to us at repairs@bpha.org.uk or one of our other contact channels
- If the fly-tipped waste is on public land then please contact your local authority.