Forum Topic

A fine for having a messy garden?

I just read on the Brentford Forum that a resident was recently fined £1,100 for having lots of rubbish in the garden which could attract vermin.Do you think this is a good idea for Ealing Council to adopt - or should householders be allowed to neglect their gardens even if they become an eyesore?What about business premises - should they also be allowed to leave rubbish bout and neglect their property, or perhaps face a fine and ordered to clean up?

Jean F Fernandez ● 4857d20 Comments

The Council's Environmental Health Department have the powers to charge residents for the removal of vermin hazards should the residents, after being asked to do so themselves, refuse to do so.  Collecting the money is a different thing of course.

Dee Cook ● 4856d

It is such a shame that whilst some folk try to have a neat and tidy garden others do exactly the opposite!Whether they are lazy or not interested is surely not an excise? Unless the householder is sick old or infirm there is nothing to be gained throwing junk into the garden and letting it rust and rot there!I believe the Council will remove items for a small fee, or most people have transport and can surely take their unwanted rubbish to the local tip?Rubbish piling up really is depressing and brings down the tone of the neighbourhood. Some people have no pride I guess.

Jean F Fernandez ● 4856d

The Council's fees for removing things are not that small, sadly, and with no discount for pensioners any more unless they're on benefits.

Susan Kelly ● 4856d

If they ever collect the garden waste,having paid the £40 charge........!

Roger Foreman ● 4856d

A really good ruling, I live next a housing association property and you would have to see the garden to believe it, completely overgrown, has been for 20 years, and of course rats and foxes think it is wonderful, there is rubbish strewn everywhere, and two dilapidated outbuildings full of combustibles, Catalyst have despite numerous complaints done sod all except make matters worse by tearing down one of the out houses and leaving it's remains and rubbish i n situ.  So fed up with them, everyone's gardens around them are really beautiful

Gareth Sinclair ● 4855d

Go into the Catalyst Housing Assn. web site:  I'd find out this board members email address and send him some photographs and a strong letter of complaint.  A freedom of information question would be in order should he not respond.  They also have a chairman with an OBE!'Paul Evans – West London Local Board ChairPaul has been a civil servant for 25 years. He worked in the Department of the Environment and its successors, gaining experience in local government reform, regeneration and housing.More recently he has been on the frontline leading regeneration in Southwark and Tower Hamlets and is currently reforming regeneration trade bodies and creating UK Regeneration.Paul is an external director of Regeneration (UK) Limited.As well as chair of the West London Local Board, Paul is also chair of the investment development committee.'

Dee Cook ● 4854d

Thanks Dee, yep we sent a letter with photos 3 weeks ago to CEO and board chairman and now  awaiting a response, we've even offered to buy part of the garden from them as it is huge and they clearly can't look after it! Thanks for your help x

Gareth Sinclair ● 4854d

Having a messy garden that encourages vermin etc and is a health risk is different to simply having a messy and unsightly garden for which a fine is somewhat heavy handed.I know a messy unkempt garden can be an eyesore but if someone does not want to maintain their garden that is their prerogative,  surely?Where would you draw the line a fine because paintwork is not kept fresh and free from peeling,  a fine for bad taste,  a fine for looking a mess when popping out to the shops!!As someone sandwiched between two properties the owners of which have no interest in their garden (1 because they rent and often renters just do not care like an owner)I still think a fine is not appropriate.

Emilia Fitzpatrick ● 4854d

For the council to give a fine that large can only mean it must have been one he'll of a mess, getting the council to take any kind of punitive action is near impossible

Gareth Sinclair ● 4854d

A managed wildlife garden should not be confused with an area of land which is completely ignored.

Dee Cook ● 4854d

Gives a whole new meaning to ...that's another fine mess

Phaddaeng Thumraksa ● 4854d

There obviously should be a Contract with anyone who is able, or reasonably able bodied and of a reasonable soundness of mind (I think I've satisfied the PC'ers & Human Righters there), who is living in any form of "financially assisted" living accommodation that stipulates minimum standards of garden maintenance, behaviour, etc.Otherwise,  yer out on yer ear.But then, would it be enforced?I think not.

Rosco White ● 4853d

Rosco, I think you will find such a thing in the small print of their tenancy agreement. The Managers of the tenancy agreements sometimes choose to ignore them.  I wonder why?

Dee Cook ● 4853d

Ah, our old friend then, that keeps hiding away, afraid to stand up and be strong, lest it be shouted down.Thy Name Be ......................"Enforcement" (lack of).When did we become this gutless Society that is failing even basic remedial action? No wonder the "perpetrators" are laughing, they're immune!And I'm not sure it's political, it's deeper than that.Maybe it's our other hoary old friend.Political Correctness.Or its partner in crime.Human Rights.Probably a marriage of the two.

Rosco White ● 4852d

So let's keep promoting sites like Streetbank and this one for advice and borrowing things!Mattresses are one of the biggest and most difficult problems - and once you've allowed them to get wet outside you're less likely to persuade that friend to help you cram it into their car to get it to the "tip". There are whole threads on the internet on how to get rid of them eg spending time with wirecutters cutting and disposing of them bit by bit.  They tend to be made of mixed materials to complicate matters.  You can usually recycle the metal.Several companies will take away an old mattress when you buy a new one.  Now wouldn't it be great if every mattress was sold with a mattress protector - well from the point of view of the customer. (I suppose it wouldn't suit the mattress company as the sooner they sell you yet another the better for their pockets!)Prisons and hotels are starting to have contracts for the recycling of these.I saw five dumped in a street the other day.  I believe there is a particular problem at the end of tenancies when the tenants leave them behind. The legislation that there is perhaps isn't good enough to safeguard the landlord (for whom getting rid of them is an expense as they become business waste and a charge should be made at the reuse & recycling centre).  It must as mentioned above also depend on how good the landlord is at managing the property.  All HMOs should be managed.Also too many irresponsible tenants living on credit still living in a throw-away society and not valuing and looking after what they have.If you keep something in a decent state then you should be able to freecycle it.I believe in at least one of the university towns the university itself was working to help the students clear their flats and re-home their unwanted possessions.

Philippa Bond ● 4852d

Friends in a block of flats often share a Council collection so that they split the cost between them.Offer someone the chance to add their stuff to yours when you get it collected? Perhaps they need help in organising it (for instance they don't have the time and knowledge to know how and where to).

Philippa Bond ● 4852d

If a garden is messy and has rubbish in it, it can be classed a fire hazard and if you call the fire brigade they will come and inspect it, send a letter and if it's not cleared the fire brigade can take further action.  I've done it and it gets things tidied pretty quickly.  Make sure you lay it on thick to the fire brigade - as with most things in life, exaggeration gets things done.  If that doesn't work, set fire to it yourself and they'll soon arrive (yes, that's a joke).It's also worth telling the council you see hundreds of rats, stating 'elf and safety, possibility of spreading diseases, etc - that usually works to get them moving, I've done that too!  Both example above were true, although I did have to lay it on a little thicker than was the case.  However, the rubbish was cleared and the garden was tidied so it worked!

Sarah Harris ● 4852d

Hmmm Harriet and the Matches springs to mind.You yourself are in danger as being labelled the Neighbour from Hell!

Philippa Bond ● 4851d

ha ha!  I'd not read that poem before - it's a bit creepy!

Sarah Harris ● 4851d

well we have 4 houses that are a right mess was told  by the council its their garden their promlem  all houses are rented out by the council

John Kennedy ● 4851d