Rubbish in Gardens
Rubbish in gardens is becoming a large issue in Rotherham. Over 700 complaints about rubbish in gardens have been received so far this year.
Many people are under the impression that the Council can only deal with rented properties, but this is not true. Environmental Health Officers & Enforcement Officers are able to deal with problems in local authority, housing association, privately rented and privately owned properties.
If you have rubbish in your garden you could be issued with an Environmental Protection Act 1990, section 80, Abatement Notice. This is a legal document and means that if you do not remove your rubbish the Council will do so and re-charge all costs back to the person responsible for the rubbish. You could also be prosecuted and receive a fine of up to £5,000.
Rubbish in a garden could be:
- Bags of household waste or food
- Unwanted furniture including mattresses, settees and carpets
- Sanitary wear, including nappies
All rubbish or waste materials should be disposed of as soon as possible because leaving it out in the open or in outbuildings will provide a perfect place for rats to live. If you encourage rats onto your garden then they are one step closer to your home. Please see our Pest Control page for more details of how to deal with rats.
For information on disposing of rubbish, including recycling and collection of bulky items, please see our recycling, rubbish and waste page.
If you would like to make a report please contact us