A public complaint about rubbish being dumped in a remote country lane started a trail that eventually led to a landlord in Herne Bay.
Council officers discovered a large fly-tip blocking the road. The household waste included carpet, a sofa and an armchair, clothes, plastic boxes and bags and lots of general household waste.
Sifting through the rubbish, evidence was found relating to a man living in Herne Bay.
During interview under caution he said that he had moved out of his rented accommodation in Herne Bay before the fly-tip was found and that his ex-landlord had made arrangements for someone to dispose of the tenant’s waste.
He told the team that he had sent several hundred pounds to his former landlord to cover the costs of the waste disposal – a claim that he was able to back up by showing screenshots of the mobile phone messages between him and his former landlord, as well as a screenshot of the bank transfer of the payment.
On 19 September the ex-landlord was interviewed under caution by Ashford’s team. He confirmed that the man was his former tenant and that he had left all of his belongings. He also confirmed that the payment arrangements had been made by text.
The ex-landlord told the team that he did not use his former tenant’s money to pay a waste carrier and claimed he made several tip runs himself to dispose of the waste. He could not explain how all of the waste from his property ended up being fly-tipped in New Forest Lane.
For failing in his householder duty of care to ensure that the waste was disposed of properly the landlord was given a Fixed Penalty Notice of £400 reduced to £300 if paid within 14 days.
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Name and shame the Landlord
Name and shame both landlord and ex tenant
It is very annoying when tenants leave a load of rubbish behind, but unfortunately we just have to accept this up as one of the many costs of being a landlord, and either take it to the tip ourselves or pay a registered waste carrier. There is no excuse for fly tipping.
The tenant had paid the landlord to dispose of the waste. That is fact and the landlord does not deny that he received funds to pay for a 3rd party rubbish clearance. Then admits he did not instruct a 3rd party. This is all on the landlord.
Use the money you charged the tenant to instruct a 3rd party or do it legally
The penalty for this Landlord is way too low. Should be a couple of thousand at least. It would be a welcome change for me to get paid for getting rid of tenant's belongings.
Council policy at dumps or as they say now recycling centres is also to blame. These policies have meant that there is more fly tipping.
Good to see the culprit being reported as an ex-landlord.
But some won't spot that and so the bad reputation will probably still rub off on the rest of us.
Usual UK joke.....£300 is nothing.
Send him to prison for 1 year
There will be more fly tipping too. As councils close the recycling centres. Dotted around most shires. So only way to recycle is to take it to the tip. Recycle soon mounts up
Weston-super-Mare "Civic Amenity Centre" now only allows one visit per month per household.
That's for household waste. The waste mentioned in this article is commercial and therefore he should be paying to dispose of it.
In fairness as James says it would seem much of it is not household waste
@ James and Andrew, the household waste included carpet, a sofa and an armchair, clothes, plastic boxes and bags and lots of general household waste. It belonged to the tenant even if he did pay the landlord to dispose of it. Council tax will have been paid by the ex-tenant and the ex-landlord so I do not class it as commercial waste.
A builder size skip, would have cost more than £300.00.
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