Household waste - a guide for householders

Householders must ensure that household waste is properly disposed of and this includes waste from domestic properties, caravans and residential homes.

There are too many incidences of householders paying a "man in a van" to take away their unwanted waste only for it to be fly-tipped further down the road.

Legislation now means that you, the householder, can be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice of £250 or prosecuted if your waste is found fly-tipped and traced back to your address.

A breach of the household duty of care can result in £5,000 on conviction in the Magistrates Court or an unlimited fine if convicted in the Crown Court.

If you are a householder, you are required to take reasonable steps to check that people removing waste from your premises are authorised to do so.

Reasonable steps to take:

• ask the waste carrier to provide you with their full address and telephone number 
• ask to see their waste carrier licence - if they don't have one, don't use them
• check where your waste will be doing - it must be a licensed waste disposal site
• contact the Environment Agency directly on 08708 506 506 and ask for a free instant Waste Carrier Validation Check, alternatively you can check online on the Environment Agency website.

Don’t use unlicensed waste carriers – if you do, you’re breaking the law and could end up with a criminal record if your rubbish is found to be fly tipped.

For more information or to report anyone using a vehicle to take waste without a waste carrier’s license, call 01274 434366. We need names, addresses, phone numbers, vehicle registrations and a statement from you in order to take action.

Keep your property free of waste

Environmental Health Enforcement investigate over a thousand complaints a year from members of the public about waste in gardens of properties across Bradford.

Homeowners, landlords and tenants can be served notices requiring that excessive waste at their properties be removed within a certain time. If the waste is not removed then we can default the work and charge for removal or issue fixed penalty notice fines or prosecute at Court.

Don’t get caught out - you could receive a large bill or fine or be prosecuted.

Find out when your refuse and recycling is collected

You must put out your wheeled bin on the pavement outside your property for collection by 6am. It must not obstruct the footpath.

Do not put it out before 8pm on the night before your collection. Please make sure that, at the latest, your wheeled bin is back inside the boundary of your property by 8am the day after your collection.

Alternatively you can take your waste to a household waste site. A lot of household waste can be recycled. Green waste can be composted at home.

Any waste which is removed from the land must be taken to a licensed disposal site. If you pay someone to remove your waste then that person must be a licensed waste carrier.

You are responsible for ensuring that all waste is stored in a proper bin and does not cause a nuisance or serious health problems. Food waste can attract vermin, cans and bottles may cause injury, and soiled nappies etc can spread disease.

Accumulations of rubbish that are unsightly and detrimental to the local area.

Remember, if the rubbish remains then the Council can take enforcement action to remove it and will recover the cost from you. You could even be fined.