COVENTRY City council environmental case officers are reminding people to dispose of bulky items responsibly or risk a fixed penalty fine.
The warning comes after a resident paid two people to remove a sofa only to find that the item and other rubbish from his home had been dumped in nearby streets.
The waste, dumped on May Street in Foleshill, was removed by environmental officers last week.
Environmental officers were called to the location where there was significant fly-tipped waste and before removing the rubbish were able to identify a possible culprit. Evidence gathered took them to a home where a man had been duped into handing over money to get waste removed.
The Council state that if someone calls at a resident’s home offering to remove bulky items, it is the householder who has a duty of care to ensure they have a “waste carriers license” this shows that they are a reputable firm and are registered to take waste.
If rubbish from someone’s home is removed and dumped elsewhere then the householder will have responsibility if the culprits are not caught and they could face a fine and possible court action.
Coun Abdul Salam Khan, cabinet member for policing and equalities, said: “People need to dispose of waste responsibly. Sofas, mattresses and other bulky items are regular fly-tipped items that cause a lot of frustration in local neighbourhoods for residents.”
Anyone can report fly-tipping incidents anonymously by going to www.coventry.gov.uk/flytipping or calling 08085834333.
Visit coventry.gov.uk/bulkywaste for more information.
