Blocking a pavement with dumped household items including a sofa, mattresses and rugs before showing prospective tenants around a flat has resulted in a fine of over £2,200 for a Nottingham landlord.
Mr Afzal Azad, of Bakersfield pleaded guilty at Nottingham Magistrates court on Wednesday 26 April to one offence of fly-tipping in August last year. Mr Azad was fined £750, ordered to pay a £75 victim surcharge, and ordered to pay all of the council’s costs including clearance costs – a total legal bill of £2,232.87.
In August 2016 Nottingham City Council Street Cleansing Manager received a report from a member of his crew that they had come across a large accumulation of household waste that had been deposited on the pavement on Newdigate Street. On inspection of the waste he found identification from an address on Alfreton Road.
Big bill for phone repair shop’s illegal waste disposal
Footage from a nearby private CCTV camera showed three men including Mr Azad bringing out household items from an alleyway that was at the rear of an address on Alfreton Road. The men took over an hour to fill the pavement with items such as mattresses, rugs, sofa and miscellaneous household waste. The pavement was completely blocked by the waste, which was deposited under a Nottingham City Council sign advising that action would be taken if caught fly-tipping.
Mr Azad was seen allowing the men to clear the flat and the next day, after the council had cleared the waste, walking towards the property with two people who were later confirmed to be prospective tenants viewing the flat.
Portfolio Holder for Community Services, Councillor Nicola Heaton, said: “This was a blatant attempt to illegally dump rubbish ahead of tenants viewing a flat in the hope the council would clear it up free of charge. It created an unsightly mess in the neighbourhood and prevented people from being able to use the pavement.
“This is wholly unacceptable and is using up local council taxpayers’ money when proper options for disposing of rubbish are available – including the council’s free bulky waste collection. We won’t tolerate this kind of behaviour and warn anyone who thinks they’ll get away with it that we are onto you.”