Households paying for services such as landscaping, bathroom fixtures and renovations should check that the handyman they hire is licensed to carry waste.
If they don’t, and the waste from work is subsequently dumped with flies, homeowners risk being fined £400 – despite not being directly involved in the offence.
Fly-tipping made headlines recently when a prolific dumper was sentenced to 11 months in prison for dumping tires on wasteland.
With that in mind, Toolstation wants law-abiding homeowners to be aware of a little-known regulation that means you can face a £400 fine even if you’re not directly responsible for fly-tipping.
Flypony is defined as the “illegal dumping of waste on land not licensed for acceptance”. This includes garden waste, old furniture and rubble.
What Are the Laws Around Fly-Tipping for Homeowners?
Fly tipping is punishable by an unlimited fine and up to five years in prison.
In the UK, households can also be fined up to £400 if they give their waste to an unlicensed waste hauler, which is then disposed of.
How can homeowners protect themselves?
If you hire a third party such as a builder or landscaper to handle your waste as part of a contract, you must ensure that they are a registered waste haulier.
You can do this by asking to see your ‘Waste Hauler Licence’ or by looking online at the ‘Waste Hauler, Broker and Dealer Directory’.
If the tradesman you employ is not registered, you are responsible for disposing of any waste generated. Tarpaulins and rubbish bags are a good way to store rubbish if you don’t need or don’t have the space for a dump. .
What laws apply to fly tipping for tradespeople?
If your company transports, buys, sells or disposes of waste, or hires someone else to buy, sell or dispose of waste, you must register as a waste carrier, broker or dealer.
Failure to register can result in a fine of up to £5,000.
How can craftsmen protect themselves?
If you handle waste you need to register through the gov.uk website. In England, registration is free for hauliers or £154 for brokers and dealers.
When you register, you will be told whether your registration is “high school” or “low school”. Lower level registrations do not need to be renewed, but upper level registrations do need to be renewed every three years at a cost of £105.