I was fined £150 for putting my bins out 4 hours too EARLY before going on hol – I'll be seeing the council in court
LOAD OF RUBBISH I was fined £150 for putting my bins out 4 hours too EARLY before going on hol – I'll be seeing the council in court
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A HOMEOWNER who returned from his honeymoon was shocked to discover he had been slapped with a £150 fine for putting his bins out too early.
Leon Wright, 40, came home with wife Amy, 34, to discover an enforcement notice had been posted through his letterbox.
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Leon and his wife Amy were away for their honeymoon when they were fined
Credit: SWNS
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The council claims Leon broke the rules when he left his bins outside four hours early
Credit: SWNS
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Leon refuses to pay a penny of the £150 fine
Credit: SWNS
The couple live in a flat above a row of shops in East Twickenham, southwest London.
Following council guidance the pair leave their bins out on the pavement in colour coded bags.
Their local authority, Richmond Council, says residents should not put their bags out before 8pm the night before collection.
Wright admits that he put his bins out four hours early at 3:25pm but claims the fine is undeserved.
He put his bins out at the latest possible time before leaving to Heathrow Airport.
The couple then jetted off on a flight at 7:10pm for a honeymoon cruise in Greece.
Mr Wright said: "I only put it out a few hours before. It was the last thing I did before we left for holiday and the latest time that I could leave it out.
"I came back from my honeymoon with a fixed penalty notice from Richmond council. It said that we had to pay it within ten days, but we couldn't because we weren't even there.
"It was very surprising. We had never had any problems with the council before.
"I do my best to follow the rules but it was literally just a few hours before the collection window so I never thought they would send fines straight away."
Scotland's £45 Garden Waste Bin Charge Sparks Outrage
Ten days later, Mr Wright claims he and his wife Amy returned home to discover the fine on their doorstep.
He claims the penalty is against government guidelines but the local council has "refused" to cancel it.
He said: "It says in black and white on the GOV.uk website that you can't issue penalties for leaving bins out a few hours early, which is exactly what they have done.
"They weren't in the middle of the walkway or obstructing anyone. This is just a blatant cash grab to me.
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Leon and his wife honeymooned in Greece
Credit: SWNS
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The fine was waiting for the couple when they returned
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"I am not paying it. This kind of thing just can't happen. It is absolutely wrong. I will take them to court if it comes to that.
"It is not the money but the principle. There is no way I am going to let them get away with it."
The council fined Mr Wright under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 Section 87.
They have since agreed to offer Mr Wright an extended timeframe to pay the fine at a discounted rate of £100.
Mr Wright, however, is refusing to pay a single penny to the local authority.
He said: "It is definitely not what you want to see when you come back from holiday. Especially when you are trying to do your best.
"My neighbours couldn't believe it. They were all shocked."
A Spokesperson for Richmond Council said: "Richmond Council is committed to keeping the borough's streets clean, safe, and accessible for everyone.
"To help achieve this, we encourage residents to follow the guidance on when to put waste out for collection.
"Waste should only be placed out between 8pm the night before and 6am on the day of collection. When these rules are not followed, enforcement action may be taken where appropriate.
"We understand that residents can sometimes make genuine mistakes, which is why there is a clear appeals process in place.
"While we don't comment on individual cases, any new information submitted through this process will be carefully considered."
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