Landlord given 14 days to clear huge rubbish pile outside property

Kieran Molloy, Local Democracy Reporter

Concerns have been raised over a large pile of rubbish, including old furniture and black bin bags, accumulating outside a boarded-up house.

A video of a pile-up of litter and rubbish in front of the empty property in Ely house has been circulated on social media by Cardiff Council ward councillor for Fairwater, Neil McEvoy.

The video, which is understood to be in front of 87a Wilson Road, shows the garden to be full of filled black bin bags, an overturned settee, plastic carrier bags, a mattress and bed frame, among other rubbish.

Further photos also show that the windows have been smashed.

A Cardiff Council spokesperson has confirmed to the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the fly-tipping is on private land and the council has taken steps to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.

The spokesperson said: “The council served notice on this property on February 16, which means the landlord is required to clear the waste from his land within 14 days.”

It continues: “Failure to do so will result in the council clearing the waste in default, while seeking to recover the costs of the clean-up operation and disposal of the waste from the private landowner.”

“Clearing the waste in default” refers to a legal enforcement action where the council enters onto the private land to remove rubbish and filth after the owner fails to clean the mess after being served an order.

During the video, Cllr McEvoy can be heard saying “The state of this, the state of it”, referring to the piles of litter.

In recent years, fly-tipping has become an increasingly hot topic in Wales and the Welsh Government is currently reviewing fixed penalty notice limits for fly-tipping and household waste duty of care offences to ensure they act as an effective deterrent for the practice.

The issue has now reached a point where volunteer initiatives such as Love Where You Live, which is supported by Cardiff Council, have become popular among residents who seek to tackle the growing issue head on.