Leon Wright, 40, and his wife Amy, 34, left their flat to jet off on their honeymoon cruise from Athens
A homeowner was hit with a £150 penalty after returning from his honeymoon for putting his rubbish out too early. Leon Wright, 40, and his wife Amy, 34, were greeted by an enforcement notice from Richmond Council in their letterbox.
The couple, who live above a shop row in East Twickenham, London, said they adhered to the council’s waste disposal guidance by placing colour-coded bags on the pavement. Richmond Council’s rules stipulate that refuse should not be left out before 8pm on the eve of collection.
Marketing manager Mr Wright conceded he placed the bags out at 3.25pm, four-and-a-half hours ahead of schedule, but argued that the fine was harsh as he had no alternative.
He explained: “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.”
Upon returning from his honeymoon, Mr Wright found himself facing a fixed penalty notice demanding payment within 10 days — a deadline they missed due to being away.
He said: “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.”
Mr Wright was left fuming after being slapped with a fine for putting his bins out on May 27, just before jetting off from Heathrow Airport at 7.10pm for a honeymoon cruise departing from Athens. Upon returning 10days later, he and his wife Amy were greeted by the penalty notice waiting at their home.
Despite Mr Wright’s insistence that the charge contradicts government guidelines, the council has “refused” to budge on the issue.
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.
“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 fixed penalty notice accuses the homeowner of an offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 Section 87. The council has relented slightly, offering an extended deadline of August 19 to pay the fine at a reduced rate of £100.
However, Mr Wright, who settled into his current residence in 2018, is adamant about not paying a single penny.
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.”
Richmond Council said in a statement: “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.”