Warning over hiring man and van services to dispose of rubbish in Exeter

Published: 30 March 2022

A warning has been issued to residents to be careful when hiring man and van services to remove their waste rubbish.

Householders have a duty to ensure that any removal of waste from their property is to an authorised person only.

Using unregistered waste removal firms could mean that rubbish is not disposed of correctly.

The person who hires the man and van has a duty of care to ensure their waste is disposed of legally, and may be given a fixed penalty notice of £400 for breaching the duty of care.

They could be held responsible if the waste is illegally disposed of.

All waste carriers, like other licensed trades, are required to register and operate in line with a set of rules that protect the environment and their customers.

These rules include disposing of waste in the right place, storing it safely and keeping accurate records of transfer and disposal.

The council is concerned about the number of ‘man and van’ adverts on social media platforms offering to take away people’s rubbish.

Hiring someone who doesn’t have a waste carriers’ licence means there is no guarantee that the rubbish will go to an authorised site, and could end up in a country lane or beside the road.

Residents can check the public register before hiring someone to take away rubbish to check they have the proper licence, or ask them to provide a copy of their permit or proof of exemption.

They can also ask where the rubbish will be taken, ask for a receipt and take van registration details as a precaution.

If anyone has any concerns they can report it to Environmental Health by emailing environmental.health@exeter.gov.uk or by calling 01392 265147.