Sylvain VAN DER WALDE wrote:
Hello all.

The occupiers of the next door house (it's been sold some months ago
to a property investment company, and is awaiting refurbishment) have
been leaving many bags of rubbish in the area that used to be the
front garden. I did speak to them once before about it; and also put
a note through their letter box a couple of days ago, because there
was a bad smell coming from it. Anyway, those bags of rubbish are
still there.
P.S. They have a large van, and could easily take them to the nearest
dump, _as they have done previously_.

To come to the crux of the matter:

I got in touch with my local council to report a possible health
hazard. They informed me that they could do nothing, as it was a
private residence, and not a council-owned one.

So I got in touch with the fire department (fire brigade) to report a
possible fire hazard. I was informed that they could do nothing; as
it was a private residence, and the occupiers were at liberty to do
as they pleased. I suggested that they could just _advise_ these
occupiers about a possible fire risk; but no, I was told that "their
hands were tied" and that they coudn't even do that.
It was suggested that the nearest thing that could be done was to
distribute some leaflets locally, but that was unlikely to be done.
Have you tried to get your local fire depatment's phone number? I
don't think that it's listed (like the police stations).
I had to get in touch with their headquarters, in the first place.

Sylvain.

You got in touch with the wrong people? try *Enviromental Health* and
report sightings of *rats*

--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite