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Hounslow Council Defends £1,000 Envelope Fine After Payment Deadline Passes

The council cites a zero‑tolerance littering policy that treats waste left outside bins as an offense regardless of bin capacity.

Overview

  • Loretta Alvarez, 26, says she left a cardboard envelope beside overflowing communal bins shared by more than two dozen households in Feltham.
  • The council issued a £1,000 penalty and warned of legal proceedings and possible criminal charges if unpaid, with a deadline of November 5 that has now passed.
  • Following media enquiries, the council placed the case on hold for further review, yet the fine has not been cancelled and officials reaffirmed the decision.
  • Councillor Pritam Grewal said littering includes leaving waste anywhere except in a bin regardless of fullness, with evidence traced to Alvarez via details on the envelope.
  • Alvarez says she cannot afford the fine, was refused a payment plan, fears effects on her DBS and employment, and reports bins that overflow between weekly collections alongside other dumped items nearby.