Overview
- Hounslow issued the £1,000 Fixed Penalty Notice to Loretta Alvarez in Feltham after she left a cardboard envelope beside communal bins reported to be overflowing.
- The council says depositing waste anywhere other than inside a bin constitutes an offence even when bins are full, citing its zero‑tolerance policy.
- Alvarez, a 26‑year‑old single mother and mental health nurse, says she cannot afford the penalty, reported that a payment plan was refused, and the notice remains under review.
- The £1,000 level reflects the national fixed penalty rate reported as set by Defra, and FPNs are not means‑tested and are used as an alternative to court action.
- Similar enforcement drives continue elsewhere, with reviewed or cancelled fines in some small‑scale cases and fresh penalties ranging from £50 to over £1,000, including a £600 duty‑of‑care fine in Wiltshire.