Council threatening me for Graffiti

[Navyclose1995]

Hi all,

Wanted to gather some thoughts, I have received a letter which I have attached (edited to hide address etc), explaining that I will be give a community protection notice warning if I don't clean some graffiti off of my fence.
They've taken pictures of my property and some neighbours and sent us these letters.

I don't object to wanting to keep a clean neighbourhood but I and my neighbour had no idea there was even graffiti on the fence since it's a fence that just faces an alleyway/ walk and I have no reason to use it.

Just seems a bit heavy handed to me from the council, especially when there's plenty of graffiti on council property locally (all looks the same so likely one or two individuals).
I also find it frustrating that the council are chasing me and my neighbours up about this, but I doubt there's much being done to stop it happening, so when I do clean/ paint over it, it'll likely pop back up.

Any thoughts, anyone had anything similar from their council?

[Greendubber]

I'd probably just clean it off and move on. I guess as it's your property it's down to you, it might smart a bit but that's just what I'd do.

[davek_964]

Seems reasonable to me. And it doesn't say you "will" be given a community order, it says you "may".

Just clean it off. If you'd known it was there, it sounds like you would have done so anyway so not sure why it makes much difference that they made you aware of it.

[Peterpetrole]

Surprising first two responses.

I would be going down guns blazing personally. Reply to this lady (she's given you contact details) asking for police action -

1) What police investigation has taken place (your council tax is spent on the police)
2) If not why not
3) What local police patrols are scheduled
4) If none, why not

Escalate to PCC etc. etc.

Make a noise basically.

[Crudeoink]

Navyclose1995 said:

Hi all,

Wanted to gather some thoughts, I have received a letter which I have attached (edited to hide address etc), explaining that I will be give a community protection notice warning if I don't clean some graffiti off of my fence.
They've taken pictures of my property and some neighbours and sent us these letters.

I don't object to wanting to keep a clean neighbourhood but I and my neighbour had no idea there was even graffiti on the fence since it's a fence that just faces an alleyway/ walk and I have no reason to use it.

Just seems a bit heavy handed to me from the council, especially when there's plenty of graffiti on council property locally (all looks the same so likely one or two individuals).
I also find it frustrating that the council are chasing me and my neighbours up about this, but I doubt there's much being done to stop it happening, so when I do clean/ paint over it, it'll likely pop back up.

Any thoughts, anyone had anything similar from their council?

Being petty I'd have it cleaned off and sorted. But id send them a response with various photos of graffiti on council owned buildings and ask them to remove it by 23rd of April

[MustangGT]

davek_964 said:

Seems reasonable to me. And it doesn't say you "will" be given a community order, it says you "may".

Just clean it off. If you'd known it was there, it sounds like you would have done so anyway so not sure why it makes much difference that they made you aware of it.

Agreed, letter is reasonable. Clean it off (a light sanding?) and move on.

The third reply is ridiculous. What a way to waste your life.

[Peterpetrole]

Crudeoink said:

Navyclose1995 said:

Hi all,

Wanted to gather some thoughts, I have received a letter which I have attached (edited to hide address etc), explaining that I will be give a community protection notice warning if I don't clean some graffiti off of my fence.
They've taken pictures of my property and some neighbours and sent us these letters.

I don't object to wanting to keep a clean neighbourhood but I and my neighbour had no idea there was even graffiti on the fence since it's a fence that just faces an alleyway/ walk and I have no reason to use it.

Just seems a bit heavy handed to me from the council, especially when there's plenty of graffiti on council property locally (all looks the same so likely one or two individuals).
I also find it frustrating that the council are chasing me and my neighbours up about this, but I doubt there's much being done to stop it happening, so when I do clean/ paint over it, it'll likely pop back up.

Any thoughts, anyone had anything similar from their council?

Being petty I'd have it cleaned off and sorted. But id send them a response with various photos of graffiti on council owned buildings and ask them to remove it by 23rd of April

This as well ^^^^, I believe you can apply for an ASBO against a council it it's not sorting it's own property.

[budgie smuggler]

I wouldn't mind TBH if it was just saying "somebody reported this, please can you clean it off", but the tone of the letter, especially the "by april 23rd" bit riles me somewhat!

What if you're busy, or don't have funds/a pressure washer etc? I sometimes report issues to my own council (but i guess most are they same) and they take their sweet old time fixing them (if doing so at all).

Then being threatened with action under the "anti-social behaviour" act, when it was somebody else that did the anti-social behaviour leaves a sour taste in the mouth!

[thepritch]

Crudeoink said:

Being petty I'd have it cleaned off and sorted. But id send them a response with various photos of graffiti on council owned buildings and ask them to remove it by 23rd of April

Exactly what I was thinking! The deadline feels a tad short, especially considering what can be involved, and whether the house owner is working etc. Councils aren’t exactly renowned for their speed of action.

[thepritch]

It doesn’t help the OP, but just looked at our council (Aberdeenshire) policies for graffiti removal and it seems they offer a free service for graffiti removal for public and businesses. I read that as private residential too.

I guess I shouldn’t be upset that my council tax increased 10% this year and then another 8% the two years after.

https://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/communities-and-e...

[John D.]

ASBO for someone else spraying graffiti on your fence?

Strikes me the council haven't got a clue.

What if you like the graffiti on your fence? It's your fence after all. Is there a byelaw against fence decorating?

[Peterpetrole]

And I would also find the nearest pothole and tell this lady that they are responsible for fixing those as well, with photos. Again, threaten them with an ASBO.

[vikingaero]

Clean it off, take pictures to prove it and email the person back. Then when if it reappears you have proof.

[Dingu]

Peterpetrole said:

Surprising first two responses.

I would be going down guns blazing personally. Reply to this lady (she's given you contact details) asking for police action -

1) What police investigation has taken place (your council tax is spent on the police)
2) If not why not
3) What local police patrols are scheduled
4) If none, why not

Escalate to PCC etc. etc.

Make a noise basically.

You have far too much time on your hands.

[normalbloke]

Move.

[Granadier]

I could understand them demanding you clean it off immediately if the graffiti was a racially offensive message... but this is just incomprehensible scribble

[Zephyr Speedshop]

John D. said:

ASBO for someone else spraying graffiti on your fence?

Strikes me the council haven't got a clue.

What if you like the graffiti on your fence? It's your fence after all. Is there a byelaw against fence decorating?

maybe I'm petty, but id offer the fence out to the local graffiti artists to have at it. and say its a commissioned artwork!

the letter threatening action, for something that is no fault of your own sees a little off to me. the tone could have been very different and would likely evoke a different response

[the cueball]

Tell them it's your child's art project and they offended you by calling it graffiti.

Hurty words and all that... straight to the Daily Mail with a sad compo face

[otolith]

At least some councils have recognised that heavy handed treatment of victims of vandalism isn't productive:

https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/news/2023/were-re...

[davek_964]

Zephyr Speedshop said:

the letter threatening action, for something that is no fault of your own sees a little off to me. the tone could have been very different and would likely evoke a different response

Personally, I don't see the "tone" that some have commented on, and I don't think it was threatening. It simply asked for it to be cleaned off, and said that they "may" take further action if it wasn't.