Environmental Advice Referral Tool

Use this guide to find out how to report environmental problems in Oldham.

What’s happening?

There is a problem outside my house or near my house

Fly-tipping

Report the dumping of waste including household rubbish, larger items such as mattresses or fridges, garden refuse or commercial waste.

Bins, large items and litter

This includes ordering replacement bins, requesting an extra bin, reporting contaminated or abandoned bins, reporting a missed bin collection, reporting litter and problems with litter bins, and requesting a bulky collection.

Missed bins:

Report within 2 working days and leave out until emptied.

Replacement bins: 

Contaminated bins: it is important that the right items go in the right bin: general waste in the grey bin, recycling in the recycling bin. Bins containing the incorrect items should be reported to Waste Services for removal.

Large items: large items can be taken to a household waste centre or collected by Bulky Bobs, which is chargeable. Call 0161 770 6644. Three items cost £23 to be removed, with an additional charge of £12 for fridges or freezers. Those on assisted bin collections are entitled to one free collection per year.

Litter: we will clear up the litter on the next scheduled round. We do not pick up litter as a result of a report.

Pest control

Request the removal or treatment of an infestation of ants, bed bugs, bees, beetles, cockroaches, fleas, mice, moles, rats, silverfish, squirrels or wasps.

Housing ownership: if the home is owned by a housing association or a private landlord, the tenant should report it to them as soon as possible.

Homeowners and landlords: can use the council’s chargeable Pest Control services directly.

Alley gates

Request the installation of an alley gate, a new key, or report damage to an existing alley gate or alley gate lock.

Lost key: under normal circumstances the council does not re-issue keys if they are lost. In the first instance, residents should borrow one from their neighbour and have it re-cut.

Damaged alley gates or alley gate locks:

Request alley gates: contact your local councillor.

Trees

Report that a tree on council owned land is overhanging a property, is damaged or is potentially causing danger.

Leaf sweeping and removal is carried out on a schedule. The council does not take requests to sweep up or remove fallen leaves.

Pruning: you have the common law right to prune vegetation that crosses the boundary of your property as long as there are no legal constraints on the tree, and it does not affect the health, stability or safety of the tree. You can check this by calling the Planning Department on 0161 770 4105.

Tree inspections: the council carries out scheduled tree inspections throughout the year in each district.

Damaged trees: report a damaged tree on council owned land using the webform.

Dog poo

Report when you have seen someone not cleaning up after their dog in a public space.

Cleaning up: the council will clear the dog poo on the next scheduled cleaning round. If you know who the offender is, report this through the council website.

What will happen after I have reported it?
The council logs reports and will review whether any enforcement action can be taken.

There is a problem with the road or pavement

Roads, pavements and gullies

Report damage to a road or pavement that the council is responsible for, or a blocked gully or drain.

Size: the council will investigate potholes that are more than 4cm deep on roads and 2.5cm deep on pavements.

Gullies: subject to access, the council aims to inspect all gullies on a cyclical basis. The council does not accept reports of blocked gullies unless it is putting a property at risk of flooding.

There is a problem outside

Graffiti

Report graffiti on council owned land or buildings.

The council will remove graffiti on council owned land or buildings. Racist or offensive graffiti will be removed within 24 hours wherever possible.

Vehicles

Report an abandoned car, or a car that does not have a registered keeper, is not taxed, does not have an MOT, is parked illegally or is unroadworthy.

Stolen or causing an obstruction of the public highway:
Report to the police using the online portal at www.gmp.police.uk, call 101, or call 999 in an emergency.

No tax or MOT: report to the DVLA at www.dvla.gov.uk.

Streetlights

Report a broken or damaged streetlight through the Community Lighting Partnership, who maintain streetlights on behalf of Oldham Council.

Emergencies: if the fault is dangerous, call 0800 015 0452.

This includes columns or posts being knocked down, exposed electrical wires, damage resulting in a risk to people or buildings, such as part of the lighting hanging loose or a column likely to fall over.

Broken streetlights: requests will be inspected and repaired.

Fly-tipping

Dog poo

Report when you have seen someone not cleaning up after their dog in a public space.

Services and contact details

Fly-tipping

Report the dumping of waste including household rubbish, larger items such as mattresses or fridges, garden refuse or commercial waste.

Bins, large items and litter

Order replacement bins, request an extra bin, report contaminated or abandoned bins, report a missed bin collection, report litter and problems with litter bins, or request a bulky collection.

Bulky Bobs: 0161 770 6644

Pests

Request the removal or treatment of an infestation of ants, bed bugs, bees, beetles, cockroaches, fleas, mice, moles, rats, silverfish, squirrels or wasps.

Alley gates

Request the installation of an alley gate, a new key, or report damage to an existing alley gate or alley gate lock.

Trees

Report that a tree on council owned land is overhanging a property, is damaged or is potentially causing danger.

Dog poo

Report when you have seen someone not cleaning up after their dog in a public space.

Roads, pavements and gullies

Report damage to a road or pavement that the council is responsible for, or a blocked gully or drain.

Graffiti

Report graffiti on council owned land or buildings.

Vehicles

Streetlights

Report a broken or damaged streetlight through the Community Lighting Partnership.

Don’t Trash Oldham

If you would like to organise or join a community litter picking session, visit Don’t Trash Oldham for equipment, future events in your area and contact details.