Dagenham man fined for not clearing up messy gardens

Barking and Dagenham Council received a report on May 29, 2024, on the state of the gardens in a house in Ford Road.

Environmental compliance agents inspected the property and found that the front and rear gardens were a monstrosity, the council said.

He described it as a potential source of pests and rodents, and harmful to the area.

Sheehan ignored a warning to clean her garden (Image: London Borough or Barking and Dagenham)A warning letter was issued to the owner, Edward Sheehan, told him to clear the gardens and correctly discard all the waste generated.

A visit to the monitoring site on July 10, 2024, did not show an improvement in the condition of the gardens, the Council said.

A legal notice was fulfilled, he asked Mr. Sheehan to go to the foliage covered with vegetation and accumulated waste in his land.

The Council said the garden was a ‘monstrosity’ (Image: London Borough or Barking and Dagenham)

Although the notice entered into force on August 7, 2024, another inspection of the site on September 20, 2024 found that the gardens remained in the same condition.

Sheehan was summoned to the Court of Barkingside magistrates on March 25, 2025, where he was convicted for his absence of not complying with the notice and was ordered to pay a total of £ 1,883.

Councilor Syed Ghani, a member of the Cabinet for the application and safety of the community, said: “Gardens like this are not just a monstrosity, but, as shown in this case, it can represent a real risk for the local community as an ideal approach for pests and rodents.

“It is crucial that the owners maintain their lands to guarantee the well -being of the neighborhood, and although the application process can be legal, we will take measures.”