A TENANT has been fined for fly-tipping after placing a bin bag next to a blocked rubbish chute in a block of flats in Southend.

Steve Campion, 58, of Carousel Steps on the Woodgrange Drive Estate, claims a bin chute at the block regularly becomes blocked with rubbish, leaving residents with little alternative but to leave bags by the chute or carry them down multiple flights of steps block.

Mr Campion, who has a back problem, is unable to take his bags to the ground floor, and says Estuary Housing Association rifled through a bag he had left in the chute room and found a tablet box with his name on it, before issuing him with an £18 fine.

Mr Campion, who has a disabled wife, said: “They fined me for flytipping. I have hurt my back and my wife has scoliosis so can’t lift anything. Neither of us can carry bags down the stairs.

“I have paid the fine but the bin chute is almost always blocked so it seems very unfair.”

Mr Campion added: “Someone had opened the bag and found the pill box. They sent me a picture of it. People always leave bags around the chute because it is blocked so often. What else are we supposed to do?

“The place is a mess with vomit and urine on the landings. They were supposed to replace security doors two years ago but they haven’t bothered.”

The housing association refuted the chutes were blocked and said they were checked daily and support was provided for those with mobility issues.

A spokeswoman said: “It our responsibility to ensure that residents do not inappropriately dispose of rubbish in the blocks on the Woodgrange Drive Estate as this not only increases fire risks but increases the cost for us to have to deal with flytipping.

“The flytipping costs for last year amounted to £70k and these costs are passed back to residents through their service charges and therefore we need to take fly tipping seriously and take action where necessary.”