Fixed Penalty Notices

You can't formally appeal an FPN. An FPN is a way for you to settle your liability to prosecution. If you admit to the offence, paying the fine lets you avoid prosecution. This way of handling offences saves time for everyone since the case skips court. The cost of an FPN is usually much lower than court fines.

If you say you didn’t commit the offence, there will be a formal court prosecution. The court will review the evidence. It will decide if an offence occurred and if a penalty should be given. This means that the way to challenge an FPN is by choosing to go to court.

We have run many campaigns in recent years to tackle things like littering and dog fouling. We also widely publicised the introduction of the Public Spaces Protections Orders (PSPO) in place across the borough. The majority of Harrow residents are law-abiding. The aim of our enforcement patrols is to target those who choose to ignore the rules.

We do not need to put signs in every street, road, or open park space to tell people not to litter. Nor do we need to inform them that litter patrols are operating in the area.

Litter laws have been in place for years. In many areas of the UK, littering is so bad that Councils are now issuing FPNs to those who throw away their rubbish improperly.

We can't place litter bins on every street, road, and highway in the borough. We do try to put bins where they’re most needed, like in town centres, parks, and open spaces. We are keen to make our borough cleaner, greener, and safer. If there are no bins, everyone should be responsible. They can either take their litter home or hold onto it until they find a bin.

Cigarette waste counts as litter just like any other trash. You can get an FPN for not disposing of cigarette butts correctly. Care should be taken to avoid any risk of fire. Cigarette butts must be fully put out on the stubbing plates found on many litter bins before being tossed in. You can also carry a portable butt pouch.

We have a zero-tolerance policy. After the offence, our officers must issue an FPN. This removes the need for court action over the littering offence.

It’s key to understand that littering means dropping waste and leaving it behind. No matter if you volunteer to pick up your litter afterwards, you’ve still committed an offence. You will receive an FPN.

Officers will focus on areas with the highest demand and patrol wherever they find litter. Town centres are hotspots, and cigarette butts are the most common litter problem.

Disposing of litter down a drain or in a stream is an offence that will result in the issue of an FPN.

You will be prosecuted for the offence.

If you think any officer's behaviour was unacceptable, please write to the address on your FPN.  Your complaint will be investigated. Complaints are treated separately from the issue of the FPN. You will still need to pay the FPN to avoid facing prosecution.

We do not accept payments by instalments.