Advice about taking stuff that has been dumped

Thamesmeadhammer · « **on:** January 24, 2009, 20:33 »

Hello guys,

Near to where I live there was / is a building development that now has been completed.
The hoarding has been taken down and left on the pathway / boundry of the development.
Amongst the hoarding is some decent lengths of timber (aged and some of it is rotting) that I could use.
The development has no site office and the people who have moved in don't know the best people to contact.
Would it be theft it I just took it ? Would I be in trouble if I just turned up and took it ?
It looks to me like it has just been left there and someone has forgotten to collect it.
Please advise
Thanks
Tony

garddwr · « **Reply #1 on:** January 24, 2009, 20:38 »

I wouldn't suggest you taking stuff without some sort of confirmation that they wouldn't mind. If its on the owners land then I guess they own it now ? Anybody please confirm this ?

SnooziSuzi · « **Reply #2 on:** January 24, 2009, 21:14 »

I think that the developers are legally obliged to make arrangements for its removal and that (seriously) you would have to be classed as an approved waste contractor with the appropriate regs to do it anyway.

If it is lying around for a long time the company can be ordered to collect it as it would be a hazard / eyesore.

How about contacting the head office and seeing if they can get you in touch with the site manager for approval?

I approached the site managers of 2 developments in my village re collecting pallets, unwanted lenghts of timber and also bricks and breze blocks and they were happy to let me have them, provided I only took what they agreed to. This was fair, as the stuff would have only gone to landfill if I hadn't taken it and one of the developments has stalled due to the current economic downturn so I will go back to them to see if I can have the perimiter fencing when they are done too, because I've never seen a development yet that re-uses materials left over from another job :evil:

Thamesmeadhammer · « **Reply #3 on:** January 24, 2009, 21:56 »

Thanks guys, or I might sneak out at 6am tomorrow and have it away before anyone wakes up !!!!

Yorkie · « **Reply #4 on:** January 24, 2009, 22:03 »

I hope you're joking there TMH. :shock:

Otherwise you'll be committing at least two criminal offences that I can think of - and our well-meant and offered advice was pointless

Thamesmeadhammer · « **Reply #5 on:** January 25, 2009, 08:17 »

Yes I was joking !
Madness that this wood is just sitting there getting wet and just rotting away !
I'd take it away for nothing and put it to good use
Have to dig a little deeper to see who owes it

Whats the betting some health and safety law will prevent me from taking it

Thanks for the advice and I wouldn't dream of stealing it

TMH

berttimms · « **Reply #6 on:** January 25, 2009, 11:45 »

if it was me i would have a good scout around and if theres no one there take it, if there is someone ask, and if its on a path take it and if theres any comeback tell them it was a hazard and you were moving to prevent an accident but dont take this advice as the law as im not a police man but i am a scrouge!!!!

PinkTequila · « **Reply #7 on:** January 25, 2009, 18:59 »

the timber will be of no use to anyone but a gardener now, would seem silly to me not to take it, if you see anyone around you could ask them first.

shaun · « **Reply #8 on:** January 25, 2009, 19:03 »

if you lot see what i see going into skips you will all have tears in your eyes,only yesterday i was on this site and the gardeners were planting out the new borders on these flats,so in the skip went hundreds and i mean hundreds of 6" plastic pots,

SnooziSuzi · « **Reply #9 on:** January 25, 2009, 19:47 »

it's criminal the amount of money that's wasted on stuff like that :evil:

Also, it doesn't help people to get used to re-using stuff if they can just throw it away - the councils were on a 'sort of' right track by changing waste collections but went about it all the wrong way; for example, my local council still empties our household bins once a week but only once a fortnight for the recyclable stuff; I recycle way more than I throw out so it would be better for us to have it the other way round!!

Despite what I said in my earlier post; I always have my eyes open for things like this and often almost pull up to ask someone! My friend thinks I'm a skiprat!!

RichardA · « **Reply #10 on:** January 25, 2009, 20:07 »

I am both a health and safety bod and a magistrate. Taking stuff that you cannot absolutely show you have permission to take is nothing to do with health and safety law it is all to do with criminal law. Don't do the crime please.
R

Thamesmeadhammer · « **Reply #11 on:** January 25, 2009, 20:51 »

Quote from: "RichardA"

I am both a health and safety bod and a magistrate. Taking stuff that you cannot absolutely show you have permission to take is nothing to do with health and safety law it is all to do with criminal law. Don't do the crime please.
R

Hi Richard,

Thanks

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