TORRIDGE District Council is warning owners of second or holiday homes in West Devon to take much more responsibility in the correct disposal of waste from their holiday properties.

New legislation proposed by DEFRA could mean that refuse waste from holiday lets will soon be treated as commercial waste, giving local authorities further powers in dealing with absentee home owners who do not organise a system for proper refuse disposal, regardless of when their changeover days are or when the cleaners come in.

Cllr Chris Leather, lead member for recycling, refuse collection and street cleaning, said: 'Holiday home owners must take responsibility for the correct disposal of refuse from their properties.

'Putting refuse sacks out sometimes 48 hours before the due collection day is unacceptable and extremely unpleasant for residents — it attracts rodents and seagulls and must be stopped.

'Council officers have written 19 warning letters in the last three months to people for the early put-out of domestic waste, but the new legislation DEFRA has proposed puts the onus firmly on the owner of a property — absentee or otherwise — for correctly disposing of waste, and could mean hefty fines being imposed for those that do not follow the rules our permanent residents follow.'