Overview and key points
Fly-tipping is rising across England, and commercial property owners can be left to manage the consequences when waste is dumped on private land. From clean-up costs and health and safety concerns to possible disruption and insurance gaps, the impact can be more significant than many businesses expect.
Key takeaways
- Fly-tipping incidents in England increased by 9% in 2024–25, with local authorities dealing with 1.26 million incidents.
- Commercial and industrial estates, vacant sites and privately owned land can be particularly vulnerable.
- Waste dumped on private land may leave property owners responsible for clearance, security, disruption and associated costs.
- Reviewing site security, risk management measures and insurance cover can help reduce exposure and avoid unexpected shortfalls.
Fly-tipping is no longer just an environmental nuisance. For owners of commercial properties, industrial estates and vacant sites, it can create a very real business risk — bringing clean-up costs, health and safety concerns, operational disruption and potential insurance implications.
New figures from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), published in February 2026, show that local authorities in England dealt with 1.26 million fly-tipping incidents in 2024–25 — a 9% increase on the previous year.
To put that into context, 957,000 incidents were recorded in 2018–19. That means fly-tipping incidents have increased by around 29% over six years. Across England, that equates to more than 25 incidents per square mile each year.
Why this matters for commercial property owners
If you own or manage commercial premises, you may already know that waste dumped on private land is often the responsibility of the landowner to remove. That can be frustrating, costly and time-consuming — particularly where hazardous materials are involved or where a site is vacant, poorly lit or difficult to secure.
- 4,000 incidents were recorded on commercial and industrial estates.
- 10,000 incidents were recorded across “other” sites, including agricultural and railway land.
The true scale is likely to be higher. Incidents on private land can go unreported, especially where property owners arrange clearance themselves rather than involving the local authority.
The hidden cost of dumped waste
Fly-tipping can affect much more than the appearance of a site. Depending on the nature and location of the waste, it can expose commercial property owners to a range of financial, legal and reputational risks, including:
- Clean-up and disposal costs, which can be significant where specialist removal is required.
- Health and safety risks, including exposure to hazardous materials such as chemicals or asbestos.
- Pest infestation, environmental damage and anti-social behaviour.
- Business interruption, particularly if access routes, yards or tenant areas are affected.
- Reduced rental income or increased security spend where a site becomes less attractive to occupiers.
- Potential enforcement action if waste is not removed appropriately.
- Insurance shortfalls where clean-up or associated costs exceed policy limits or fall outside the cover in place.
Enforcement alone is unlikely to solve the issue
The government has encouraged councils to take tougher action against offenders, including vehicle seizures, surveillance and public identification. These measures are welcome, but they do not remove the practical challenge for property owners when waste is dumped on their land.
With court prosecutions down by 9% last year, prevention and deterrence remain critical. The question for commercial property owners is simple: how vulnerable is your site, and what would the cost be if fly-tipping happened tomorrow?
Practical steps to reduce the risk of fly-tipping
Understanding the risks you’re exposed to is key to making the right decisions about security, risk management and insurance. A proactive approach could include:
- Installing CCTV or monitored detection systems in high-risk areas.
- Using rapid alarm response solutions, mobile patrols or ad-hoc guarding where appropriate.
- Improving physical perimeter protection, including barriers, fencing and secure gates.
- Keeping gates locked and access points controlled, particularly outside operating hours.
- Maintaining good communication with neighbouring businesses, site users and local police.
- Reporting incidents promptly to the local authority and keeping clear records of costs, photographs and correspondence.
Where waste poses a significant public health risk, councils may intervene. However, for many commercial property owners, the burden of managing and funding the clean-up can still sit close to home.
Is your commercial property insurance keeping pace with the risk?
As with any property risk, it’s important to understand what your policy does — and does not — cover. Serious fly-tipping incidents can involve specialist waste removal, environmental clean-up, site security, loss of rent and business interruption. If your cover limits are too low, or if the relevant costs are excluded, you could be left with a shortfall.
- Are your cover limits adequate for today’s clean-up and reinstatement costs?
- Does your policy respond to environmental or contamination-related liabilities where relevant?
- Would loss of rent or business interruption be covered if a site could not be used?
- Have you discussed vacant, unoccupied or high-risk areas with your insurance adviser?
How Partners& can help
We work with commercial property owners to help them understand the risks they face and make informed decisions about their insurance and risk management arrangements. If you’re concerned about fly-tipping, site security or whether your current cover is still fit for purpose, speak to our team of specialist insurance advisers.
If fly-tipping could affect one of your sites, now is the time to review your protection. Talk to us and make sure your current insurance and risk management arrangements are fit for purpose.
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