[david68]

Today I was speaking to a window cleaner and driveway cleaner,
He told me he had to stop pressure washing drives, He as been photographed going about is job, Then was sent a letter about what he was doing was criminal.
If he was to window clean using water fed system or washing drives, he would have to collect the water used from property and not let it run down the drains,
This is all true and they are building a case on him. For now he as given everything up and today started signing on, He was paying his taxes ect.
They told him that these business are going to have a shock.

He sent me this link of the regulations that they are in forcing.

So far this is all I know
Link below

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/290144/pmho0307bmdx-e-e.pdf

[Shane sharples]

Says nothing about water fed pole systems or window cleaning , it's mainly about washing cars :-/

[Ian101]

From what ive read so long as it goes into the foul drain then no problem

[samson]

 

[SeanK]

Its to do with car washing, there have been a lot of new car washing businesses set up in this last few years (guys using power washers ) and the majority haven't arranged for the waste water to be collected.
There has been talk of a clamp down on this for a lot of years now and so far nothing seems to have happened, maybe the recession had something to do with them turning a blind eye and now that the economy is on the up and unemployment is down they will be more proactive at shutting these guys down.
Plus the garages that have invested a fortune in the proper equipment are giving off.

[Arnold Palmer]

lol

[SB Cleaning]

I'm sure shutting every one down will help the national debt no end

[SeanK]

I wouldn't be surprised if some little know it all Hitler has pulled this guy and instead of telling him to get lost he's listened
to him.
A few years back I was cleaning windows next to a building site when some official started giving off that I should be wearing a
high visibility jacket.
He wasn't a bit pleased when after a bit of an argument I told him to get lost in words that wouldn't be allowed on here, still
waiting on my fine.

[Mike #1]

Surely you bumped into the the local nutter who just blurts out random jibberish to anyone .  Otherwise the council would be out fining joe public left right and centre .

[Arnold Palmer]

I had an 'elf and safety 'official' tell me I couldn't use a WFP on the high street. In demonstrating to me how it may be dangerous to a blind person he actually put his hand on my face to cover my eyes! The following conversation ended with him beating a hasty retreat, with me telling him to "go away".

[SeanK]

Surely you bumped into the the local nutter who just blurts out random jibberish to anyone .  Otherwise the council would be out fining joe public left right and centre .

No he was the real deal, he didn't have any control over how I done my days work and wasn't too pleased that I knew that.
I would say he's been giving it large to the guys on the building site and thought he would have a go at me also
they get a bit of power and it goes to their heads.

[dazmond]

Today I was speaking to a window cleaner and driveway cleaner,
He told me he had to stop pressure washing drives, He as been photographed going about is job, Then was sent a letter about what he was doing was criminal.
If he was to window clean using water fed system or washing drives, he would have to collect the water used from property and not let it run down the drains,
This is all true and they are building a case on him. For now he as given everything up and today started signing on, He was paying his taxes ect.
They told him that these business are going to have a shock.

He sent me this link of the regulations that they are in forcing.

So far this is all I know
Link below

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/290144/pmho0307bmdx-e-e.pdf

mmmm...................so thats it then!

why on earth would you jack in a cleaning business you ve worked hard to build up over a number of years to sign on the dole?

id rather do anything else than go on benefits

[Smurf]

Would be interested to see the case they are so say building against him.

I would say a mobile cleaner using a wfp has no environmental impact whatsoever for a start regarding run-offs.
Likewise pressure washing also has no environmental impact either just using tap water that most mobile cleaners use.

Regarding the control of waste as a mobile cleaner unless you use loads of chems and/or allow slurry etc to enter the drainage systems still they would have to prove you where in breach of the rules.

I'm no expert but if they wanted to enforce the law that would mean no one including joe public would be able to wash anything and allow it to go down the drain... including me stinky pants

[Arnold Palmer]

Erm that document is dated 8 years ago, also it's about pollution. Unless you are adding something to your water, it's just that - water.

[Smurf]

There seems to be certain services that are stringently controlled like static vehicle wash firms for one that mostly that doc applies to. Others like mobile wheelie bin washers have their own stringent criteria they have to meet to be able to get a local council licences to operate.

Now if that chap was going around washing wheelie bins without a lic and not using the proper kit then yes there is a good chance he would get fined. However I'm not aware of anyone getting fined for using a wfp on windows, plastics, cladding etc nor cleaning paving, driveways, patios cladding etc be it on domestic or commercial jobs.

[Mike #1]

Just checked to see if it's not April 1st   

[Rich Wilts]

I have a life to finance - bills and the like. I'd be back out there forthwith regardless if a Hitleresque character tried to tell me I was breaking various regulations by carrying out my business. I dont for one minute thinks it's quite as black and white as the OP seems to be implying.

The word 'window' isn't mentioned once in that document.

[SeanK]

Guys this was all over the news a few years back, again its to do with washing cars, oil and so on going straight down the
drains also the amount of salt being washed of the cars and going down the drains during the gritting season was causing concern.
Nothing to do with window cleaning.
It was the petrol station owners who had invested large in automated machines with water collectors that where making the
most fuss.

[david68]

Surely you bumped into the the local nutter who just blurts out random jibberish to anyone .  Otherwise the council would be out fining joe public left right and centre .

All I know  that they have a case file on him, he also done a course on sealing drives, He showed them the written letters.
His last call to them was how to go about it the right way,
He was told to phone them with location to get granted permission then it could take 14 days to get it.

I will ask if I can have a copy of his letter to post here.

[Smurf]

Surely you bumped into the the local nutter who just blurts out random jibberish to anyone .  Otherwise the council would be out fining joe public left right and centre .

All I know  that they have a case file on him, he also done a course on sealing drives, He showed them the written letters.
His last call to them was how to go about it the right way,
He was told to phone them with location to get granted permission then it could take 14 days to get it.

I will ask if I can have a copy of his letter to post here.

wtf... who has a case file on him and how come he got reported and by whom?

I would like to get to the bottom of this as sounds like he has peed someone off to get reported in the first place surely?