Criminal damage: frequently asked questions

The person who owns the property is responsible for fixing the damage and may be able to cover the cost through insurance.
When graffiti is targeted at private property or a business, then local authorities often provide advice on removal or in some cases provide a cleaning service free of charge. For example, Brent Council provides a first time free graffiti removal, with further removals at a subsidised rate. Other councils provide free graffiti cleaning kits. Many local authorities have a policy of removing racist or abusive graffiti on any property within 24 hours.

As criminal damage is a crime it should be reported to the police. Some Local Authorities have schemes that make it easy for the public to report criminal damage to them.
If the Authorities are seeking to repair the damage, the owner of the property should be contacted.
Public phone boxes: To report graffiti on telephone boxes, call 151 from the telephone box or email: customerserve.payphone@bt.com

Yes, you can recover the costs but need to be aware that there can be practical difficulties in safely accessing graffiti within these timescales, particularly when dealing with Network Rail.
When recovering costs, it is important to be realistic about the costs involved. This might include the costs of running cleaning vehicles, officer time on site, pre and post investigation work and the cost of materials.
The company can appeal if they feel the costs are excessive. Part of the requirement for using this power is for the local authority to enter into a partnership agreement with the owner. This will set out the standards of service and costs for cleaning to avoid appeals.

Last update: Wednesday, April 02, 2008

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