Graffiti

Graffiti is any illegal marking to walls and other surfaces. It has a wide variety of forms including 'pieces', 'tags', scribbles and etchings. It can sometimes be racist or offensive in nature.

Graffiti can attract littering and vandalism, cause residents to lose pride in their area, and make a neighbourhood feel unsafe. Graffiti removal is difficult and expensive as it requires specialist machinery to completely clear it off.

What we do

Our graffiti removal team, Grimebusters, work right across the borough cleaning graffiti from public and domestic properties. They remove all graffiti within five days of it being reported and any racist or offensive graffiti within 24 hours of it being reported. If the graffiti is high level (more than two metres above the ground) the owners of the premises need to provide equipment so they can access it for removal.

We remove graffiti for free from residents' properties. From 8 August 2011 there will be a charge for graffiti removal from commercial premises. On housing estates graffiti removal is dealt with by the housing offices.

Graffiti is an environmental crime. The law allows our Environmental Crime Enforcement Officers to give anyone seen doing graffiti an on-the-spot fine called a fixed penalty notice (FPN). The FPN is for £80, but if you are prosecuted in court for graffiti you could receive a maximum fine of up to £2,500.

What you can do

Report any graffiti you see. You will need to tell us the exact location and extent of the graffiti, the type of surface it is on and whether it is of a racist or offensive nature.

Call the Service Centre on 020 7926 9000, email graffiti@lambeth.gov.uk or use our online graffiti and fly-posting reporting form.