YORK residents are being ripped off by conmen who collect household rubbish then dump it illegally.

And people are being warned that they face fines of up to £5,000 if they don't check that rubbish collectors in the city are properly licensed.

Council officials have highlighted an increase in unlawful traders collecting rubbish from York homes and fly tipping it.

Jackie Armitage, the council's environmental enforecement manager, said: "Many people don't think to ask whether a person they've hired to take their rubbish away is authorised to do so.

"Only businesses that are registered to carry waste can take rubbish away, including the council's own household waste collection.

"But we know that a number of unscrupulous operators are taking advantage of residents by taking their unwanted items away for a small charge and then dumping them."

She said it was the customer's responsibility to check that rubbish disposal companies had proper licences and there had been cases in York where people had been officially cautioned for failing to do so.

The Press has previously reported on fly-tipping hot spots around the city, such as on the site of the former York Working Men's Club in St Benedict Road.

Earlier this month, we reported how an enormous pile of rubbish had been dumped by fly-tippers in a rural lane in Poppleton. Police and the Environment Agency are investigating the incident, which sparked fury and dismay from locals.

City of York Council spent a total of £82,589 clearing up 1,697 tips in 2006-7.

A householder can be fined £5,000 under the Environmental Protection Act if they fail to ensure their rubbish is disposed of correctly. Anyone caught fly tipping can be fined up to £50,000 or jailed for six months.

The council is urging residents to use kerbside collections and recycling sites around the city for cardboard, cans and paper, and to consider donating unwanted furniture, clothing and reusable items to a local charity or car boot sale.

A web-based recycling service can be found at www.freecycle.org and other useful recycling details are available by phoning the council's customer contact centre on 01904 551551.

Opening times for the city's three household waste sites - at James Street, Beckfield Lane and Towthorpe Lane - can be found at www.york.gov.uk/waste.

Arrangements to remove bulky items can be made, at a cost of £27, by phoning the council. The charge for the removal of fridges and freezers is £6.