Land used as a dump

[Vicario]

In the 1950s about 30 maisonnettes were built by a developer and the bit of land that he had left over was used to build about 20 garages in two parallel blocks. So 20 of the original maisonnettes' leases had a garage but over the years these were increasingly used for storage as cars got bigger. The land at the very end of the two blocks of garages was left to trees and shrubs to grow wild and this area is at the back of my garden and that of my neighbours either side. This land has increasingly been targeted by dumpers and we persuaded the managing agent to fence it off. That was 15 years ago and the fence has now blown down, adding to the pile of debris on the land.
The new managing agent (leases sold to a new company, presumably) has refused to engage with us about this matter. My neighbour caught two undesirables perching on a dumped table in order to see into his garden - they ran off when he called to them.
We believe that this area is now an environmental and security risk so how would you advise us to proceed? We have offered to pay for a new fence and my neighbour says that he is inclined to have the work done if the managing agent doesn't respond. Is that a good idea?
It would be great if someone here could point me in the direction of the legal responsibilities of the agent (I have googled but it's a really confusing issue). He presumably collects the ground rent and passes it on to the freeholder, but surely there must be some obligation to take care of the land too.

 

[Mottie]

Get on to the local council and let them know its an environmental issue so that they take it up with the owners? Fence it off yourself and I believe you can claim it after a certain number of years if the owner hasn't noticed? Alternatively, ask them if they want to sell it?

 

[^woody^]

There is no obligation for anyone to remove dumped stuff from their land, unless the material dumped does in fact fit some specific narrow criteria of being declared an environmental nuisance.

The council's environmental protection team deal with fly tipping and such like, but not on private land.

There may be options to make a claim/injunction under private nuisance law.

There is no obligation to secure ones land.