Report graffiti
Graffiti can make an area look neglected and may be upsetting for residents, businesses and visitors.
We can deal with graffiti on land and property owned or managed by Wyre Forest District Council. Use My Wyre Forest to tell us where it is and what it is on.
Graffiti is a form of vandalism and may be a criminal offence. If you have information about who may be responsible, please tell us when making your report.
You can report graffiti anonymously through My Wyre Forest and upload photographs to help us locate and assess the graffiti.
Before you report graffiti
Please give us as much information as you can. This will help us find the graffiti and check who is responsible for dealing with it.
Tell us:
- the exact location, including the nearest address, building, road or landmark. If possible, include a What3Words location
- what the graffiti is on, such as a wall, sign, litter bin or utility box
- a description of the graffiti
- whether it is offensive, threatening, or hate-related
- who owns the land or property, if you know
Is the graffiti offensive, threatening or hate-related?
Tell us in your report if the graffiti includes:
- racist or religious abuse
- abuse relating to disability, sex or sexual orientation
- threats or messages encouraging violence
- hate-related words, symbols or images
- sexually explicit words or images
- other seriously offensive content
Do not put yourself at risk or confront anyone responsible for the graffiti.
Who is responsible for removing it?
The organisation or person that owns the land or property is normally responsible for removing graffiti.
| If the graffiti is on... | Who is responsible? | What should I do? |
|---|---|---|
| Council buildings, litter bins, public toilets, parks, recreation grounds, street name signs and other council-owned street furniture | Wyre Forest District Council | Report it through My Wyre Forest |
| Road signs, traffic lights, some bridges and highway structures | Worcestershire County Council | Report a road or highway issue |
| Postboxes | Royal Mail | Report a vandalised Royal Mail postbox |
| Telephone poles, cables and green telecommunications cabinets | Openreach or another telecommunications provider | Check the equipment for the owner's details and report it to them. If it is Openreach equipment, report graffiti or vandalism on Openreach equipment |
| Railway bridges, stations and railway land | Network Rail or another railway organisation | Report graffiti on railway property |
| Homes, garages, shops, business premises, walls, fences and other private land | The property owner | Property owners are responsible for removal. Wyre Forest District Council does not remove graffiti from private property. |
Not sure who owns it?
If you are unsure who owns the affected land or property, report it through My Wyre Forest and provide as much information as possible.
We will review the report, establish ownership where necessary, and pass the report to the relevant organisation where appropriate. We may contact you if we need more information.
You do not need to report every instance of graffiti to the police. You should contact the police if:
- someone is creating the graffiti now
- the graffiti contains threats or hate-related content
- you know who is responsible
- you have CCTV footage or other evidence that may help identify someone
- significant criminal damage has been caused
If a crime is happening now or someone is in immediate danger, call 999.
If it is not an emergency, report it to West Mercia Police online or call 101.
Having your property vandalised with graffiti can be upsetting and expensive to deal with.
If graffiti appears on your property:
- Take photographs before cleaning or covering it, if it is safe to do so.
- Check whether you or neighbouring properties have CCTV footage.
- Contact the police if the incident meets any of the circumstances listed above.
- Contact your insurer before arranging removal if you may need to make a claim.
- Remove or cover the graffiti as soon as it is safe and practical to do so.
Removing graffiti safely
Using the wrong cleaning product or method can damage brickwork, stone, painted surfaces and protective coatings.
Before removing graffiti:
- check what material the affected surface is made from
- follow the instructions on any cleaning product
- test the product on a small, less visible area first
- use suitable protective clothing and equipment
- consider getting advice from a professional cleaning company
Do not use a pressure washer unless you are sure the surface and surrounding area will not be damaged.
Helping to prevent repeat graffiti
You may be able to reduce the risk of further graffiti by:
- removing graffiti promptly
- keeping walls, fences and other surfaces in good condition
- improving lighting around the property where possible
- using fences, gates or planting to make vulnerable surfaces harder to reach
- considering a suitable anti-graffiti coating for repeatedly affected surfaces
Get professional advice before applying an anti-graffiti coating, particularly to brick, stone, historic buildings or other sensitive surfaces.