LANDLORDS are being called on to take more responsibility for rubbish left out at student homes in Winton after residents and councillors complained about overflowing bins.

As many students vacated rented properties to head home for the summer, personal items were abandoned in front gardens as bins were packed so full they overflowed into the street.

Bournemouth Borough Councillor David Smith, who lives in the area, said: "There are many gardens where the landlords haven't bothered to clean it up. We do all we can to keep this place clean and tidy and the landlords have a duty to keep the front of their properties clean.

"It would be very nice if they took some pride in them.

"There are residents who live nearby who don't want to see messy front gardens.

"On the day of the carnival on Cardigan Road about 50m was covered in bins where people couldn't be bothered to put them out.

"Rubbish has been left out and I think the landlords should get round there as soon as possible and clean it up."

Ward councillor Dom McQueen said: "The key message is that landlords need to take responsibility for their properties because they are the ones ultimately responsible."

Bournemouth University said that there are initiatives in place to prevent rubbish from being dumped by students. The students' union pay student community wardens to speak to students at their homes about collection times, and the Big Give campaign has street collections and donation boxes.

The aim is to run the campaigns in September for the next wave of students.

Sarah Speakman-Jones, senior waste officer at the council, said: “As part of the alternate weekly collections starting the council worked extensively with the universities on getting the message out to student households including via university websites, social media, leaflets, signage in many roads known to have lots of student properties, campus roadshows, warden briefings and more. This work is continuing and we are also in contact with the landlords and managing agents of many of the properties in question. Further activity is targeted with new students starting every October.

“However this time of year often sees an unfortunate spike in waste at student properties as they finish for the year, vacate the properties and return home. As a result it is not unusual to see additional waste left out alongside bins for collection and we are responding to complaints on a case by case basis. The Big Give event which has been held annually for the last three years is aimed at showing students how they can separate their waste and recycle more.”