New proposed by-laws by the Darebin Council could see residents fined up to $1,500 for putting their bins out too early.

According to the north suburban council, a number of complaints have been voiced from residents who are concerned that bins put out days in advance and left out after collection spoil the look of the street and make it look messy.

If the by-law is passed, resident offenders can expect to pay a fine of $500 for their first offence.

However, if left unpaid and the matter reaches the Magistrates Court, that’s when the cost skyrockets to a possible price tag of $1,476.10.

Many residents have expressed their outrage, with some concerned that as the new by-law stands, it doesn’t take the individual needs of residents into consideration, with the potential to negatively impact on elderly and disabled residents.

“My 90-year-old neighbour has a personal carer and they put his bins out a day or two early, because that’s when they’re at his house. What will happen to him?” Rose Ljubicic, a Reservoir resident, told News Limited.

A spokeswoman on behalf of local government minister Natalie Hutchins stated that councils needed to be more “fair dinkum with residents about their rates and charges”, calling it a “rubbish idea”.

“For a council that is paying their CEO nearly $400,000, there are better ways to improve their bottom line than needlessly slugging local residents,” she said.

However, Darebin mayor Cr Steven Tsitas reassured Neos Kosmos, stating that “it is in draft stage and still out for public consultation”.

“It may well be after receiving submissions from the community that the proposal will be modified.”

A public forum will be held on Friday 17 April, 2015 from 10.00 am to noon at Preston Council Chambers, 350 High Street, Preston, to discuss various by- law proposals, including the proposed bin fines. For more information, call (03) 8470 8888. Otherwise you can make a submission by emailing locallaw@darebin.vic.gov.au or write to Draft General Local Law 2015, City Of Darebin, PO Box 91, Preston 3072. Submissions close on April 27.