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Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

Veolia - very poor service

I have ordered new wheelie bins for over a month now!! Every time I call they promise another date of delivery. This passes and I see no bins. I call again, same story. We are accumulating waste bags, that are not collected because they are not in a bin.

I have also tried to contact the manager. She is incidentally never available when I call (either not in or in meetings). They promise me on the phone that she will call me back when she is free. But she doesn't - it's been a week now.

Am I the only one that has these kind of problems with Veolia? What does it take to convince them what we all pay them to do? Is there a way for the council to take action? Because they don't seem to be delivering what they promised! - I don't have access to the contract, but I'm sure it's violated.

What's the best way to complain to get things done?

Tags for Forum Posts: bin collection, bounds green, new recycling bins, rubbish, veolia, veolia missed collections, waste

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by warren miller on October 23, 2015 at 14:59

Thanks - am doing so now.

Think it must be private - doesn't show up as a road on google maps...

Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on October 23, 2015 at 15:42

It wouldn't necessarily be on Google, Warren.  The Council owns some patches of alley land.

But at first glance my guess is private land. In which case, when you've reported it, has anyone in Haringey explained what they have done?  And what further steps they have to take? Discovering and talking to the owner(s). Serving notices etc. etc.?

I'm told by a Barnet resident that the photo (left) is one of the motivational posters that Nick Walkley their former and now our Chief Excutive had framed and displayed in the toilets in Barnet.

Obviously with the problem you face, they can't get it right first time if that means immediately going on private land without knowing who owns it; without permission; and then cleaning it up at the public expense. Nor will the solution "stick" if people continue to dump.

But they can  keep customers residents informed and involved.

Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on October 23, 2015 at 13:58

In this instance, Gordon T, even a Tory candidate may be partially right. I have the old photos.

Although, Betty Careless, that's not to condone the current failings you list.

An old anecdote which may amuse you. When a councillor, I was once at a meeting when one of the waste contractors explained that their agreement with Haringey legally required them to return bins to within the curtilage of each dwelling house. Which they thought meant just outside on the pavement. Luckily, having once-upon-a-misty-mostly-forgotten time in the last century, been a lawyer, I was able to correct this mistake. I did enjoy that.

So should you. Raise your voice; stay on their case!

Permalink Reply by Sophie D on October 23, 2015 at 14:35

I experienced the same thing when I was waiting for a replacement food bin. I must have called them 3/4 times over a two week period. I decided to email them and I had the bin delivered in 2 days time. I always put my complaint in writing now and I seem to get a much better response.

Good luck

Permalink Reply by Phivos on October 23, 2015 at 14:43

Thanks, I'll try that

Permalink Reply by n22 person on October 23, 2015 at 15:59

I have tried the email route to get my replacement food bin. It has now been five months and several job reference numbers, various suggestions that someone or another will give it immediate attention.  But nothing yet... I remain optimistic.

Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on October 23, 2015 at 16:17

Try copying your correspondence: printing out the key documents in a font not too small to read and with a nice frame. Then going to River Park House and blue-tacking it to the inside of the toilet door nearest Nick Walkley's office.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=I%27m+sorrydave+but+i+can%27t+dot...

Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on October 25, 2015 at 23:16

Any progress, David V?  (Aside from my direct action shaming suggestion.)

I wonder, did you get any explanation of why they don't keep their promises? For instance, is there some possible explanation that makes your home difficult to reach? I ask because I saw a tweet from someone named Brigitte Herrod who by September also had five months delay. Maybe you are neighbours and there's a common problem you and others can take up collectively with Veolia and and/or through your ward councillors?

Brigitte Herrod also said that Veolia won't let her pick one up. Nor use her own container.

While we're considering Veolia's failings, It's really unhelpful that their Collection Day Finder (aka "Postcode Lookup Service) hasn't been working for many months.  Okay, I know you can just ask one of your neighbours. But having the online facility seems sensible.

They know about this problem which they describe as "a major technical fault". Adding that: "it been escalated to our Worldwide Tech Team for their investigation".

Embarrassing for Veolia as a well-resourced international company which is "Resourcing the world"  and "Leading the circular economy".  Also for Haringey Council, of course.

Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on October 26, 2015 at 7:54
The malfunctioning collection day lookup fault is ridiculous. its a bread and butter function for a huge number of services. How can it take so long to sort it out?
Strangely, when I tried my sister's postcode up in Sunderland, who I know don't use Veolia, it correctly said it couldn't find the address.
Permalink Reply by n22 person on November 5, 2015 at 10:18

I received yet another vague apology after my last email, with assurance that the bin would be delivered promptly.  Although I received such empty promises in the past, I am pleased to report that our bin was finally delivered (no direct action required).

Permalink Reply by Justin Guest on October 26, 2015 at 9:06

I recently met a nice guy called Ayer Ozinel who happened to be Veolia's Outreach Manager. When I asked who I should complain to about my bin not being collected for over 2 weeks he said 'me'! So I did when it had not been collected for another couple of days and it was collected the morning after I contacted him again!

His details are:

Ayer Ozinel
Outreach Team Leader

United Kingdom

t: +44 07557289260

Contract House, Ashley Road Depot, Ashley Road I London N17 9AZ

Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on October 26, 2015 at 11:24

This appears to be an example of what I call: 'Soft door; Hard door'.  It's where the main systems don't work properly (they dysfunction).

This can be for all sorts of reasons.

For example: as an implicit rationing system. In other words, they make it harder for you to access them and get the service you want. So you'll eventually give up trying.

It may be unintentional. They say they'd like to help. And "hey, guys, and we really, really mean it"   But they haven't got much of a clue how to do this.

So people outside try to get informal access. (Who can I talk to? Give me a name, someone who is actually helpful.) And/or privileged access. (Who knows someone important with influence?)  Or worse.

The more injelitant an organisation (Koberville is case study) and the less you can opt for an alternative, the more getting it to work for you depends on these sorts of informal mechanisms.

Please note that I'm not criticising Mr Ozinel or anyone else who helps make a partially dysfunctional system work better. And that includes helpful councillors; advice and advocacy agencies like the Citizens' Advice Bureau; and individual campaigners like Rev Paul Nicolson. I'm simply suggesting that it would be preferable if the systems overall worked as they ought to. Which needs more than gradual privatisation and a nag-the-staff culture with posters on toilet doors.

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