Bulky items collection - free collection by the council

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Permalink Reply by Sarah_24 on January 10, 2014 at 14:01

I live in an ex LA flat and the last time I tried to arrange a collection they would not collect from me for free but would at a cost, as I was on an estate?! I paid for ReStore to collect the furniture instead as at least they would recycle it. I imagine this is why my neighbours just dump any bulky items on the road outside our block.

Do you know if this has now changed or if not is it likely to be changed any time soon?

Thanks

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Permalink Reply by Karen Alexander on January 10, 2014 at 14:10

I don't know the answer to that one but I will find out.

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Permalink Reply by Sarah_24 on January 16, 2014 at 12:16

Thanks Karen, any help would be appreciated. As Michael stays below they won't collect unless there is a garden to leave the items in but there is garden they just don't necessarily recognise it as one for some reason.

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Permalink Reply by Karen Alexander on January 16, 2014 at 15:15

I have just got a response to my query today as follows:

"The bulky waste collection service can be provided only to those homes that have a front garden area where large and bulky items can be placed out of harms way to those walking along pavements.  There are some properties on council estates who have front gardens and therefore those properties would qualify for the service and there are some council  estates with bulk bin stores for residents to place items for a scheduled collection."

If you have a garden then they should collect from you.  Let me know if they won't (or they want to charge again) and I will follow it up.

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Permalink Reply by Karen Alexander on January 18, 2014 at 16:40

The  council tell me that their waste contractor would not charge for the service as the service is free but this service can not be provided to residents who have neither gardens or bulky waste stores.

Residents who do not qualify for the service can take their items along to one of the two Re-use & Recycling Centres where they can dispose of them free of charge.

I hope this helps. 

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Permalink Reply by Sarah_24 on January 20, 2014 at 12:05

Thanks Karen, next time I try if I get refused I will take a pitcure of the garden at the front, where the items could be placed out of harms way and sent it to you with the details.

Thanks for your help.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on January 10, 2014 at 15:02

Sarah, looking at the info I the website I can' tree a differing offer for local authority tenants but can see that they won't collect if you don't have a front garden area (which Milverton Court has which makes the persistant dumping even more annoying)

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Permalink Reply by Sarah_24 on January 13, 2014 at 17:23

Thanks Michael. Oh how there are days I wish I was a local authority tenant! Leaseholders seem to get a bit of a bum deal but I imagine every group thinks that about themselves.

I have garden, bigger than the one in a private flat that they happyily collected from, it is right outside my bedroom window, but they don't recognise it as a garden so therefore it doesn't exist!

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Permalink Reply by Abi on January 11, 2014 at 8:21

Wow, that sounds ridiculous and would certainly explain a lot of the dumping that goes on. 

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Permalink Reply by BlaiseGV on January 20, 2014 at 15:16

I onced filled in the form for a mattress to be picked up, and was told someone would be round in a month and a half. Completely ridiculous - how does Hackney Council manage it in 3-5 days?

Being community-minded I rented  van and took it to the dump.

I can see why so much junk is dumped in the street with that kind of response time (although I do use the council app to send photos of this and it is cleared up quite quickly - which would suggest I should have dumped the mattress on a street corner then reported it for swifter removal)

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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on January 20, 2014 at 15:43

When and where was that, Blaise?  Were there any particular circumstances - e.g. no front yard, stairs; a road with difficult access? Were earlier dates offered and inconvenient to you?

A month-and-a-half delay appears to be deep stupidity.  Veolia and the Council's own waste management staff know that recycling will only be effectively achieved if it's as simple and easy as possible.  Has anyone else on HoL had the same problem recently?  If so where and when?

(Tottenham Hale ward councillor 1998-2014)

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Permalink Reply by BlaiseGV on January 20, 2014 at 15:51

Hi Alan,

It would have been some time in the summer, either end July or early August. We live in a terraced house behind Chestnuts school so no issues I can imagine. No other date was offered.

Although our whole area isn't well maintained - I sweep our own stretch of pavement in front of the house as I rarely see street cleaners - and the whole of Etherley Road is such a filthy joke that people have started putting out abusive notes on cardboard to rubbish dumpers asking them to stop. 

I would have gone with disinterest but deep stupidity works too.

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