What's wrong with asking for a decent service?

This week the bin men came, (anytime between 7:00am and 7:15pm, as they do) and just half emptied the black bin.

Now, I understand their policy of having the lid down, so when I’ve cut my lawn I drop the cuttings in the bin on top of some ‘normal’ household rubbish, inside a black bin liner, so that it’s not jam packed tight altogether. Or so I thought…

When I got home, upon moving my ‘emptied’ bin, I obviously noticed the remaining weight due to still being half full. After finding the Onynx customer help line 0114 -2734567, I though they would be sure to help a customer.

Not so. I explained the situation to the lady who’s job it was to help. She told me that the binmen had actually attempted to empty it. I said yes but I’d rather that they actually did empty it fully and could they just pop back and do that. She recommended that I call in and buy some green sacks to put it in or take it to the nearest dumpit refuse site. But how could I do that, I said it would be rather dangerous trying to fasten it to the back of my motorbike. Again, she stressed that the binmen had attempted to provide a service and it was now my responsibility.

Exasperated at this point I pointed out that my council tax was to pay for a service not an attempted service. However, I told the customer help lady that she had actually got me out of the house and a little bit of exercise with my wheel-barrow would allow me to drop the offending uncollectible rubbish down the road in the woods and I would ring her back to let her know where she could now collect it from, as I needed an empty bin for our family otherwise next weeks lid wouldn’t close and they really wouldn’t be able to attempt any sort of collection.

(Between you and me though, I managed to get a kind person with a car to take the sack of rubbish to the High Green refuse site.)

So, What's wrong with asking for a decent service? :rant:

I have had exactly the same problem, or similar at least. Our ironing board broke so i put it in the bin with the rest of the bin bags. The bin men have refused to empty it on the premise that it is not all household rubbish. So now we have a full bin.

Why couldn't they remove the ironing board and remove the bags as usual?

I don't drive so can't get to the skip which is why i put the ironing board in the bin. But i am more angry by the fact that we are in the middle of summer and my bin is going to be overflowing because they couldn't be bothered to undertake a simple task.

Remind me again why we pay council tax? And i live on the road that is going to be hit by the parking permit scheme as well...more wasted money. :rant: :rant:

I said it would be rather dangerous trying to fasten it to the back of my motorbike.

:hihi:

I pointed out that my council tax was to pay for a service not an attempted service.

:hihi: :hihi:

a little bit of exercise with my wheel-barrow would allow me to drop the offending uncollectible rubbish down the road in the woods and I would ring her back to let her know where she could now collect it from, as I needed an empty bin for our family otherwise next weeks lid wouldn’t close and they really wouldn’t be able to attempt any sort of collection.

:hihi: :hihi: :hihi:



What's wrong with asking for a decent service?

What's wrong with it is that you're wasting your time. Customer helplines are not, as you assumed, for helping customers. That's just their PR name. They are really there to let any enquiring customer know what the company has decided.

Write to the council and the mayor and complain. If enough people do it it might even have some effect.

Build a compost heap ?

I had a similar problem yesterday.

After finally clearing out my council house I called Violia/onyx as advised and told them of the things i could not take to the tip as they won't fit in my car and asked them to come and collect them. They are all out of the house and littering the driveway as required...

on asking what items i have on my drive i listed them for the nice lady and was told 'ohhh they only take 10 items at a time, you'll have to take the rest to the nearest recycling site'.....

erm... how exactly....???? I have a tiny car, have disposed of all that i can do, i can't exactly fit a settee in!!!!

It looks like I too am going to have to ask someone with a large car to remove the rest of the unwanted junk.... thats if anything is actually left on the drive after waiting the '17 working days' for council collection :rant:

Whilst I do agree that you have had a terrible service and a poor response to your complaint, I also take up Nick2's point about composting.

Too many people are making no effort to recycle their waste. A neighbour of mine never puts out their blue or green bin, but their black bin is always overflowing.

Also, anyone who can get to a supermarket to do their shopping can also get there with a bit of plastic and metal for recycling.

I've had a questionaire through my door this week asking about rubbish collection.
I'm definatly voting to reduce the number of black bin collections and increase the blue bin collections.

i agree, people should recycle more. there is only me & my partner in our house & we put our bin out ever two to three weeks as we never fill it up in a week. tho our recycling bin is always pritty full & we wish they would come & empty that one more often. we have friends who live together in the same cercumstances & they always fill there black bin up. people should take more responsibility for there rubbish. but on the op, we pay alot of council tax which we have to pay no matter what & we should be provided with a better service.

Whilst I do agree that you have had a terrible service and a poor response to your complaint, I also take up Nick2's point about composting.

Too many people are making no effort to recycle their waste. A neighbour of mine never puts out their blue or green bin, but their black bin is always overflowing.

Also, anyone who can get to a supermarket to do their shopping can also get there with a bit of plastic and metal for recycling.

I've had a questionaire through my door this week asking about rubbish collection.
I'm definatly voting to reduce the number of black bin collections and increase the blue bin collections.

Scoop, I appreciate your comments on composting, but I don't graden. I have almost everywher covered with ornamental paving, gravel and plantpots. I use the local bus to get to and from the supermarket, or sometimes a taxi.

I would love to have a green bin to go with my always full black and blue bins. BUT - would the service improve any. Or does that mean a third more unsuitable service from collection agents?

This really avoids the initial question.

What's wrong with asking for a decent service?

Sorry, but i am also going to avoid the initial question and continue discussing recycling...

I would LOVE to be able to recycle more but a busy lifestyle and lack of car means that i can't get to the bottle bank on a regular basis.

I wish Sheffield city council was more like Derbyshire and provided us with a green bin, as well as more frequent collections for a blue bin in order to encourage and allow people to recycle more.

Besides this thought...i am still really cross about them not emptying the bins. If we pay good money and they don't do a good job, can we really expect the Council to pay for more regular services as well as a wider variety of bins?

With regard to the original post:

Is it possible that you gave customer services too much information?

Did you just say that your bin had not been emptied?
or .. did you tell her the full story about the cuttings etc?

Scoop, I appreciate your comments on composting, but I don't graden. I have almost everywher covered with ornamental paving, gravel and plantpots. I use the local bus to get to and from the supermarket, or sometimes a taxi.

I would love to have a green bin to go with my always full black and blue bins. BUT - would the service improve any. Or does that mean a third more unsuitable service from collection agents?

This really avoids the initial question.

What's wrong with asking for a decent service?


Yes I agree with you, I'm sorry I was just making a general point. Although my point about recycling at the supermarket still stands, after all, if you can get your shopping home it shouldn't be that difficult to take the empty packaging back there the following week.

You can get a green bin from the council, my sister phoned-up and asked for one specifically for grass cuttings, the council will also provide composting bins (cheap but not free).

Scoop, I appreciate your comments on composting, but I don't graden. I have almost everywher covered with ornamental paving, gravel and plantpots. I use the local bus to get to and from the supermarket, or sometimes a taxi.

I would love to have a green bin to go with my always full black and blue bins. BUT - would the service improve any. Or does that mean a third more unsuitable service from collection agents?

This really avoids the initial question.

What's wrong with asking for a decent service?

so do you have a lawn as the original quote or not.?
grass cuttings shouldnt go in the black bin - so you got the service you deserved.
if you're unsure what can go in the bin ask customer services first.
they dont talk brick walls, building rubbish,baths or garden waste ina black bin.

With regard to the original post:

Is it possible that you gave customer services too much information?

Did you just say that your bin had not been emptied?
or .. did you tell her the full story about the cuttings etc?

cgk - 'fraid I was interogatted over the phone!

so do you have a lawn as the original quote or not.?
grass cuttings shouldnt go in the black bin - so you got the service you deserved.
if you're unsure what can go in the bin ask customer services first.
they dont talk brick walls, building rubbish,baths or garden waste ina black bin.

willman - I said I don't garden, and have ALMOST everywhere covered with paving and gravel - except the area around my kids swing!

For the last 9 years they have done a decent job of taking my cuttings without questioning, even after looking in the bin first to see if they could put my neighbours lone bin bag in there to save them having to wheel 2 bins to the wagon.

I guess the only answer is to dig up the turf and wood chip or rubber mat the area then Onyx can go and stuff themeselves! :rant:

There's nothing wrong with asking for decent service. After all, your not asking for the moon, you just want the service you pay for, and what you're supposed to get. This sort of thing is less common in the states. Companies who don't give proper service either find themselves out of business, or bought up by bigger companies and playing by someone else's rules.

:) Sierra

You can get a green bin from the council, my sister phoned-up and asked for one specifically for grass cuttings, the council will also provide composting bins (cheap but not free).

Not entirely true.
You will only get a Green Bin if you are in one of the areas currently served in this way (currently 45,000 properties). Not much point in having a green bin if no-one comes to empty it! :)

Prior to the green bins arrival, garden waste was accepted 'black bin material'. Now it is not - whether you have a green bin or not.

If you do not have a green bin, why should you be penalised in this way?
Which council meeting approved this change?