Bin charges: Is there an industry regulator?

[Cervelo]

I love the way they tell us this is a good thing and should in most cases reduce your waste bill, I don't know about everybody else but its going to increase my waste bill.
My green bin goes out every second week and is full to the top, how charging for this "free service" is going to reduce my bill I'd like to know.
I was under the impression that the yearly service charge that I pay covered the cost of the green bin, does this mean the yearly service charge will be scrapped and the green bin will become a pay for lift and weight charge.

 

[Agent 47]

Flat charge only is to be outlawed and replaced with price per kilo plus "service charge".

Hi agent, is €144 about normal for the fixed fee in Meath what rates per kilo do you pay for refuse?

Aj

Hi AJ, They are bringing in the pay by weight in July but according to emails I have between me and AES they cannot indicate as yet the price per KG!
If I were to go with the €144 service charge it would be €7 for each general waste bin lift.
Will be looking to cancel and find an alternative provider.

 

[rayn]

12 years ago we were paying Co. Co. €365 with no recycling.
Private sector has not reached that yet and full recycling.

 

[ajapale]

Certain parts of the country have had pay by weight for several years now. One provider in the South has been charging about €200/year fixed service charge Plus 25c /kg for refuse and 0c for recycle and 0c for compost. This gives some insentive to recycle reduce and reuse.

 

[pudds]

This is what I got from Oxigen.

Minimum Term 1 year.

Ending contract early: Fee €25 plus €25 for each bin’s retrival and cleaning.

Fixed Annual Service Charge.

Plus Pay by weight charges.

Auto contract renewal unless 30 day notice received to do otherwise

Also just presenting your bin for collection on or after the 1st of July is regarded as acceptance of a 1yr contract.

 

[ajapale]

This is what I got from Oxigen.

Minimum Term 1 year.

Ending contract early: Fee €25 plus €25 for each bin’s retrival and cleaning.

Fixed Annual Service Charge.

Plus Pay by weight charges.

Auto contract renewal unless 30 day notice received to do otherwise

Also just presenting your bin for collection on or after the 1st of July is regarded as acceptance of a 1yr contract.

Thanks Pudds, what is the proposed fixed charge and per kilo charge for thr different waste streams? I haven't come across the early termination charge before.

I'm somewhat taken aback that there seems to be no consumer regulation or oversight for the sector (apart from the bizarre minimum per kilo price).

 

[pudds]

Thanks Pudds, what is the proposed fixed charge and per kilo charge for thr different waste streams? I haven't come across the early termination charge before.

I'm somewhat taken aback that there seems to be no consumer regulation or oversight for the sector (apart from the bizarre minimum per kilo price).

I have no info on charges as of yet unfortunately.

 

[ajapale]

I have no info on charges as of yet unfortunately.

From a consumer perspective I would hope that charges should consist of a relatively low fixed cost and a relatively high per kilo charge for refuse and free dry recyclables. This is what I would expect from any well regulated utility: telecoms, gas, electricity or water.

 

[ajapale]

So in summary, while there is regulation of the environmental aspects of waste industry there is no regulation of the consumer side of the industry.
So providers can charge what they like as a standing charge and what they like for the various waste streams (refuse, dry recycle and food compost) so long as they charge more than the mandated minimum charge per kilo.
The also have to abide by the Competition Authority regulations (this is a moot point as in many parts of the country there is little or no competition).
So along as providers abide by their own T&C's they dont even have to inform consumers of price increases! They simply can put the new rates on the next bill and if you pay you are accepting the change of terms of the contract.

aj