Skip Company Will Not Remove Skip From Our Drive

Lolzicles

We hired a skip a few weeks ago to fill with our old kitchen. Being a bit naive, we paid the company on delivery of the skip. Over the last week, our kitchen fitter and then ourselves have contacted the company several times to request they remove it. We keep being told they haven't forgotten about it and will get round to it but they're very busy, etc etc, basically just fobbing us off.

The council say they cannot help because it is on a private drive and not the road. I would argue that the skip has environmental/ health and safety implications but I don't think I will get anywhere with them.

What can we do to get the company to shift their skip? We have fulfilled our side of the contract by paying for it and informing them we have finished with it, but if the council aren't interested, what can we actually do to get rid? What legal rights, if any, do we have for them having their property on our property and obstructing our access?

I've known some skips to stay on the road for several months, and that's bad enough, but on our own drive way and with a baby seat for the car we cannot just go on like this until someone else orders the same size skip. Please help!

pmduk

Lolzicles wrote: »

I would argue that the skip has environmental/ health and safety implications but I don't think I will get anywhere with them.

If at any stage the Council decide there are environmental/health concerns. I believe the procedure is for them to notify the property-owner to correct the matter. Ultimately they could contract someone to remove it, but would bill you the cost, plus their expenses. So this is no magical solution for you.

I'm not sure whether threatening to charge them for storage might help. Perhaps someone could advise?

somethingcorporate

If it was me I would call another skip company to see how much they charge to take it away.

Send a letter to the company refusing to take it away saying they have until xx/xx/xxxx to remove it or you will use this other company to take it away and pass the costs onto them.

Then you may have to sue them to recover the cost but it means you do not have a dirty great skip on your property.

Lolzicles

somethingcorporate wrote: »

If it was me I would call another skip company to see how much they charge to take it away.

Send a letter to the company refusing to take it away saying they have until xx/xx/xxxx to remove it or you will use this other company to take it away and pass the costs onto them.

Then you may have to sue them to recover the cost but it means you do not have a dirty great skip on your property.

They're not "refusing" as such, just being very unhelpful and fobbing us off with excuses. They're not a tin pot company either. I wanted to try to get them to take it amicably but after a week of trying I am starting to think a change of tack is needed.

Your idea sounds like a good one, although where would the other skip company take the skip to? Presumably they'd not let another company's vehicle on to their premises?

Would all legal costs be recoverable on the basis of them not fulfilling their side of the contract? We have home legal cover with our home insurance so maybe this could be the first time it's useful.

ChasingButterflies

Hi,

Have you spoken to a Manager to outline your complaint with regards to the time taken to uplift?

I would suggest if you haven't then when you next call you should ask to speak with Manager/Boss and calmly explain that you have requested x times that their skip be uplifted and are disappointed that this request has not been fulfilled and see what his response is, any decent manager should make sure this is dealt with quickly. I would aim to call as soon as they open. Round here some are 6 am others 8am...

I will play devil's advocate here, skip truck could have gone in for an overnight service, garage doesn't have parts, tells company they are on order etc... or staff off sick and drivers hours versus number of skips requiring collection causing issues. The delay could just be a set of circumstances (mostly) outwith their control...

To be honest I am not convinced another company would collect/move a skip which didn't belong to them without the agreement of the company that owned it.

There are other suggestions here https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3373798

Buzby

Put your complaint in writing (Signed For), giving 14 days for them to uplift the skip and contents or you will make arrangements to have it removed a their expense. This means they lose their skip, and you have the right to pursue them in court for your money back - assuming it is worthwhile doing so.

Yes, another contractor will take a standard skip if you explain the circumstances, and may not even charge you, as they get the skip for free - but await the 14 days to elapse.

bris

The only problem would be finding someone to take another companies skip, not many if any at all will lift a skip belonging to someone else. It could cause them problems later because it's not theirs take or the OP's to give away.

You could tell them they have a week then you will charge a daily storage fee for it, Around £5, this would have merit in the eyes of the law, and could be pursued.

somethingcorporate

bris wrote: »

You could tell them they have a week then you will charge a daily storage fee for it, Around £5, this would have merit in the eyes of the law, and could be pursued.

I am not sure it would because:

a) there would be no contractual agreement to suggest any fee would be applicable;

b) a penalty is not allowable under contract law; and

c) £5 is just a made up number and not a true reflection of cost to the OP.

There would also be no way to enforce it.

I do agree with the rest that you may indeed have difficulty finding someone to uplift a skip that does not belong to them.

Jeff_Bridges_hair

Set alight to it and then see what they say.






















*seriously don t do this.

warehouse

OP, put a bl**dy great sign on it saying don't use xxx skip company as they don't pick up their skips, phone the local paper and wait.

It will be gone in a day.

Alfrescodave

Tell the skip company that unless skip is removed within x days then you will contact local newspaper - that should affect their business very quickly.