Council and Direct Debits

Dyggerr

I've had a letter from my district council saying that they will only take payment for the fortnightly garden waste collection by direct debit next year. It's a one off payment of £40 and I don't want to set up a direct debit just for this. In the past I have made an online payment.

Can they make me pay by direct debit?

neilmcl

Yes. You want the service than follow their T&Cs.

Personally I don't understand your reticence in setting up the DD.

Dyggerr

Thanks for the response and take your point, just would prefer the idea of being treated like the customer and have my preference taken into account.

Not a big thing though. As you say I can either put up or shut up

mjm3346

neilmcl wrote: »

Yes. You want the service than follow their T&Cs.

Personally I don't understand your reticence in setting up the DD.

DD guarantee or not there are councils I wouldn't want to have access to my banking details anymore than I would an internet scammer.

HappyMJ

Dyggerr wrote: »

I've had a letter from my district council saying that they will only take payment for the fortnightly garden waste collection by direct debit next year. It's a one off payment of £40 and I don't want to set up a direct debit just for this. In the past I have made an online payment.

Can they make me pay by direct debit?

You pay for garden waste collections. Don't give my council an idea like that. They'll love the extra £40 per year. You don't "have" to pay by continuous authority direct debit. I wouldn't. You can set one up each year then when the payment has been taken remove it and set up another one next year.

mjm3346

HappyMJ wrote: »

You pay for garden waste collections. Don't give my council an idea like that. They'll love the extra £40 per year.

£40 is cheap, Dorset are £45, Somerset are from £48 to £53 (one is running a trail offer of £91 for 2 years)

A 2012 BBC article shows about 1/3 charging, I assume that has risen quite a bit since then

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-18580191

usefulmale

What are we paying council tax for? If mine starts charging for that, the verges round here will get a little extra compost material.

antrobus

mjm3346 wrote: »

£40 is cheap, Dorset are £45, Somerset are from £48 to £53 (one is running a trail offer of £91 for 2 years)
...

Bristol is £32 a year. Or £29 if you pay by direct debit.

At leasy you are given the choice, I suppose.

Nick_C

Councils can charge for collecting lots of different types of waste, including:-

Dead pets
Waste oil or grease
Asbestos
Clinical waste
Anything that weighs more than 25Kg
Anything that is too big for the bin
Anything they have told you must not go in the bin

The most common charges are garden waste, clinical waste, and bulky waste (one off collections).

If you employ anyone else to remove waste from your home (not just having a clear out, but any gardener or workman working at your home), they must have a waste carrier's license if they are disposing of the waste on your behalf. You should check that they are registered with the Environment Agency.

http://epr.environment-agency.gov.uk/ePRInternet/SearchRegisters.aspx

giraffe69

My council charge. Last year they also said DD only. I don't object that much to direct debits but I do object to being told what to do. Unsurprisingly one phone call and they gave in and accepted a card not least because they want the money!

sheramber

My council don't collect my garden waste separately. It goes in the landfill bin or I take it to the tip 17 miles away myself.