Under which legislation...

[WinstonWolf]

We currently have council supplied and owned brown bins for garden refuse, our council have decided to charge an additional levy if you want them emptied from May.

In the information leaflet they sent one question is "can I put my garden waste in my grey bin?" to which the answer is "we would rather you didn't".

The more interesting question is "can I return my brown bin if I no longer require the service?" to which they say "no, in case you or other house owners require the service in future".

So here is my question, under which legislation can the council require me to store their property on my land?

I suspect I know the answer, but I'd be interested to know if there was some obscure law I'm not aware of...

[Jasandjules]

It is often fun to ask them questions like this....

[JQ]

Why not offer to store it on their behalf for a small monthly fee, say 20% above their fee to you - everyone's a winner.

[WinstonWolf]

Jasandjules said:

It is often fun to ask them questions like this....

I emailed my councillor this very question, he immediately CC'd me into him asking the councillor in charge to answer my question directly.

I like the idea of charging them a storage levy a lot

[JustinP1]

Where I lived previously, I converted one into a very large water butt to collect rainwater.

Don't turn down free stuff.

[WinstonWolf]

I think I'm going to turn mine into a revenue stream

[Fozziebear]

We had the same situation a couple of years back, £25 a year to empty it. I contact the council and asked when they would collect the unwanted bin, they told me they wouldn't and I had to keep it. I asked the council who I should send the invoice for £50 storage to, they collected it the next day.

[bobthebench]

A wee while since I covered this, but the unsolicited goods and services act means tell the council their bin is not wanted. If they don't collect off your property within a reasonable period, I think 28 days but might be 6 months (Google will find the Act), you will treat as your own and have it destroyed.

Expect it collected within the week. You can be a minx and introduce storage fees etc. but they won't pay, and most folk won't go to court to enforce, but a fun solution if you want to mess them around a bit.

[WinstonWolf]

I have a feeling I'm about to become very unpopular in council circles

[10 Pence Short]

bobthebench said:

A wee while since I covered this...

It looks as though the rights under s1 of that act were replaced by those in s24 of the consumer protection (distance selling) regulations 2000. This would seem to suggest the council MAY have no rights over the bins. They may argue they did not expect householders to buy the bins and there was no intention of a commercial relationship, which may or may not hold water.

There may instead be specific primary or secondary legislation that refers to provision of refuse services and associated items.

[V8LM]

10 Pence Short said:

They may argue they did not expect householders to buy the bins and there was no intention of a commercial relationship, which may or may not hold water.

JustinP1's did.

[Fozziebear]

The annoying thing is they charge you to empty it, charge you to collect household waste in the council tax, then they used to garden waste to make compost to sell back to you.

[WinstonWolf]

I've had an answer telling me someone will collect my bin but no answer to my initial question. I shall persist, it's rude to ignore a perfectly reasonable question...