The Constantly Increasing Cost of Rubbish Collection (Wellington)

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354 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3106686 21-Jul-2023 15:27

I got my renewal notice last week. I use Waste Management (in Whanganui), and my cost had gone up to $577 for a 240L general waste bin for a year.

I had a look on their website, and it was showing a price almost $70 less for the same service.

I contacted Waste Management and asked why I was being charged more than the advertised price, and they said I was on an "older service agreement" which is more expensive. I've used them for 3 years. I was told I had to cancel the service and buy it again to get the lower price.

Not impressed!

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mattwnz

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#3106692 21-Jul-2023 15:33

johno1234:

mattwnz:

It is a core service that councils should provide imo, as they always previously have. But many councils moved away from it when bin companies appeared, although many still offer bags which you can buy, but they can be expensive. NZ can really suck at this sort of thing. My town has rubbish bags but last year a bin company dropped a free trial bin outside everyones houses to try out, and then offered a cheap deal after the trial, which worked out cheaper than council bags. But I wonder if those low prices will last.

I had no idea! Assumed that as in Auckland (and Whangamata and Queenstown), the council would collect (or contract to collect) the bins. Wellington council really is the pits. What do they actually do for your rates money?

I think at least Wellington city still provide kerbside recycling. When i left Upper Hutt they had stopped doing that. They never provided recycling bins and relied on people putting recycling into plastic bags by the side of the road so it would often get blown all around the place.

Where I live now, we get council recycling bins, but have to pay for rubbish bags. But the bins are a lot cheaper, $2.30 per week, or $120 a year. The prices in the Wellngton region for bins had creased by far more than inflation. There also seems to be a lack of operators as they are all around that sort of price.

mattwnz

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#3106693 21-Jul-2023 15:35

Rushmere:

I got my renewal notice last week. I use Waste Management (in Whanganui), and my cost had gone up to $577 for a 240L general waste bin for a year.

I had a look on their website, and it was showing a price almost $70 less for the same service.

I contacted Waste Management and asked why I was being charged more than the advertised price, and they said I was on an "older service agreement" which is more expensive. I've used them for 3 years. I was told I had to cancel the service and buy it again to get the lower price.

Not impressed!

So what was the difference in the actual service? I would be asking for a refund of the difference if it was for exactly the same service..

elpenguino

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#3106694 21-Jul-2023 15:37

We (household of 4) use a rubbish bag every fortnight so it costs about $2 / week or $100 / year. That doesn't seem like a lot to me.

I prefer this model as it means those who are less careful with their consumption and rubbish get to directly pay for it - providing an incentive to reduce it.

Ideally I'd like a model where every single manufactured or imported item has an associated waste disposal levy and for rubbish disposal to be 'free' (but actually paid for up front).

That should reduce fly tipping of household rubbish since anyone could dump anything for free.

Most of the posters in this thread are just like chimpanzees on MDMA, full of feelings of bonhomie, joy, and optimism. Fred99 8/4/21

mattwnz

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#3106697 21-Jul-2023 15:46

elpenguino:

We (household of 4) use a rubbish bag every fortnight so it costs about $2 / week or $100 / year. That doesn't seem like a lot to me.

I prefer this model as it means those who are less careful with their consumption and rubbish get to directly pay for it - providing an incentive to reduce it.

Ideally I'd like a model where every single manufactured or imported item has an associated waste disposal levy and for rubbish disposal to be 'free' (but actually paid for up front).

That should reduce fly tipping of household rubbish since anyone could dump anything for free.

You can't get much in a bag, especially if you have to get rid of leaves off council trees that blown into your driveways, and don't have a garden. I pay nearly that for a 120 liter bin, which is probably 5 times what a bag holds.

Rushmere

354 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3106698 21-Jul-2023 15:49

mattwnz:

So what was the difference in the actual service? I would be asking for a refund of the difference if it was for exactly the same service..

No difference. Exactly the same service, but a higher price.

It looks like they're reducing the cost for new customers to match the local competitors, but keeping the price higher for existing customers and hoping they don't notice.

I cancelled the service and didn't actually pay the bill, so there was nothing for them to refund!

elpenguino

3343 posts

Uber Geek

#3106700 21-Jul-2023 15:53

mattwnz:

You can't get much in a bag, especially if you have to get rid of leaves off council trees that blown into your driveways, and don't have a garden. I pay nearly that for a 120 liter bin, which is probably 5 times what a bag holds.

Got space for a composter?

Most of the posters in this thread are just like chimpanzees on MDMA, full of feelings of bonhomie, joy, and optimism. Fred99 8/4/21

timmmay

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#3106703 21-Jul-2023 16:07

johno1234:

I had no idea! Assumed that as in Auckland (and Whangamata and Queenstown), the council would collect (or contract to collect) the bins. Wellington council really is the pits. What do they actually do for your rates money?

Build bike lanes, many many bike lanes, despite Wellington being a wet, windy, hilly city that isn't good for cycling.
Remove parking spaces
Try to repair the constantly leaking water pipes.
Ignore public opinion and try to upgrade old buildings rather than simply building new ones that are properly fit for purpose.

etc

Eva888

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#3106780 21-Jul-2023 18:50

timmmay:
johno1234:

I had no idea! Assumed that as in Auckland (and Whangamata and Queenstown), the council would collect (or contract to collect) the bins. Wellington council really is the pits. What do they actually do for your rates money?

Build bike lanes, many many bike lanes, despite Wellington being a wet, windy, hilly city that isn't good for cycling.

Remove parking spaces

Try to repair the constantly leaking water pipes.

Ignore public opinion and try to upgrade old buildings rather than simply building new ones that are properly fit for purpose.

etc

And... ruin beautiful wide boulevards that worked for everyone and turn them into narrow streets with unused bike lanes on either side and that busses and trucks struggle to manoeuvre in and no one can park on.

While paying close to $7k in rates and expecting a 12% increase that’s coming, having the gall to charge us around $3 for a rubbish bag for them to collect, or go private to get you garbage collected.

Basically, 'Let’s get Wellington Moving' forced upon us ratepayers will work precisely as it sounds...moving everyone out of Wellington and showing the world how to kill a vibrant city and reduce it to boarded up shops with doorways to harbour the drunk or homeless and become one long public outdoor urinal. (The latter because they closed down the only public toilets in the middle of the city at Pigeon Park).

mattwnz

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Uber Geek

#3106784 21-Jul-2023 19:11

I doubt councils shop around very much for the best prices either and contractors and consultants they use charge through the nose. I guess at least the city rates didn't go up as much as this Wellington councils rates were increased https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/ldr/492802/south-wairarapa-rates-up-almost-20-percent . I remember during the GFC they had pay freezes to help reduce spending, but that doesn't seem to be getting considered during these times. Instead they think ratepayers are cash cows.

Handle9

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#3106788 21-Jul-2023 19:36

mattwnz:

I doubt councils shop around very much for the best prices either and contractors and consultants they use charge through the nose. I guess at least the city rates didn't go up as much as this Wellington councils rates were increased https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/ldr/492802/south-wairarapa-rates-up-almost-20-percent . I remember during the GFC they had pay freezes to help reduce spending, but that doesn't seem to be getting considered during these times. Instead they think ratepayers are cash cows.

You've clearly never gone through council procurement.

Whether or not they get tenders is a different story but public procurement is far more structured than private procurement.

Handle9

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#3106789 21-Jul-2023 19:39

Eva888: Maybe time for a big drum down the corner of the gardens and burn it!

So sick of the cost of basic services when we are charged some of the highest Rates in the country.

It’s as if a team of exorbitantly priced consultants sit around Wellington City Council with sharp pencils scheming how to create the most angst and difficulty for ratepayers, to justify what they earn. Ha and wait for your new rates bill.

I personally know one couple heading South and one going to Brisbane just to escape this place.

It turns out continuously kicking the can down the road comes back to bite you.

You've had the benefit of not paying the sustainable price for services for many years, now it's time to pay for the deferred costs.

Stu1

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#3106794 21-Jul-2023 19:51

Rushmere:

mattwnz:

So what was the difference in the actual service? I would be asking for a refund of the difference if it was for exactly the same service..

No difference. Exactly the same service, but a higher price.

It looks like they're reducing the cost for new customers to match the local competitors, but keeping the price higher for existing customers and hoping they don't notice.

I cancelled the service and didn't actually pay the bill, so there was nothing for them to refund!

We have been with them 15 years and every year they have price matched their competitors, this year there was $100 difference between them and low cost bins.They wouldn’t price match so we cancelled, they were not interested in matching. It’s taken them 6 weeks to collect the bin

rscole86

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#3127035 13-Sep-2023 13:05

I've just had my invoice come through, where general waste was 20% higher than advertised and recycling was $0.50.
Waste Management said it was due to an online promotion, but were move than happy to either process the advertised price via phone, or online via my account.

I did make sure to keep notes from the call in case it doesn't go as smoothly as hoped.

Last year it was also an increase, but I seem to recall it only being marginally more than online so didn't bother trying to get the better deal.

timmmay

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#3261395 19-Jul-2024 11:41

Annual renewal letter turned up. The increase was slightly less this year, 10% / $59. In the past 8 years there's been a 250% increase - from $215 to $625.

I think we're going to consider switching to https://wellingtonwheeliebins.co.nz/ and fortnightly collections for $380 per year.

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