Your valet trash company offers a unique service that is rising in demand across the country. With the influx of renters and their requests for amenities, you will find that you are becoming busier year-over-year. Naturally, the more multi-family complexes you service, the more often you may have to mitigate issues.
Here are the 3 common valet trash complaints and how to respond:
#1 Residents Leave Trash Cans Outside All Day
One way to be proactive about residents leaving their trash cans in front of the door during non-pickup hours could be to provide each resident with a handy checklist of DOs and DON’Ts for the valet trash services. You can also flyer the community either per door or near common areas such as at mailboxes or elevators.
Also, when a new resident moves in, the management company may hand out a welcome packet. These usually have the complex’s rules and regulations, list of amenities and even menus for local area restaurants included. If the complex you service hands these out, be sure to add your valet trash brochures and other information to the packet, too. Having a small refrigerator magnet made with your valet trash guidelines on it would be convenient for the residents to keep nearby, but there are many creative ways you can do this.
Regardless, this situation may still arise no matter how much you try to prevent it. If so, it will fall under your valet trash violation reporting to rectify this scenario. Being in contact with the complex about these trash issues is a must, as they will be the final authority.
#2 Leaking Trash
Giving each door you service their own valet trash can is likely something you already do. If so, this is ideal as it reduces bag tears and leaking messes onto common areas. However, if your valet trash residents ignore the valet trash guidelines, and a tear in the bag has led to a greasy mess all over the doorstep, you will need to take a photo immediately before the servicing the unit. Depending on the severity of the situation, it will be up to your discretion to service the unit or not. Always be sure that the valet trash resident’s trash can is free from cracks or any structural damage that will keep the can from being effective at its purpose. If the garbage can is beyond serviceable and you don’t tell management, it may be your responsibility to clean the leaks coming from the damaged trash can.
#3 Dumpster Dilemma
Residents are advised to not leave garbage outside of the dumpsters. It may be that part of your valet trash company’s services to include keeping the area around the dumpster free of debris and rotting food. Larger items such as torn couches or broken bicycles may not fit in the dumpsters and these typically fall outside of the responsibilities of your service plan. It’s not these items that are the issue, though. If a resident takes out the trash on a night you don’t pick-up, you may find that some trash bags don’t make it into the dumpster.
How do you determine what to do about cleaning up a mess that you know you or your valets didn’t make? One tip is to take a photo of the dumpster before and after you clean around it. Though this won’t necessarily be used for a violation report, if another mess is made after your shift, you will have proof of the state you left the dumpster that evening.
Being prepared for valet trash complaints regarding the dumpster will be in your best interest. If the dumpster is overflowing and proves to be completely unserviceable for the night, you may need to stop your valet trash removal service and report the issue to the management company via email that night. At this point, the management company will be responsible for having the dumpsters emptied for you to begin service again.
Although these are the three most common valet trash complaints you will encounter, chances are, there will be a scenario you never thought you’d see.
Always take photos before and after service, and be clear in your messages to the management company when reporting a violation. It will be the management company that makes the ultimate decision in fines and handling the resident’s valet trash issues.
