Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council not completing his bulky waste collection. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council to warrant an investigation.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains the Council did not collect his bulky waste collection because he left the items on his property, down the side of his house. He says the information provided when he booked the collection was not clear and he did not realise the items would not be collected if he left them on his property.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by the complainant. I also considered information on the Council’s website about bulky waste collections.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. Mr X booked and paid for a bulky waste collection. He complained the Council did not collect the items, which he had left for collection on his property, down the side of his house. Mr X says when he completed the form to book the collection he said the items would be left down the side edge of the property. He did not want to leave the items on the bottom of his drive as it would block the pavement and drive and the items could potentially fall into the road. He says it was not clear that the items would not be collected if they were left on his property
6. The Council told Mr X the items were not collected, in line with its policy, as collection crews are not allowed to enter private land. It said items for collection must be presented on the property boundary so they can be collected without the crew entering onto private land. It said this is explained when a booking is made.
7. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council here to warrant an investigation. It has acted in line with its clearly published collection policy in not making this collection as it was not presented as required.
8. It clearly states on the bulky waste page on the Council’s website that items should be left where your bins are collected from and that it will not enter a resident’s property or garden to complete a collection. It states: “You must leave the items where your bins are collected from, this is usually the front boundary (our operatives will not come onto your property, garage or garden to collect items)”. This information is repeated again on the request a collection page and for a third time in the bulky waste collection form. There is no sign of fault in the Council’s decision not to collect Mr X’s collection as it was not correctly presented for collection and the relevant information is clearly set out on the Council’s website.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council to warrant an investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman