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Original poster

Some people have no idea

117 replies

Isitschool · 04/01/2022 21:30

It sometimes feels that some people have no idea what it's like for people living in poverty or a very low income.

There has been some discussions about fly tipping. I said some people don't drive so can't get to the tip. Or they can't afford to have it taken away. My council charges 30.00 pounds to have a fridge removed . Or it's 20.00 for up to 4 items such as a bed frame, chest of drawers ect. That does not seem like alot of money, But there are people out there that are having to choose weather they put money on their gas or eat . If they are in that position they clearly can't afford to have broken furniture taken away .

The replies from people were . If they can afford new furniture then they can afford to have it taken away or if they get a new fridge from curry's you pay a bit extra to have the old ones removed. Do people honestly think that people who can barely afford to eat are buying brand new fridge and furniture.

I'm just no way saying fly tipping is OK. Of course its not but I do understand why it happens. I just think it's sad how many people don't understand what its like to live on a shoe string Sad

OP posts:
ToManderleyAgain · 04/01/2022 21:39

At the risk of completely missing the point… I’ve never understood why councils don’t offer a more heavily subsidised collection service, given that presumably they have to waste a considerable amount of resources on collecting fly tipped waste?

FindingMeno · 04/01/2022 21:41

Agree.
And why women stay in bad relationships.
If you have no independent income you can't just sprout tenners out of your ears.

RedCandyApple · 04/01/2022 21:44

My council take items away for free.

babysleephelp · 04/01/2022 21:46

You're right op.

Hospedia · 04/01/2022 21:46

This is a bugbear of mine with our local council who charge £72 for the removal of 5-8 items. Anything "specialist" such as a fridge or fixtures (e.g., door frames) or garden waste has to have its own individual quote. We once needed to have two sliding wardrobe doors taken away, too big to fit in the car, and they wanted £200 because they were mirrored.

The same council then wonders why people flytip.

I think all households should get 1-2 free collections per financial year and then charges apply after that with discounts applicable for people on benefits.

Akire · 04/01/2022 21:47

I’m always saying this! People laugh at council Estates and dodgy areas sofas in front gardens fridge in paths. Yes there is a reason why, it’s not because want to stare at them they can’t afford pay for them to be removed. Plus less likely have transport and single mum etc never going manage lift or carry much.

Poverty reduces your choices in so many ways. We have similar in housing association they have contract to remove flytipping yet there’s no legal way to get them to remove things so people dump them.

ANameChangeAgain · 04/01/2022 21:50

If the council remove it for free then our council tax bills go up. Nothing is free.

MotherWol · 04/01/2022 21:51

@ToManderleyAgain £30 for a bulky waste collection already is heavily subsidised, when you consider what it costs the council to run the service. Council funding has been cut to the bone, it’s not like there’s any slack left in the system.

OP, it sucks and I do sympathise, but fly tipping isn’t the answer to can’t afford waste collection - it’s against the law and it makes places horrible for the people that live there.

Original poster
Isitschool · 04/01/2022 21:52

I just got a link sent to me on social media with them saying the council will take it away for a (small) fee yes 30.00 may be small to you . But not for others. The fact the person said small fee proved my point really 😔

By the way just wanted to add this it mot about me . Its just from the past I know what it's like to go without food or gas etc .

OP posts:
Akire · 04/01/2022 21:55

The issue is if you can’t afford pay for it to go away and can’t remove yourself it just sits there for years. The whole area gets more run down, crime goes up. Probable works out cheaper council remove because of knock on effect on reduce crime and anti social behaviour.

MN is funny place people begrudge council tax payers free rubbish removal. Yet soon as someone on £60k year pops on asking how pay more into pension to get child benefit everyone’s really helpful and supportive

WeatherwaxOn · 04/01/2022 21:56

A relative of mine died 2 years ago and I had to ear out their property. I wasn't working at the time so had no disposable income .
Property was in a block of flats (no lift) and owned, some flats were rented from the council.
Council website suggested they would collect up to 4 bulky items for £30, so I contacted them. They came and looked and decided that they couldn't carry them downstairs and that was it.
I couldn't do it myself.
Had to enlist a friend to help me saw up/destroy items so we could take the bits out tothe rubbish bins.

If relative had been a council tenant they would cleared the property for free.

SalsaLove · 04/01/2022 21:56

Freecycle works for us. The council were going to charge us £30 to remove our old television. It got snapped up immediately on Freecycle. Why isn’t that an option?

WeatherwaxOn · 04/01/2022 21:56

*clear out

Akire · 04/01/2022 21:57

Free cycle works if the item is in working order. Unlikely your old cooker or fridge would be worth fighting over.

MouseyMoose · 04/01/2022 21:57

@ANameChangeAgain

If the council remove it for free then our council tax bills go up. Nothing is free.
My cousin works in the waste department of my local council and says the amount they spend on fly tipping is phenomenal.

If councils collected waste for free (or even a very small nominal fee) the cost would potentially equal the cost of dealing with fly tipping so no additional funds would be needed.

grooveonthemove · 04/01/2022 22:03

Living on a shoestring is hard, I've done it (€5 a week for food). My electricity was cut off and I had to sell my belongings to pay my rent. I cried at the till in Lidl as I was 40 cents short, a lovely guy behind me handed me a euro to make up the difference. I'll never forget that act of kindness 🥰

Original poster
Isitschool · 04/01/2022 22:03

@SalsaLove

Freecycle works for us. The council were going to charge us £30 to remove our old television. It got snapped up immediately on Freecycle. Why isn’t that an option?
Well if you have a broken bed or a broken freezer for example you can't give them away
OP posts:
ChristmasCatBells · 04/01/2022 22:04

Slightly off topic but people flytip near me but they have driven to the Country roads to dump the stuff so I don't understand why they don't just drive to the recycling/waste centre.
Agree that people can find it difficult to afford the fee.

Original poster
Isitschool · 04/01/2022 22:04

@grooveonthemove

Living on a shoestring is hard, I've done it (€5 a week for food). My electricity was cut off and I had to sell my belongings to pay my rent. I cried at the till in Lidl as I was 40 cents short, a lovely guy behind me handed me a euro to make up the difference. I'll never forget that act of kindness 🥰
I hope things are better for you now Flowers
OP posts:
Original poster
Isitschool · 04/01/2022 22:05

@ChristmasCatBells

Slightly off topic but people flytip near me but they have driven to the Country roads to dump the stuff so I don't understand why they don't just drive to the recycling/waste centre. Agree that people can find it difficult to afford the fee.
That's definitely awful. Not on at all
OP posts:
Danikm151 · 04/01/2022 22:10

Some people are out of touch. £30 may be small to some but to others that is a weeks food shop/ electric/gas.
Some costs can’t be justified

Akire · 04/01/2022 22:10

Local tips have limit on how much can dump for free. Linked to car reg so can’t be doing it for business or trade. That sort dumping is the rouge traders style charge you £££ to take away then throw all down lane. No expenses.

Walkacrossthesand · 04/01/2022 22:11

I think the council waste depots are for 'household rubbish' - the fly tippers are probably in vans/low loaders, and would be turned away/charged

Original poster
Isitschool · 04/01/2022 22:12

My cousin works in the waste department of my local council and says the amount they spend on fly tipping is phenomenal.

If councils collected waste for free (or even a very small nominal fee) the cost would potentially equal the cost of dealing with fly tipping so no additional funds would be needed

I thought that would be the case . So probably same for my council . So they could use that money to make it easier for people to get rid of things. I'm not sure what though 🤔 I don't know maybe large metal container dotted here and there. And it gets empty once a month or every 2 weeks or somthing .

OP posts:
MerryChristmas21 · 04/01/2022 22:17

@RedCandyApple

My council take items away for free.
Lucky you.

I'm in a town in North
Hampshire, council collection is bloody expensive. Around £40 per item
Last I looked. Plus ONLY kerbside collection,!you can't even pay more to have it collected from the house, you're not allowed to put it out too far in advance & it has to be out by 6:30/7 in the morning. I live alone, and had an accident last year that's left me unable to lift anything... it's an impossible situation.