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AIBU?

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Original poster

Selling stuff from ‘Dump Runs’

124 replies

RealhousewifeofStoke · 22/05/2021 10:34

Interested in opinions after seeing drama unfold on a local FB selling page. Couple advertise ‘Dump Runs’ where they charge £20-30 to take a van load of household stuff to the local dump/recycling centre.
I’ve used them myself once just before a house move and it was hassle free and really was stuff only fit for the dump such as old tins of paint, garden stuff etc.
It’s now emerged that they sort through the stuff they collect and are selling some of it on so things like sofas for £30. Amongst the listings are more valuable items like Wedgwood pottery etc.
I don’t think they’re doing anything wrong. But many people do. My thinking is if you’re happy to dump it, you shouldn’t be annoyed. Be a different story if they claimed to be taking stuff to a charity shop and THEN selling it? They advertise the dump runs AND the stuff for sale on the same page.

OP posts:
EssentialHummus · 22/05/2021 10:37

Good on them! Presumably the owner had x years to evaluate whether the items were worth keeping/selling.

justanotherneighinparadise · 22/05/2021 10:40

They’re doing nothing wrong.

Rhayader · 22/05/2021 10:40

I don’t see a problem with it.

Similar to this (although imho still fine) is people who get free stuff in freecycle and sell it.

CeeceeBloomingdale · 22/05/2021 10:41

I'd rather something was repurposed than went to landfill, particularly if they aren't licenced for waste removal. They aren't going to be doing it for the goodness of their health. £20-30 is a minimal sum for two people so they will need to boost it somehow.

Shakirasma · 22/05/2021 10:44

Wouldn't bother me. I'd be more concerned about whether they had a waste carriers licence, as round here it would cost more than £30 for a trade drop at the recycling centre!

Blossomtoes · 22/05/2021 10:45

Presumably it’s people who’s stuff is being sold who are objecting? People who had every chance to sell it themselves and couldn’t be arsed. I also assume those people don’t realise tip operators do a roaring trade in usable items. I applaud them for saving perfectly good things from landfill.

ThatIsMyPotato · 22/05/2021 10:47

Not a problem though they should possibly think about using two separate pages just to try and reduce the people who go oh! That's my old sofa and have a moan.

BarbaraofSeville · 22/05/2021 10:53

If they're accepting money and disposing of waste from households other than their own, they almost certainly need a waste transfer licence, which they almost certainly don't.

Picking through the stuff to find saleable bits is the least of your problems if they get caught, because the person who pays them is also committing a crime.

Artesia · 22/05/2021 10:55

People are very odd about stuff they are throwing away. I was at the tip once and saw someone about to throw away a little plastic kids’ table and chairs in perfect condition. DS’s nursery was looking for similar so I explained and asked if I could take it, rather than it go to landfill. He called me a cheeky bitch and told me to fuck off, before throwing the perfectly usable things away.

ISaidDontLickTheBin · 22/05/2021 10:56

It's no different to what house clearance companies do, surely?

NothingIsWrong · 22/05/2021 10:57

Agree they need a waste transfer licence and if you use them you need to get some paperwork from them to keep yourself the right side of the law. I work in construction project management and waste management is a huge part of running a compliant building site.

OddBoots · 22/05/2021 11:01

As long as they have the right licence then that is the right thing to do, why would you want things destroyed that could be re-used?

The people using their service are legally responsible for checking they are licenced otherwise if their stuff is flytipped then they risk prosecution so hopefully if you have used their services you have seen their licence.

Smoothyloopy · 22/05/2021 11:01

It illegal, they must have a waste carriers licence & provide a waste transfer note. If they go on to dump the waste illegally & any of it can be traced back to the householder the householder can face a fine as the waste producer.

honeylulu · 22/05/2021 11:03

Good for them. Less stuff in landfill! And they are quite open about it. TBH selling stuff is a PIT A if you have your own full time job and other commitments. I do it sometimes because it's satisfying to know perfectly good stuff has a new home. Somehow there seems to be more interest when you put a price on it rather than give it away. If someone else wants to do that they can fill their boots!

CounsellorTroi · 22/05/2021 11:03

Technically they are doing something wrong. People are paying them to take the stuff to the dump. They aren’t selling it to them to them to sell on.

SuperMonkeys · 22/05/2021 11:04

How does anyone know it's illegal? They may have the right paperwork

Original poster
RealhousewifeofStoke · 22/05/2021 11:06

@BarbaraofSeville

If they're accepting money and disposing of waste from households other than their own, they almost certainly need a waste transfer licence, which they almost certainly don't.

Picking through the stuff to find saleable bits is the least of your problems if they get caught, because the person who pays them is also committing a crime.

What makes you say they don’t have a licence? The vans are plastered with their company name, business cards to match etc. And they gave DH s hand written receipt when they lifted the pile of crap that we wanted rid of.
OP posts:
ThePlantsitter · 22/05/2021 11:11

I think they deserve the money if they can be arsed to sell it on. But I would never use their service because so many people I know have been fined for not using a licensed waste carrier! They have ways of finding you.

IliveonCoffee · 22/05/2021 11:13

I'd be concerned they don't have a licence, and the stuff they do dispose of isn't necessarily going where it should. Depends i suppose whether a license would permit taking ownership of waste for disposal and then selling it on.

I'm a bit on the fence, on one hand once you give something to someone, its up to them what they do with it. Like the fb freebies who then whinge someone sold it for a profit.

On the other they are charging someone for the service of disposing of their items, and are somewhat misleading them into thinking they are indeed being thrown away rather than resold. It depends how upfront the fact they're selling them. Plus they're profiting twofold, its not like they got these items for free, and decided to sell them on. They charged for a 'dump run' - which most people would take to mean taking to the tip...not their garage for a wipe and photoshoot for fb.

There's an argument for not throwing away something still usable but a less profit driven approach would be to say - this sofa is still in good nick, would you mind us taking round the furniture charity shop / popping on a free things site.

BarbaraofSeville · 22/05/2021 11:14

@SuperMonkeys

How does anyone know it's illegal? They may have the right paperwork
Well to dispose of a van full of trade waste at the dump it would cost far more than £20-30 so if they are correctly licenced then they have to be selling a significant amount of what they collect, or else they would be losing money hand over fist.

So they could be operating legally, but then that means the people who pay them a cheap price to do a dump run can't complain about them selling the stuff.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 22/05/2021 11:14

The only thing that would concern me, would be if I thought they were just dumping any of it, rather than taking it to the official tip.

People paying to have stuff taken away are doing it because they don’t want the bother of doing it themselves, so I can’t see that they’re entitled to object.

Original poster
RealhousewifeofStoke · 22/05/2021 11:17

@Smoothyloopy

It illegal, they must have a waste carriers licence & provide a waste transfer note. If they go on to dump the waste illegally & any of it can be traced back to the householder the householder can face a fine as the waste producer.
How do you know that they don’t? Confused
OP posts:
murbblurb · 22/05/2021 11:17

could really do with someone like this near my parents' house. If they are legit and don't fly tip, don't see any issue. People who want money for their clutter need to put in the time and effort to sell it.

Blossomtoes · 22/05/2021 11:17

@CounsellorTroi

Technically they are doing something wrong. People are paying them to take the stuff to the dump. They aren’t selling it to them to them to sell on.
They’re paying them to take it away. Once it’s left their premises, they no longer own it.