Bin cleaners told DH to fuck off

[Rudeness101]

The neighbours have recently started getting their bins cleaned and the bin cleaner keeps moving our bin to the middle of the driveway creating an obstacle when we return.

DH saw them earlier and went to explain the issue and ask they kindly put the bin back when finished to which the guy told DH to fuck off. DH was taken aback but repeated that he’s having to stop the car in the street to move the bin to then drive in, to which the cleaner again told him to fuck off and started laughing.

His colleagues then joined in calling DH a cunt and the pair of them left laughing. DH wrote an email of complaint to the company but learned they’re a small family owned firm. Therefore quite likely one or both of the men are probably related to the owners.

DH is trying to take the high ground and assume they were having a bad day but that doesn’t solve the problem and inconvenience of the cleaners blocking our driveway. The bin is cleaned the same day they’re emptied so not possible for us to hide the bin away, and the street and properties are small so it’s not like we can leave our bins out elsewhere.

We also don’t know the neighbours well enough to think they’d change companies.

WWYD?

We get our bins cleaned. The cleaner grabs our bin, which is next to our neighbours, cleans it and then leaves it on our drive, presumably so that no one else can claim our freshly cleaned bin! I wonder if it’s similar reasoning here, if your neighbours don’t have a drive, is this the cleaners’ way of distinguishing between them? Absolutely no excuse for the way they spoke to your DH though! Maybe the problem could be resolved by you or the neighbours clearly labelling your bin with the house number if it isn’t already?

She can’t do that - the cleaning happens on bin collection day

Our bins have never been cleaned, don't have maggots in and don't stink when you walk past. And seeing as I've never put my face inside and taken a big whiff, then so what if they smell a bit, it's a bin, you don't drink out of it.

Some people will find all sorts to needlessly worry about and spend their money on.

But these men sound horrible and I wonder if it's a scam where they blast a bit of water around your bin and then knock on the door and tell people that they've cleaned the bin and the householder owes them money. Then gets threatening if they refuse to pay up.

Ah that’s a shame.

I suppose that all those that need their bin cleaned don’t have food recycling - otherwise there is no need to have any organic waste in your bin at all. I guess maybe nappies and other bathroom waste but they would be bagged. And maggots need flies to have accessed waste for eggs to have been laid so I’m not sure how that is happening.

I thought separate food waste collection was now mandatory for all local authorities. So nobody needs to put food waste in the main bin any more - so how dirty will it ever get now? And why would there be maggots in there unless you’re not separating your food waste?

It's being phased in, ours doesn't start until this summer

Some people just have a complex about being 'told what to do'. They dislike other adults asking/telling them how to act.

I've heard of friends being told to 'piss off' when politely asking a dog walker to place their dog on a lead.

If you've never witnessed or heard of anyone having been yelled or swore at for little to no reason, and find it hard to believe what my DH experienced, then I envy you.

Only those men know why they behaved in such a vile way. Perhaps they were having a bad day, perhaps they're just awful people who don't care about actively inconveniencing others, who knows?

Fortunately, he didn't allow it to ruin the mood on his special day, he was just completely baffled by the initial response and the escalation in language when he tried to reason with them.

If they are the sort of people getting their bins cleaned, I imagine they like things “just so” and would be horrified to hear what has been said. I would have a very gentle word with them in a “just thought you might like to know” way.

I would be absolutely horrified if someone I was paying for a service spoke to my neighbour like this.

Thanks for the advice folks. DH is going to speak to the neighbours, although didn't get a chance yesterday as we were out for a bday meal and drinks.

Will also wait to see if and how the company respond back.

A colleague mentioned bin cleaning companies needed to be registered with the Envronmental Agency and if we have ongoing issues or concerns with their conduct it may be worth an email to EA/council? That feels a bit much at the moment but interesting to know their are other options available should they repeat this behaviour.

Was your husband polite to them? It just seems odd that they reacted like that

The only alternative I can think of (which is probably totally unpalatable given what happened on DH’s birthday!) is to take a ‘if you can’t beat them, join them’ approach, and get them to clean your bins too. That way you become a client and they’ll leave your bin where you want it! 😁

Yes he was polite to them. He was in a great mood that morning as it was his birthday. He's not a confrontational person and after spotting the cleaner thought he would make a polite request. Assumed they were unaware of the inconvenience they were creating and expected a 'no problem pal' type response.

Have these bin cleaners got social media or their own website/google reviews?

It's a completely normal service that's available in loads of places. We have a bin cleaner.

Fortunately he doesn't call our neighbours cunts, although frankly there are a couple of people down our street who would deserve it.

Can I ask those that have bins cleaned - do they just use water or is it a chemical/detergent?
where does the gunk and water run off go? Straight into the drains?

Yanbu. We had a similar issue with a local one near us that cleaned the bins and all the dirty water sprayed over the cars. Was ignored when I said something to them

Mine uses an eco-friendly product, and the waste goes straight to a tank within the van.

Not a clue what they use, but assume just water as there is no detergent type smell afterwards. My cleaner does it all in her box van, puts the bin on a tail lift, pops it in the van, cleans it and then places back on the drive. There is no water runoff onto the road, it’s all self contained

How do you know its them and not the bin men leaving it there? Our bin men just leave them anywhere

Presuming your husband was being polite (which it sounds like he was), those bin cleaners had no right to speak to him that way. Swearing at him, calling him a cunt and then laughing at him. It's kind of bullying. Even if they were having a bad day, that's grossly unprofessional and disproportionate.

Your husband sounds very kind to try to be charitable towards them. They were needlessly horrible to him.

It's my food waste bin that needs cleaning the most as its only emptied every 2 weeks. By the end of the 2 weeks it can get smelly even with double bagged food waste

So funny how half the responses are “what on earth is a bin cleaner- never heard of it” and half are “yes, we have our bin cleaned every week and have done so since 1973”. Must be regional.

Hide inside the bin, then jump out and scare them shitless. They'll think twice about moving your bin again (caveat - possibly totally impractical, and not guaranteed to work).

OP you have to do this