tipping refuse collectors over christmas....

[cornonthecob]

next week, our refuse collectors aka bin men will buzz us when they do their last refuse collection before christmas and I will give them a tenner....

does this happen to anyone else and what do you give? we're in london!

just posting as i remind myself to leave a tenner out!!

you mean they ring the door bell to ASK for a tip??

we've already had the knock on the door, I gave £5. If my dh had answered they would have got a 'Merry Christmas' and nowt else!!

lol!

in all fairness with us, they don't stand there waiting, so if i don't answer the door or not in they would get nothing... i'm sure they don't expect everyone to tip, but i guess every few pounds here and there added up they get a decent amount to share!

for us they consistently put our wheelie bin back into the correct bin storage cabinet and we have a lot of rubbish which i'm sure doesn't smell nice with nappies!

I honestly don't expect them to knock - would feel sure it would get them the sack if they did that in some parts of town.

They will have nothing to collect here next week (unless someone goes hunting for leaves) as it is the week for garden waste collection.

They could try ringing (no batteries in doorbell for last 10 years) but would get a verbal "Merry Christmas to you, too" if I did answer the door.

They get nothing from me!

And they already get paid to work so ...... ??

Where do you draw the line? Postie? hairdresser? man in petrol station? Checkout girl on supermarket?

i'm not sure if ours will knock, but as they refuse to take the bin if the lid doesnt completley close, always leave the bin on the actual road, have clipped my wing mirror twice and completely ignore me when i say good morning they will be getting naff all!

My dh worked on the recycling lorry a couple of tears ago and would never dream of knocking on someones door for a tip that's unbelievable rude.

They mainly got "tips" of drink (I don't know what it is that makes everyone think bin men like a good drink) all through the year the drink "tips" would be saved up through the year and then their Christmas party would just be in the depot with the saved booze.

There was one lovely lady that would make a clootie dumpling each year for them. This was the highlight of dh round

Some people would tip money it was greatly appreciated but in no way expected.

Not sure about bin men but I do think everyone should tip the window cleaner, especially if they live near me

Our bin men never knock but dh will be chasing them down the road with something - got to be quick round here, they are fast! I think he sees it as his yearly challenge, was checking this week which way round they were doing their route in preparation (it alternates) When I was little we lived in a village, so bit of a trek for the bin men and so dad always had them in for coffee and mince pies (he also made sure they knew where to come if they needed the little boys room while on their round) mum wasn't always happy about that after washing the floor. Can't be a nice job and really appreciate their coming out in this weather

Ours would never knock. They are sooooo lovely, used to let DS press the button to squash the stuff. I rush out to them ( a la Armstrong and Miller, in my dressing gown, they come early )with a card at Christmas with a tenner in.

I gave my window cleaner a box of chocolates, as I will do for the fruit and veg van and the postman will either get chocolates or wine.

Ours don't knock but we do look out for them.

I'd be mortified if they knocked on my door for a tip!

I was hoping to catch my binmen in person and give them a case of lager (we always did this when I was growing up).
We get so many different posties I'd feel funny about tipping just one of them something.
Cleaner will get a tenner.

(Gosh I sound so middle class, but I'm not really, just useless at cleaning).

Would you give alcoholic gifts or money to other Council workers? Have never understood why refuse collectors should be singled out.

For refuse collectors, sickness absence rates usually plummet just before Christmas since nobody wants to miss out. A round will typically serve about 5-6000 households, so they do very well. Don't see why they need to go knocking - verging on intimidation, especially if householder is elderly or vulnerable.

mine don't knock but if I see them at Christmas I will tip them.
I think they deserve some recognition for the job they do, we would be in a sorry state without them.

Perhaps being London and possibly flats/lots of stairs they ring so people aren't left chasing them up the street.

I give mine a box of chocs, one each for the normal and recycling team. They don't ring/knock but as our house is right on the street and the road is a dead end they have to go up and back down again and so ds I have two chances to catch them

The Binmen around here have such awful teeth, I'd feel guilty giving them chocolate!
A tenner is hard to divide, a case of beer cans is safe to transport home in big lorry and divide among the crew.
Knocking on the door is too pushy, though.

We usually give them beer/lager. But the collections have been pants this year cos of the snow, so we might not see them for sometime.

my dad tells a funny story if ever this sort of thing is mentioned.

in our last house there was a short driveway and my dad's garage was to the side of it. one particular year at xmas the binman brought the bin right up to my dad in the garage and said "where would you like your bin?"

dad walked out of the garage, pointed down the drive and said " just take it back down there, close your eyes, spin around and let go of it. leave it wherever it lands...like you do every week."

needless to say, he didn't tip

i do get my postman some wine but were quite a way out and has come out in the van for us.Will also be some beers for the garage guy in breakdown yard at back hes lovely also gritted my footpath so ds could get out

ragged - when you say a tenner is hard to divide, I always assume they pool all cash tips and then divide them.