Customer Charter for Household and Commercial Waste Collections

Introduction

Valcroft Unlimited t/a Mr Binman is committed to providing the highest standards in the provision of waste management services to their customers. We have a commitment to providing a service that seeks to incentivise waste prevention and to encourage the segregation of waste so that it can be managed in accordance with the waste hierarchy, whereby waste prevention, preparing for reuse, recycling and other recovery are preferred over the disposal of waste. This approach is in line with current national waste policy in the area A Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy. This document is designed to communicate how we intend to provide household and commercial waste collection services in accordance with these principles to the public in a clear and concise fashion.

1. Customer Service Standards

1. We will provide a regular and reliable collection service and process your waste in a professional and environmentally sound manner.
2. All service provision will be carried out in line with current local and national legislation and in line with sustainable waste management practices. Our National Waste Collection Permit Office (NWCPO) waste collection permit number is NWCPO-12-11056 and the details of the permit can be viewed at www.nwcpo.ie.
3. We will provide you with timely, relevant and clear information regarding your collections, including temporary changes resulting from public holidays or adverse weather conditions.
4. We will consider any reasonable special requests that individual customers may have.
5. We will explain clearly what our service rules are and the reasons for them.
6. We will respond to formal complaints we receive about our services in a timely and professional manner.
7. We will ensure that there are no direct impediments to you switching your service provider should you wish to do so.
8. We will design our service and carry out collections in a way that minimises litter and odour nuisance.
9. We will offer a segregated waste collection service to facilitate the segregation of residual waste, recyclables and where appropriate, food/bio waste. The frequency of collection will be as follows:
   • Residual Waste Bin – As frequently as may be determined by the relevant local authority according to the necessity of collection of such residual waste but at a minimum at least every fortnight.
   • Recyclable Waste Bin – As frequently as may be determined by the relevant local authority according to the necessity of collection of such recyclable waste but at a minimum at least every fortnight.
   • Food & Bio Waste Bin – As frequently as may be determined by the relevant local authority according to the necessity of collection of such food/bio waste but at a minimum at least every fortnight.

2. Communication with Customers

1. We will explain clearly what services you can expect to receive and will provide details of the collection services we offer on a county/city basis to the National Waste Collection Permit Office for publishing on their website.
2. We will provide you with clear and concise billing which will allow you to understand all elements of the costs involved in providing your waste services.
3. We will inform all customers availing of a domestic waste collection service at least 10 days in advance of any predictable alternative arrangements made for collection in relation to public holidays etc., or any proposal to vary the level of collection.
4. We will keep you informed of changes in our service that are designed to improve our service offering.
5. At the time of initial service provision, each customer will be provided with details of their service provider’s full name and address, contact details (website where available, phone number, email, postal address), a clear breakdown of pricing policy for provision of service, process for accessing account statement and balances, procedure for receipt of payments, process for dispute resolution, procedure for customers who have fallen into arrears with their payments, where applicable, service provision frequency and details and the procedure for cancellation of service provision, including refund of charges where applicable. You will also be provided with details of the period of validity for the offer provided and advised of a cooling off period, should you wish to change your mind (usually any time prior to delivery of bins but at least 7 days from time of contract signing).
6. In the case of e-Commerce contracts with customers, and in line with reducing paper usage, all communication and documents will be sent by email, unless otherwise requested. In the interests of the environment and reducing costs we are committed to increasing communication by this method.
7. We will alert you at least 30 days in advance of the expiry of your contract.
8. We will produce a version of this Charter which has been approved by the National Adult Literacy Agency

3. Customer Responsibilities

1. In line with national policy, prevent, reuse and recycle waste as much as possible. Refer to national and regional campaigns that seek to help reduce waste production. Present your waste materials, properly segregated and placed in their respective bins / receptacles. Please refer to http://www.mywaste.ie for advice on how to manage your waste more sustainably and for information on how to properly segregate your waste for collection.
2. Segregate your waste appropriately. Please note the procedure in place should the incorrect waste be placed in a bin (e.g. food waste placed in the recycle bin). This may lead to withdrawal of service or financial penalties being applied to you.
3. In the event that you have difficulty paying your outstanding bill, please contact us directly as soon as possible as we have a procedure to agree an individual payment plan which deals with how we will manage customers who have difficulty paying their bill.
4. Contact us, as your waste management service supplier, if you have any queries on how best to manage any of your waste materials. We have the expertise to provide the appropriate service or advice on how to best resolve the issue.
5. Electronic, Electrical and Battery Waste (known as WEEE) e.g Microwaves, E Scooters, AA Batteries, Car Batteries, TE Cigarettes / Vapes Mobile Phones are not to be placed in any bin. It should be brought to the nearest WEEE Recycling Point where they are accepted Free of Charge. WEEE Recycling Points including retailers and Civic Amenity Centres. Your nearest WEEE Recycling Point can be found on mywaste.ie.

4. Pricing, Charging Mechanism and Access to Account Information

1. The range of service and costs for service provision will be clearly communicated to each customer.
2. New Customers will receive information on charging and pricing structures at the time of sign up i.e. whether over the phone, via website sign-up or via completion of hard copy application form.
3. Information, including a copy of Terms and Conditions of Business will be provided to Customers as part of new Customer Welcome Packs and will be available on the company’s website and/or www.nwcpo.ie 
4. Any changes to the Terms and Conditions of the business will be communicated to customers in a timely manner. Payment of invoices following such notifications shall be taken as acceptance of the updated Terms.
5. Customers will be entitled to easy access to their account information including statements / balances.
6. National policy has moved towards a position where all customers will be billed according to the weight of the waste that they produce (pay-by-weight). This is in line with the EU Polluter Pays Principle. Irish Waste Management Association (IWMA) members, of which Valcroft Mr Binman is one, are committed to adopting this methodology and it will be phased in over time in line with the national timelines. You will be notified in advance of any changes involved and the benefits.

5. Complaints Procedure / Dispute Resolution

1. You are entitled to a fair and reasonable hearing when you have a genuine complaint or dispute and the company commits to resolving your issues as quickly as is reasonably possible. Please find our contact details for complaint below.
2. We will respond to formal complaints that we receive about our services in a timely and professional manner. In the case of written complaints, within 10 working days. 
3. Complaints shall be logged on the individual customer account with a tracking facility to ensure the complaint has been resolved and the customer notified of updates or the course of action taken to resolve the issue.
4. Billing disputes are handled on a case by case basis and recorded. We will liaise with you directly to resolve the matter.
5. Dispute resolution including withdrawal of service will be in line with the company policy available on the company website or which is sent out by post on request. This will be a fair and equitable process in line with good consumer policies.

Contact Details

• Phone: 061-351127
• Email: info@mrbinman.com
• Post: Dock Road, Limerick

 6. Education and Raising Awareness

1. We shall implement an education and awareness programme in relation to waste management for customers that we service. This will be available via promotional literature that we provide directly to you and via our website or through the website of the National Waste Collection Permit Office.
2. Information packs shall be available to all customers clearly indicating waste types appropriate to each bin and how to present material for recycling.
3. We shall work with other national bodies in promoting waste prevention, reduction and recycling e.g. EPA / Repak etc.
4. We will provide Waste Segregation and Presentation Guidelines to customers, or at a minimum to the National Waste Collection Permit Office for publishing on their website, which clearly explain which materials are to be placed in which bin and collect at a minimum the recycling materials set out in this subparagraph below and as prescribed in the sixth schedule of the Waste Collection Permit Regulations or on the website located on the internet at https://www.mywaste.ie. We will explain to you what happens to materials collected in the residual, recycle and food waste bins.

Materials Accepted in Recyclable Bins

Materials Accepted in Food & Bio Bins

7. Termination of Service / Refunds / Changing Service Providers

1. Should you wish to terminate your service provision, please advise us by email or in writing or by phoning giving 30 days’ notice. We will remove our bins by arrangement with you and in accordance with our Terms of Business any balance owing on your account, after a Cancellation Charge (if applicable) is deducted, may be refunded to you within 30 days of receipt of termination notice.
2. We will ensure that there are no direct impediments to you switching your service provider, but cancellations will not be accepted from any unauthorised third party.
3. When switching providers, you may be asked to provide proof that all outstanding bills have been paid to the previous provider. If requested by you, we can provide a receipt and confirmation for your next service provider that your account is paid in full. This will be issued within 7 days of receipt of any final payment made or received.
4. If you cease service provision for any reason, our Refund Policy and service Cancelation Charges are clearly described in Terms and Conditions of Business available on our web site and which we can despatch by post if requested. The cancelation charge covers costs of recollection, cleaning and servicing of bins.

8. Changing Equipment and Ownership of Bins

1. At time of initial service provision, by agreement, each customer will be supplied with the appropriate bins / receptacles sized to service their specific needs. The bins provided for service collection remain the property of the service provider.
2. In the case of changing equipment / ceasing service / changing service provider, we commit to the collection of your old bins by arrangement via our call centre within a four week period of the notification of ceasing of the service. We require that your old bins are left empty and easily accessible for collection. 
3. This Charter does not affect your statutory rights in any way and provides a simple interpretation of our commitment to you, our customer, and what we expect in return, to help ensure that you are provided with the best service level possible.