Skip-bin company dumps load of trash on Auckland couple's driveway following payment dispute

Rubbish from an over filled skip-bin lays on the driveway. Photo / Greg Bowker

A skip-bin company has dumped a full load of trash on an Auckland couple's driveway after a pay dispute turned bitter.

Len Cooper from Jumbo Bins has defended his actions, telling the Herald the rubbish was only returned after months of seeking payment for outstanding overweight fees.

However, the couple claim they were only been contacted once between the time the rubbish was collected in July and when it was dumped today.

The couple's daughter, who asked not to be named, told the Herald they were upset by the company's actions.

The couple were asked by the company to pay extra because it was overweight but had refused to pay the additional charge.

"It is not acceptable to me, he could have taken us to court and gone through that way," she said.

"We've paid for the bin, he's taken it away, then he calls me a month later and says our bin's overweight."

Rubbish from an over filled skip-bin lays on the driveway. Photo / Greg Bowker

Today a skip-bin full of plasterboard and insulation bats was returned to her parents' property in Mt Roskill.

Despite the couple claiming they were only once contacted by the company, Cooper said he made repeated attempts to seek payment and was left with no other option.

Cooper said the bin was overweight and he had sought an additional $340 to cover tipping costs.

"We tried to contact them on numerous occasions, the office lady has all the attempts we made to communicate but they didn't get back to us," he said.

"Usually, if we rock up to people's driveway we knock on their door and say, 'You can pay now and we drive away or we return your rubbish'.

"These people have been abusive, they've avoided us and we needed to take further action."

Cooper said the couple still refused to pay and he was left with no other option. Dumping the rubbish was a last resort.

The couple paid $315 for a 6-cubed-metre bin. The company Cooper is a contractor for, Cut Price Bins, sent them a 9-cubed-metre bin.

Bob Taylor from Cut Price Bins said their website clearly states a 9-metre bin will be supplied and if it's filled over the paid 6-metres there will be an extra charge .

"We rang them numerous times trying to get our money off them, we just couldn't," he told the Herald.

"They wouldn't pay for the extra space, we told them before, 'If you exceed the weight limit you've got to pay the overweight'."

In Auckland, tipping costs $210 per tonne and if skip-bins go over a certain weight "you've got to pay extra", Taylor said.

He said the couple were contacted multiple times but because they would not pay extra, and because the company would not pay the extra tipping bill, the rubbish was returned.

"There's no upside for us and I can't see any good coming from it, the only point I'd make from it is both sides are now even," Taylor said.

"They didn't want to pay, they got their rubbish back."