Even if you have put your bin out the night before and have followed all of your council’s rules, your bin might be missed.
A missed bin collection can cause problems for your household if it was already full when it was put outside.
If it was a mistake by the binmen, you can easily get it sorted by contacting your council.
However, there are a few things you should check before getting in touch with your local council to avoid confusion.
What do I do if my bin wasn’t collected?
There are a few checks you need to make before confirming your bin had been missed, such as waiting 24 hours before reporting anything.
You should also check if the schedule for bin collections has been moved, as things like bank holidays and the New Year can cause them to be pushed back.
If your bin has a tag or sticker on it, it means your bin has been refused for contamination, being overweight, or if the lid was left open.
A missed bin counts as one that was left out at the correct time but was not collected by the binmen, or bagged waste left next to the bin that was not taken when the council said it would be.
It can also be recycling that was left in the correct container with no tag explaining why it was left.
If none of these things applies, your bin has been missed, and you can report it to your local council.
All you need to do is type in your postcode on the government website to find the correct council and fill out the form.
The council will aim to come back to empty your bin within two to three working days, with some local councils even promising to come back the next working day.
There is a cut-off point for when you can report a missed collection, and it is usually within 24 to 48 hours of the collection day, but it can vary between councils.
The process is the same for councils in Scotland where you can fill out a form to report the bin being missed.
The council will send someone out to collect it, unless it is food waste, which will just be emptied on the next collection day.
Waste and bins in Ireland are collected by private companies so what you need to do if your bin gets missed on collection day will depend on the company you are with.
What do I do if the council ignores my missed bin collection report?
If the council does not respond to your missed bin collection report, you should contact the council again with your original reference number.
If they still do not respond, you should file a complaint to the council, and if nothing is done, you can get in touch with the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
Have your bins ever been missed when they should have been collected? Let us know in the comments.
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