“Rogue” waste collectors have scammed Brits out of hundreds and thousands of pounds this year, research suggests.

With the pandemic leaving many working from home, there has been a significant increase in homeowners inadvertently calling out rogue rubbish collectors, according to a survey.

It found more than 600 bad jobs involving scam rubbish removal firms over the last year, with fraudsters often overcharging customers by £300 or more.

The rising unemployment rates as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic means fraudsters are more likely to take advantage.

As a result of the research households and businesses are been warned to stay alert.

The industry is regulated, but many customers don’t know to check if someone is genuine and has a waste carriers’ licence and insurance etc. it is also recommended to check reviews online, unfortunately this often only happens after its gone wrong,”.

It is expected that the number of incidences involving rogue waste collectors will rise as people under increasing financial pressure see it as an easy way to make money.”

Homeowners are also keeping a closer eye on their finances, which means they may be tempted by “the lure of a deal too good to be true.”

One homeowner in London fell victim to a scam waste collector in November. He claimed he was overcharged by more than £1,000, only to later find the waste had been dumped in his neighbour’s garden.

He explained that while working from home, his “spare room became full of lot of confidential work waste that needed to be disposed of correctly,” so he found a local rubbish removal company with a price list online. But in hindsight, these prices were “complete fiction,” he said.

The waste collector turned up the next day and told him the job would cost £200. However, he later presented a “huge bill of £1,300,” the customer claimed.

When told that the extra cost was due to the confidentiality of the waste requiring it to be disposed of in a certain way that required a waste transfer certificate, he trustingly paid the bill on his company debit card, he explained.

However, after getting in touch with another reputable waste management company he learned the job should have only cost between £100 and £190. He also found many negative reviews on the Trustpilot website and realised he has been scammed.

The fake waste collection company didn’t respond to any form of contact, even after threats of reporting them to Trading Standards.

These “rogue” waste collectors often fly tip jobs.

In order to remain vigilant, Brits should always check the internet for reviews and mentions before trusting a company.

Customers should also never let themselves be charged for a Duty of Care certificate. “Under current UK laws, businesses have a legal obligation to keep a Duty of Care Certificate, or Waste Transfer Note, that documents every load of waste that leaves their premises,”

“Your waste management company should provide you with this entirely free of charge, however, this is not always the case.

“You should be very wary of any company that charges extra to provide a waste transfer note.”

Additionally as a producer of waste it is your Duty of Care to ensure your waste is disposed of properly , you should check that the company has a waste carrier’s license, an appropriate Goods Vehicle Operator Licence (Standard National) if using Heavy Goods Vehicles and is appropriately insured, Customers can ask for a carrier’s certificate and should double-check that it matches the company that is charging them .

A Brunton is a fully licenced waste management company and supplies all relevant waste transfer notes completely free of charge. If you have any questions regarding our services, please give us a call or visit our website www. abruntonskiphire.co.uk