Trash Receptecles

Hi there,

I live in a condo complex where we all have 96 gal carts. Occasionally, people in the community complain about their trash cans smelling up their unit. I'm exploring the idea about starting a residential trash can cleaning service and servicing whole condominium association. This business only works if it's servicing the whole community not 1 or 2 here and there.

Cost: $50-$60/year/door

Frequency: Quarterly

What would be your deciding factor(s) to approve or not approve this service for your whole condominium complex? Nuisance abatement, health concerns?

$15/qtr is $60/yr. The cleaning is quarterly.

I am essentially looking for board member feedback as to why you wouldn’t be able to justify a nominal monthly increase ($5/month) to solve a real problem?

Cleaning is one thing, maintenance is another. The use of a Can is pretty gross.

Trash bags rip, food/diapers smell, spiders, flies, bugs breed inside and around cans. Which then becomes a preventative maintenance program for a cleaner living space.

Have you ever had a fly a problem? A smell you can’t stand that comes from your garage where you have to store your bins? If not is it not worth $5/month to have that as a value add to where you live?

No and No,

however,

I keep my bins CLEAN.

I never need to clean my bins (indoor under sink and garage) unless I puncture a bag,

THEN

time for the garden hose and SOAP.

D'OH

This is because the reality of the problem is subjective.
What may offend some might not offend others.
How many complaints does one actually receive (I'm sure it varies).

Additionally:

Some people take time to be sure their cans are clean.
Some people will attach a deodorizer to the inside lid of the trash can.

$5 per month, for my Association, would equal a 5% increase. Per our governing documents, we can only raise assessments by 5% without membership approval. We are currently having to raise assessments by 4% each year for inflation and increased costs. Therefore, a membership vote would be required. This may be true of other Associations as well.

Depending on an Associations governing documents, to provide this service may require amending governing documents.

In one membership meeting of our new Association (I've purchased a second home), there were complaints about trash cans being left out. The excuse given was that the can smells. The response from everyone at the meeting was to wash the can.

I'm not sure how much of this is an Association issue vs. an individual issue.

The job from which I retired paid $26.50 per hour + UNBELIEVABLE 'fringe'.

What is YOURS worth?

What difference does it make ?

You're saying, John99, that everyone stores a big trash bin inside their living space? Ewww. And you're saying "occasionally" some residents let theirs get smelly? Is there a practical way they can clean their own? In other words, is there an outside area where they can do this task on their Own? I'm trying to visualize your situation.

I'm in a condo building too, but we have a Refuse Room on each floor (serves 5 units) and our custodial staff empties the trash container & recycle container every night. They also keep the containers clean. So we Owners do pay for this via our assessments. But there's no other way in our high rise to clean a big container.

Without my knowing the above, you might think about polling the owners to get their opinions. Again, without knowing enough, this sounds like an in-unit owner responsibility.

Are you on the Board, John99?

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