Bin company rolls back on pay plan

The private company that took over the collection of the bins of 140,000 households in Dublin on Monday has said customers can…

The private company that took over the collection of the bins of 140,000 households in Dublin on Monday has said customers can now pay the €100 annual charge in two instalments rather than all upfront.

Greyhound Recycling and Recovery has come under intense pressure on the issue since Monday from city councillors and the public. The company had said its position that the charge had to be paid in full by February 15th, or bins would not be collected, would not change.

In a statement this morning, Greyhound said: "The company has announced that customers can now opt to pay €50 up front and to defer the second payment of €50 until 1st July 2012 if they sign up to become Automatic Top Up customers before February 15th.

"Customers who chose not to sign up to the automatic top-up easy pay service must pay the €100 annual service in full by 15th February 2012 and also put their account in credit to meet bin lift costs in order to maintain their Greyhound bin collection service after that date.

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"Customers wishing to pay the €100 annual service charge in two instalments by signing up to the automatic top up offer can do so by visiting www.greyhound.ie or by returning the sign-up form attached to their invoice. The offer closes on 15th February 2012," the statement said.

A spokesman explained the automatic top-up system required customers to go online and choose an amount they wished to have credited to their account. As that credit is used the same amount is automatically credited again onto their Greyhound account.

Michael Buckley, joint founder and chief executive, said the company had “listened to the concerns expressed by our customers across the city, and we have also heard the views voiced by the members of Dublin City Council on behalf of constituents.

"We understand that many households are financially constrained and struggling to pay bills. The automatic top-up service is the only option open to Greyhound customers to alleviate any difficulties in meeting the €100 annual service cost and to maintain a bin collection service," he said.

"Greyhound Recycling and Recovery has already committed to honouring the waiver scheme for 33,000 customers, to maintaining the €100 annual service charge for 2012 and to keeping bin lift fees at their current rates up to at least July of this year," Mr Buckley added.

The company confirmed it had consulted with officials at Dublin City Council on its proposals to respond to the concerns of customers regarding the pre-paid model that it operates.

Labour councillors met the Dublin City Manager today in relation to the issue and described it as a "robust" exchange.

They welcomed what they said was the progress made in relation to the Greyhound issue.

"While this greatly eases the financial burden put on people who were originally asked to pay a once off payment up front, more still needs to be done," the councillors said in a statement.

The councillors said those who were due any rebate stemming from the changes would have that met in full.

"Some smaller technical issues were also discussed at the meeting and the Dublin City Council Labour group has called a full City Council meeting for next Monday where these issues will be communicated formally with the city manager."

Kitty Holland

Kitty Holland

Kitty Holland is Social Affairs Correspondent of The Irish Times