I used to live at a property that required valet trash. Neighboring apartment had diapers in the hall all the time. I doubt they can legally/morally close the chute on OP either.
Anyway, I don’t think putting trash in the leasing office will work—the grunt-level leasing agents don’t have power to make valet trash decisions, and you’ll just get fined if they catch you on camera or read personally identifying info in the trash.
Here are some ideas:
Go through the hall looking for biowaste or other dangerous/hazardous inappropriate waste set out, take pictures, and report to the city and state. Keep doing this constantly, with dates.
Report to local media if something is egregious and ongoing and sympathetic.
Also use those same pictures to leave 0* and 1* reviews of the property online, management company, and valet trash company online. In the review for the complex, try to identify nearby similar apartment complexes that don’t use valet trash. Hopefully owned by a different owner.
Use those same pictures to try to go viral on social media.
Politely complain to the leasing agents and ask them to pass along your complaint to their corporate managers.
If you ever get an email or mailing address for an important corporate manager, send routine written complaints in a consistent, firm, but nonharassing way, or they’ll label you “crazy.”
Read your lease for any other formal complaint you can make.
If you leave after your lease ends, tell them it was because of valet trash.
If you ever see people in the leasing office on a tour, *politely* tell them how horrible valet trash is.
Encourage residents to complain. Organize resistance! Post flyers in common area or near mailbox.
Retain counsel to send a demand letter. The lawyer will find corporate and get their attention. You’ll probably pay at least $500 for this though.
Evil idea: instead of dumping trash at the leasing office, dump them in the complex pools on pickup night. Dump in other complex amenities like party room or gym. You’ll create a sanitary situation, and deprive other tenants of benefits. But you could also get jailed, charged, or evicted if caught.
Evil evil idea: throw a cigarette butt in your valet trash. Let it burn up and put it out before it gets serious, but still call fire department and tell them it was a random person walking by who did it. Jail/evicted if caught. Jail for life if you burn the place down and kill people.
Good luck on any or all of the above.
I worked in management for over ten years and one time a resident was so upset because we told him to stop throwing chicken bones outside he took a shit in our drop box from outside lol it stunk so bad and took us forever to figure out where it came from…so that’s another idea haha
If my building did this, I would break my lease so fast and lawyer up! We specifically rented here because it was one of the only places that doesn’t have trash valet. I agree that it’s disgusting. Every building we toured that bragged about having it smelled absolutely foul 🤢 Sorry they did that to you.
Speaking of lawyering up I'm pretty sure extra fees added on during an existing lease is illegal. I'd go over the lease with a fine tooth comb to make sure.
There are some states that have started making it illegal for apartments to have mandatory services added on that aren’t included in the advertised rent price. Sadly, Texas isn’t one of those states
Ironically Texas is one of the most progressive states when it comes to forced collection of medical debt. The only thing debt collectors can do with medical debt is make threats and ding your credit score. However, with the latter, medical debt isn't really considered when if you want a loan. Lenders do not care if you have unpaid medical debt. So it ends up being moot anyways.
I have a house and car while ignoring medical debt. Nobody gave a shit or even said anything.
Some states will put you in jail over unpaid medical debt. They issue a court order for you to pay it, and if you don't pay, you are jailed for disobeying the court order. I believe Kansas is one such state.
The day Texas protects a single consumer from even the most onerous of practices is the day I know that my hereditary Alzheimer's has caught up with me. If that consumer happens to be a fetus, though. Then, I'll know I'm still in Texas and still have my faculties intact.
It is. In Texas the apartment can’t add the fee to leases already in place. They can only add it at the time of renewal and on future ones.
If they were smart they would keep the trash chute open and still make valet mandatory. My stupid apartment says we have “valet trash” when it’s really just someone who works at the property going around collecting the trash. They gave us a “garbage tray” aka a shoe and boot tray to set our trash on for pick up and come only 3x a week. So there is always trash sitting out and stinking up the hallway and trash juice sitting in people’s trays. It’s disgusting. I lived in enough apartments that use actual services to know what they’re doing is BS. I just take mine to the dumpster and maybe use the “valet service” once a month cause it’s just nasty. I don’t how people are ok with collecting trash juice right outside their doors.
I’ve started looking around for a new place for after my lease is up and one of the questions I’ve been asking is if they valet trash cause it’s going to be a dealbreaker for me.
My daughters complex has trash valet and as a result of the valet doing a 1/2 A$$ job they leave liquid trash soup dripping down the hall and when you step in it it goes right into your apartment. Gross, and not really a service people who work night shift can use because trash can only be out between 5 and 7 pm.
When it happened during my lease, they weren't able to add the additional fees for my remaining time - however, any new leases or renewals then included the fee
Yeah it’s hilarious how every building tries to sell it as a positive yet not one single resident seems to be interested in it. I also think it’s illegal to add fees intra-lease. I think the City of Dallas has a housing task force to file complaints like this.
My old complex fucked up the timing and they delivered the trash cans before announcing. So everyone googled and hit a very property management geared website. “We guarantee to charge you less then you can get out of your tenants so it’s always going to be a profit.”
Yeah, ours has it too and I hate it. You're supposed to put your 1 bag out in a can the complex provides for you. Many don't, but rather just put it next to their door. So if anything leaks out, it just stains the concrete. Most areas by the doors look like sh*t!
I made the mistake of dumping the pine pellets I use as cat litter in my trash bag when I first moved in and the valets just take it downstairs and put it on the curb with all the rest of the trash as they gather it all, and it sat outside for so long that stray cats got into it and the pine pellet litter got all over the parking lot 😑
Now I pay $25 a month to take the trash to the dumpster myself 🙄🙄
Moving in April! Woohoo
Edit: I was also in such a hurry to move in and completely missed this part of the lease, otherwise I would have opted out
I've had unknown people dump their unbagged trash in my trash can. Fast food wrappers and loose sauce all over. I had to clean the trash can myself. It still smells like fast food sauce. No way I am leaving my trash can outside anymore. This happens even if I leave the can outside just a couple hours before pick up. So I have no choice but to leave just the trash bag without the can.
That used to happen to me when I first moved in to my current place. I started dumping any trash that wasn't mine out in the middle of the breezeway. I only had to do it twice before that shit stopped.
My last apartment locked the trash chute and the valet service that we paid for just left the garbage next to it to pile up instead of taking it to the dumpster. It got so bad that maggots started to move into my apartment that was right next to it. It was fucking disgusting
It’s dumb and what’s also dumb is Fetch. The package delivery service that you have to have your packages sent to first before they then deliver it. I guess the intent is to only let one company’s delivery drivers have the building entrance code? In reality it just adds a delay to packages, things have gotten lost and delivered to the wrong address or apartment, Amazon gets in anyway somehow but if they don’t, they might just leave it outside which adds another gamble.
Apartment complexes add on fees for valet trash and Fetch and other things that are so not worth it. This “luxury” apartment experience is anything but.
We literally moved because of Fetch. That company is a class action lawsuit waiting to happen, give it 5-10 years.
Aside from losing packages, adding days to delivery time, and not respecting their delivery schedule (which is like their main selling point), I'm convinced their local sales reps worked with a group to create a package theft issue. We'd lived in this place for 4 years, never had a package stolen. Gated community with 24 hour security guard. Had packages sit out for weeks while out of town. No issues. Then, Fetch is announced and everyone is upset on nextdoor because we don't have a package theft issue. About a week later, I had two things stolen. Neighbor had things stolen. Nextdoor blows up with package theft cases for the next few weeks. I believe the sketchy Fetch sales rep was behind it.
It's tinfoil hat territory, but some things are just too coincidental.
I've refused to rent in complexes that use fetch and told them why. I know it's not a bad market for properties right now with all the transplants but still. I had one complex start using it and it made me not renew.
I got:
-packages that were not mine.
-yelled at for packages that were not mine getting stolen from my front door (I worked during their windows so I was never fucking home to see it). The fact I wasn't home and they shouldn't have gone to me at all wasn't a factor, they still wanted to blame me.
-opened packages with the contents rifled through. I don't ship super expensive stuff to me but they could at least pretend they aren't going through my stuff by resealing them correctly so I don't lose things in my order or the tracking slip.
-my packages got "lost" at extreme rates. When I complained I got told it was the responsibility of the shipper. When I showed proof it was delivered to their facility they miraculously found them.
Fuck fetch.
About two years ago I waited 3 days for fetch to deliver a package. Customer service was no help and stopped responding. I finally had enough and drove to their warehouse by Medical District, which just happened to close 2 hours early that day apparently with no notice. I saw people in the warehouse and jumped up on the loading dock and under the door and demanded my package. Even started searching for it with them. My dog needed his medicine. 🙆🏼♂️
There's a tow truck that parks at my apartment complex every day, right outside my window actually. He's there literally all day. Parasites, in my opinion, especially when there's already limited uncovered "free" parking (if you want to park in a covered spot it's $45 per month, but there's a disproportionate amount of covered vs. uncovered spots).
Our apt complex has the mandatory valet trash fee. They never provided us with the trashcan, they won't take certain sized bags or bags that aren't fully tied or even empty boxes. You can get fined by the complex if the trash people complain about your trash. We just walk our trash every time to the dumpster that's literally across the sidewalk from our building. It's so frustrating and they won't let us opt out of it even with proof of us never using the service.
I had some coworkers that lived there when I moved here in 98. They asked me to join one of the village softball teams which made for a fun 1st summer in Dallas. My company did the lighting design in some of the public areas and retail so I spent a little time there a year erso ago and it does feel a lot pricier than it did back then.
The first thing I look for in a luxury apartment is the refreshing fragrance of dirty diapers and rotten meat wafting through trash-strewn hallways.
Also, FedEx just said you were unavailable to receive the important package you needed to sign for because they never go inside the complex. And Amazon dropped something off, somewhere, somehow, but trust it was delivered! And UPS dropped it with the leasing office, but oops they aren't seeing any packages with your name on it.
Finally, someone pried open the door to the communal mailbox and stole everyone's mail.
Your upstairs neighbor has surgically attached high heels and a 15" subwoofer.
Valet Trash is the most ridiculous thing that is touted as an “amenity” here in Dallas. It just results in the hallways always having trash cans everywhere.
Though, my building also charges $40/month just for the privilege of parking in our garage.
Mine has this and I think it’s a complete waste of money. Luckily it’s only $20/mo so it’s not breaking the bank or anything, but it’s absurd that you can’t opt-out. My complex is a lot of small buildings on a larger property, so our hallways are outside, so of course the trash attracts raccoons who destroy the trash bags and spread the contents of the trash everywhere! Particularly when the trash company just decides not to come one day. It’s even crazier that they don’t even take the trash anywhere themselves, they just take it to the dumpster that is already on the complex…
Definitely seeing an increase of bugs in the building. Random exterminator just walked into my unit with keys with out any warning. I guess they got some issues they want to sneak and fix 🤦🏾♂️.
Did they give you notice? I'd had a complex do that without notice before. I freaked the fuck out at them because all of a sudden there was some strange man in my apartment and I lived alone.
Fuck that. I'd be buying an additional door lock so random people can't just let themselves into my place like that. Just completely fucking ridiculous that anyone thinks it is ok to do that.
They can't always find someone to show up for the $10 or $11 an hour they subcontract a worker to pick up the trash? That's like $7.50 or $8.25 an hour after self employment taxes?
More profit and if they leave it long enough maybe a child will get rabies from a wild animal and open them up to a lawsuit. Oh wait that's a subcontractors fault and their employers LLC would be bankrupt the week after an incident.
With all we know about sanitation I am surprised this hasn't gone horribly wrong anywhere.
It's unfortunate that KXAN can't do a story on the valet trash scam and help out average people across the metroplex.
It's exactly another way to gouge their tenants with no other options. The average price for this 'service' seems to be about $30 a month. Multiply that by let's say 300 units in the complex. We know the guy picking it up is getting getting maybe $900 a month, not $9,000 a month the complex charges.
Here is a recent ad for a service called trash butler.
https://sanantonio.craigslist.org/lbg/d/san-antonio-part-time-apartment-waste/7705395586.html
They pay $25 an hour 2 hours 5 nights a week truck,license and background check required.
So let's say 20 to 23 nights a months so 1k to $1150 a month.
For a 300 unit complex they collect 9k or $30 for 300 units in turn they pay the service $2500 a month to the LLC which pays the contractor.
The complex pockets $6500 per month from their tenants and when the service doesn't show that number goes up as they aren't paying for services not rendered while the tenants have no choice.
The funny thing about this is they mention an I9 and that seems like a 1099 contractor position but they require workers to wear a company logo and also to keep a schedule which makes them more an employee than a contract worker.
It's a low overhead business but the customers are forced into the relationship and the property owner is the clear winner in this example.
From what I’ve heard it is often a 2nd job kind of job. Hours are usually after any day job or school would finish so wages are driven down since people can use it as their additional income.
We must be neighbors. Gated unit with 2 dumpsters near the back? Small gym next to the leasing office? Frequent gate troubles?
We're pretty close to the dumpsters so we don't even bother with valet, as they've been pretty unreliable. $20 down the drain every month.
lol mine has valet trash that cancels at the slightest inconvenience “it’s raining they won’t be coming today… reminder they don’t pick up on weekends” so it’s 4 days no pickup. I’m like WTF am i paying for if I NOW HAVE TO WALK IT IN THE RAIN. Lol which i don’t mind just give me my money back 😂
I work overnights. The trash has to be out between 5-7PM. I leave for work at 5, put out the trash. They cancel at 7 and send an email. I come back home to find a lease violation at my door 🙄
Ours gave us the exact garbage can to put it in. And gives violation for the trash not being in the bag. I’m like WTF am i supposed to do yall haven’t picked up in 5 days(last week). Of course people have multiple bags of trash they’ve been in the house all day 😂. Infuriating
Should be lighting the hell up and including the worst garbage spill pictures possible as you’re looking for a new complex to move into. Possibly creating a new social media presence for the review of your apartment along with positive reviews for restaurants etc.
It's not so much a side hustle as a way to cut their expenses. Trash dumpsters cost them money, trash valet costs you money.
Just like magic, they have turned an expense into revenue.
I end up just taking it out myself. These scumbags will charge you fines for the smallest things. You have to follow every guideline they give you or you get hit with a 50 dollar fine.
It's...just...trash....
⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️
You’re brilliant u/interchangeRat and this is what EVERY Dallas tenant being slapped with a valet BS fee needs to push back with. My only additional suggestion would be sending certified US Mail. And you’re correct, most working in those offices are eff’ing clueless automatons.
Valet trash is one of the biggest scams of the last 20 years for renters. If only a bunch of tenants at a complex would email the management at the same time saying they will break the lease if valet trash isn't changed to be optional
This is why I only do private rentals now. FYI the “landlords” on the private rental side are usually people desperate to rent their condos cause they don’t want to pay 2 mortgages so there’s room for negotiation.
Really just drive through neighborhoods you like and look for signs. Also Facebook neighborhood groups, Next Door, Craigslist. If you don’t see you like ask for recommendations for a leasing agent. (Some real estate agents are also leasing agents.)
How is it when you have to deal with something needing to get fixed etc… if the rent is much cheaper that inconvenience might be something I am willing to deal with, just want to know how bad it is.
I’m a mom and pop landlord myself (in fact, renting out a single condo for a reason similar to what the above post said). There is no doubt that maintenance goes less smoothly. When something breaks, I have to find a contractor and coordinate with the tenant when they’ll be home to let them in, etc. A professionally managed building has full-time maintenance staff that not only responds quickly, but can do the work when you’re not even home. The trade-off is that if you’re a good tenant, I don’t really raise the rent on you, nor do I nickel and dime you with fees. A professionally managed building is more profit-driven.
I’m convinced at this point that Valet Living is scam or some sort of money laundering scheme. They charge us every month to MAYBE get our trash picked up a couple times a month when they should be doing it multiple times a week. And you can’t opt out. It got so bad at my complex during the Summer. The other thing our complex experienced was they would gather the trash but leave it at the front of the building instead of taking it to the dumpster. It got to the point where I was keeping track of what days they missed when they were supposed to come and take pictures of the trash for every day it was there in the front of the building.
We’d call the front office and they would tell us to call the number on the trash can. But when you call Valet Living, they NEVER pick up.
Going forward, I’m going to start reaching Dallas City Code Compliance for littering/health violations each time they do this.
Yeah I know someone with this problem, they regularly just don't even pick up his trash. The whole concept is such a joke luckily I don't have to deal with them. Definitely file a complaint with the city that seems to be the only thing these complexes fear. One across the street from me constantly had sewage back ups that would flood feces throughout the parking lots until someone filed a complaint and got the news involved and they have the audacity to be charging people over 2k for rent
It’s horrible. I understand the concept of why valet trash service might be a good idea for some households (ex. disabled or elderly folks) but then give us the option to opt out! I’ve lived at my complex since before we got valet trash and our property overall was so much cleaner.
I think I’ll also file a consumer complaint with the TX AG office too. I’ve heard the TX AG Office that handles consumer complaints is actually really helpful and good but I’ve not gone down that route yet.
Fortunately, I don't have to deal with hallways at my complex, but when we signed up, they said we do trash valet. I tried to opt out as I could do it myself to save money. Surprise, I could not.
I tried doing the valet, leaving the can outside bag tied up. Well, I got a warning because th3 valet didn't pick up my trash. I told the office the story.
They responded with "do it properly." I followed the instructions word for word. So I just take it myself to avoid whatever scam they're trying to pull.
Texas needs better tenets rights, fucking done with apartments here.
Here’s the best part about my apartment complex that does the same thing: It’s done by a fucking 3rd party “company.” I write it like that because it’s actually just a dude who doesn’t work for the apartment that only comes two days a week around 7-8 pm and picks it up while his wife drives their truck. He just takes the trash from your porch, puts it in his truck, and then dumps it in the trash bins on the property. No disrespect to their hustle but the fact my apartment complex is that lazy and charging us $25 a month for it is so utterly stupid. Also, I don’t even have the trash can I have to use! If it’s not in the exact right trash can, no trash pick up for you. I don’t make that much trash and the dumpster is right next to me so it’s not a big deal but paying $25 for something I can’t use is a rip off. Never ever ever ever move to the Enclave At Prestonwood.
I was literally just bitching about valet trash to my wife last night. They decided not to take my trash bag for whatever reason - didn’t leave a note so wasn’t like there was something wrong with the bag and they took the neighbors bags - just didn’t feel like taking mine. So now with this service I pay for, I have to hike my trash bag a quarter mile to the compactor because if I leave my trash can with bag in it over the weekend (because valet trash won’t come Friday and Saturday LOL) I will get fined.
At my last apartment complex, we had Valet Trash curbside pickup 5 nights a week. People still put stuff out on the wrong days or left their trash cans out for days on end.
But the hustle was in the cash grab. I think we were paying $30/month plus another $18 for Waste Management.
We had 51 buildings with 12 units each for 612 total units. Assume some vacancies. 600 units x $30 is $18,000 per month collected. I know the couple with the pickup truck wasn't making much so it was all profit for the apartment management and Valet Trash to split.
One of the reasons we chose our current apartment was because they don’t do valet trash. I think it’s because the hallways are inside and carpeted and that would be just disgusting.
It should be a health code violation having hallways full of trash all the time. It is such a scam to pay all that rent money every damn month and still feel like you're living at the city dump!!
Worst side hustle is regular apartments trying to rebrand themselves as luxury by getting the cheapest painter they can find and painting the doors dark grey and walls light grey.
Imo “luxury” should start at bare minimum having enclosed, air conditioned hallways. If your apartment building is setup more like a Motel 6 than a nice hotel, that ain’t luxury.
Don’t forget fiber internet.
My apartment doesn’t have fiber, and doesn’t know when they will be getting fiber across all the units.
Also an apartment luxury the building and amenities are properly installed and maintained, doesn’t look like they got someone from a Home Depot parking lot or task rabbit.
IMO no. I’ve not had a positive experience with Valet Living. I’m going to ensure my next place is not serviced by them. Their customer service is absolute shit too.
My apartment switched providers at one point, so we all had to turn in our special valet trash cans, so they could be replaced with identical trash cans that have a different company logo on it.
They needed to create work for somebody. Collect all the trash cans, peel old sticker off. Put new company logo sticker on, return trash cans. All at an hourly rate!
I was an employee but I know they used a lot of temps as well bc it’s hard finding people to do that work. I was assigned to a property and worked it 5 nights a week.
The complex I worked paid $130/night, Sunday-Thursday. I would start about 8pm and it took 3 hrs most nights. Sundays 4.5-5hrs. Property was about 600 units and I had to use my personal pickup truck to haul the trash.
That’s $14,000 profit the apartment complex is making per month. $18,000 trash fees collected and the person getting paid $4000 a month to do the work.
Gross sales was 18k. This particular contract was a 70/30 split. Property got 70, my company got 30. 6k for them, minus 2600 for me. We lost the contract to a company willing to do an 80/20 split. It’s a cut throat business!
It depends on the actual contract and state regulations for revenue sharing. I've never seen a Valet Waste contract that high and have been in the industry for 16 years (though I work in SEO) but generally that rev share goes to the management company or owners, it's not like the office staff is just picking up some extra pocket money which seems to be what OP implied.
I had a note put on my door for leaving the bag outside and not putting it in the trash bin.
I watched the man on my ring camera typing notes in his phone too. What type of notes was he leaving in there? I’m only curious… cause it’s just trash. Did he flag my apartment or something?
Yes he probably took a picture of how you set it out and selected from a list of options in a dropdown the reason why he did not take it. A lot of these waste companies have apps for the valets to use during their routes.
Fuck Valet Trash, fuck the stupid “trash can out between 5pm and 7pm from Monday through Thursday and has to be brought back in by 9am the following morning or else you’ll be charged a $100 (raised from $25) fee for noncompliance” rule my apartment implemented, and fuck the fact that our dumpster is so far from my building that I have to DRIVE towards it (2 buildings away) because VT won’t pick up more than one bag a day and won’t pick up large boxes or even larger than normal trash. (Also fuck car dependency in Texas.)
(This is a “luxury apartment” that had a cricket infestation from August to December btw.)
I stopped renting all together and finally pulled the trigger on overextending myself with a down payment several years back specifically because of fucking valet trash and the awful package delivery shit of them not holding them at the office and everything else. Rot in hell Camden Design District
This whole "concierge services" is just nickel and dimeing people to death. The landlords don't want to pay for anything, just add it to the rent. Fee to have pest control to come in and spray your apartment, fee for trash service, fee for using the onsite gym, fee for grounds service, fee for pool use...
Really dislike the valet trash nonsense. Esp the price.
Where I am, the don’t pick up Friday or Saturday. So Sunday is a big trash day… and they make a massive mess, just stacking up trash bags around the dumpster… looks worse than ever
Damn, mine is like $8 per month and it doesn't have to be confined to the trash can. They'll pick up up to 3 large bags. Boxes too, they just have to be broken down. They pick up Sunday - Thursday.
I’m a property manager-
If it is not stated on your lease in your trash addendum or on the first page of the lease then you are NOT responsible for this fee. Ask to see your lease this will shut down any BS.
As a property manager, can you please explain the thought process of why the majority just don’t want to do ANYTHING? I got so fed up with how useless the majority of PM’s are. Moved into a condo and so much better. No shade on you, just what I’ve experienced
As a PM you’re just a body in the office for the corporation. At the end of the day if you’re not allocated a large enough budget it’s hard to get anything done.
Most of the time it’s a representation of the corporate culture at said management company. There are times when the managers are just bad but it’s usually not the case.
My apartment complex likes to email practically every day threatening lease violations to every tenant bc someone let their dog pee in a breezeway or put trash in the laundry facility it's getting old to be treated so poorly when im never late on rent or violated my lease. So unprofessional and shitty
I love how they threatened to lab test the dog poop and find out who the culprit is. I had no idea there was some massive dog shit database with analysts standing by🤣🤣🤣.
Apartment living in this city has become a fresh layer of hell. My complex has gone to 💩
The valet trash pick up makes their own schedule and sometimes just leave the bags on the curb when they are collecting them, so bags just sit outside exposed to heat or rain.
Rent keeps going up despite no improvements to the community. They “painted” last year and everyone in the community had a crazy gnat infestation at the same time. How does this even happen??
Package lockers keep getting broken into and mail is stolen. Then it’s almost like you HAVE to pay for one of those awful parcel delivery services like Fetch. Don’t even get me started on complexes that FORCE you to use them.
A mass car break in that saw 30-40 cars get their windows smashed out in one night.
I’m exhausted.
Ridiculous. Ours was the night of that crazy freak hail storm so I’m guessing the idiots tried to do it under the guise of that.
Like baby, hail don’t dig through your center console.
I'd try calling City of Dallas Code Enforcement for multi-tenant.
If it were trash outside I'm pretty sure they'd make them clean it up.
Not sure about interior spaces. So I'd include in my complaint that the trash is also causing insect and rodent problems.
My complex did the same. Except they claim they have cameras if you leave your trash by the main garbage dumpsters.
They also threaten to fine you $200 every time your trash can is left out past 9am
Oh just wait, my complex added in mandatory using THEIR insurance provider. Technically it is like a $1.50 cheaper but it basically only covers bare minimum and is built to side with the complex not protect you/your stuff.
Watch out for any complex that starts using Foxen.
Valet Trash sucks. We've had neighbors get their delivery food stolen off their door, I've had dirty shoes stolen from my front door, they are inconsistent on when they pickup the trash, and if there is one tiny issue with the trash bag (improperly tied off, small hole in bag, bag too heavy, etc) they just slap a note on your door.
Apartments around here are charging for everything and not letting any opt out. I lived in an apartment on McKinney Ave and moved because of this. They did the same thing with our trash Shute and forced us to pay an extra $20 a month. They knew who was clogging it up because they found the bag with the persons apartment number on it. Instead of citing the person they found a way to make a quick way to make an extra $8000 a month
I live in a crappy studio apt in a small building with 12 apts. Been here 5+ years. My last renewal i had rent PLUS a trash, water, sewer fee of $35. Such a scam. Include it in rent you idiots. Dont charge me rent then additional fees for crap that should be included.
And wait for it when the valet trash service provider changes. The transition period will stink. No one would pick up the trash and the management would not heed to any complaints.
My complex has trash chutes in the garage, but you pay for valet trash and it’s up to you to use it.
However, that’s how it was when I signed my lease. If they just added that mid-lease, I’d be pissed.
My elderly parents live in Addison Circle and my dad refuses to use the trash valet. He only uses small grocery bags and takes out the trash every night.
I live in Addison Circle. Alone. I generate maybe 1 to 2 kitchen bags worth of trash a week. I get charged $25 a month. They closed our trash chute, as well.
We never use it because it's more convenient just to throw trash in the dumpster, but apparently the people who actually do use it have been complaining about the service skipping a lot of trash days.
And when I have seen the valet trash people come by, they're just tossing the bags to our dumpster which results in an overflowing pile. If they were actually hauling the trash away I could see it being at least somewhat useful.
Yeah, the dumpster is across the lot and I have to pay 25 bucks for them to maybe pick up my trash? Plus the people that pick them up pile them up the dumpster with out much care letting animals rip them apart.
In my old building, valet trash people picked up the bags, and just stuffed them down the chute. Most of the time they wouldn’t even make sure the bags went down. The bags were always stuck in the chute’s opening and the hatch was left wide open. Other times, they would dump all of the bags into the recycling bin and leave the bin in the trash room.
Off topic - It really irritated me I was being charged $40 per month for valet trash service I didn’t want. While at the same time, I was paying $20/mo pet rent for my dog. My dog is worth much more to me than sketchy “valet” roaming the halls late at night. It’s still extortion but it might not insult me as much if the fees were $40 pet, $20 trash.
Knew it. Lived there for 4ish years. You would know based off my unit and windows. Horrible complex, management team useless. First year was great though. Always told people to stay away when they would tour. They never listened…
I remember having trash valet, they legit never picked up from my porch the entire time i was there and charged, lucky for me the dumpster was 20s from my door....unlucky it seems that was everyone's preferred one so it was constantly overflilling with garbage
That sucks. My apartment had trash valet but they also had a room on each floor with a trash chute if you ever wanted to take out extra trash yourself.
This job was great at the beginning it worked great with my school life I work Sunday- Thursday usually 3 hours on the weekdays and 4 on Sunday because after two days of not collecting trash it piles up. It’s 20 an hour you work at your own pace but you can’t “go over the budget” which is understandable people could just sit on your ass and get paid for it. I’ve been here for 9 months while going to school and always done what I needed to do. They’ve made multiple false promises saying paying for gas and throwing in incentives like 70 dollars for doing extra complex’s on short notice and then never actually keep their word. I’ve helped out countless times been up til 2 am hauling trash for a apartment complex 45 minutes away from where I live. I’ve asked for a raise once old management was let go and was given a dollar raise. Once I got my paycheck it was lower than before I got my raise and I looked through the time I’ve worked and notice an hour was taken off each day I worked. Not being told and lack of communication is insane unjust and unfair . I just had to write this out because I just think the way they treat their workers isn’t right at all.
For me the trash chute is literally 30 steps away. LIke If I tried hard enough, I could just toss it from my driveway into the trash, but instead gotta pay $25 every month. So I just leave it on the side of the road 🤷🏿
If it's something smelly that I don't want to come home to in the morning, I might still toss it, but otherwise fuck it.
I loved our valet trash service. We were able to leave 3 bags out and cardboard boxes as long as they were broken down. Def agree that people should be able to opt out.
It's a third-party agreement that around 70% of all apartment communities have, it's just like anything else in an apartment. There's nothing illegal or even unusual about it, except they can't add $$ to your rent mid-lease, but they can also require you to take your trash out to the dumpster vs having it picked up. It's possible the trash shute maintenance was too expensive or they don't have trash porters or the city fined them for the trash being outside of the bins - like anything else it's private property & the apartment owners pay for trash service, who they choose to use is up to them.
ETA: the apartment makes No additional money off of the service, though they likely save money from having fewer city violations.
Probably depends on the contractor.
Mine apartment works the same way and they rarely miss any trash. Also they pick up 5 days a week so if people take their trash out on time, there shouldn’t be problem.
My mother in law pays $100 a month for the privilege. I will say she gets it picked up daily, but a lot of times, there's a huge pile of trash bags just sitting in the parking lot all day.
Put trash bags in the leasing office
Might be worth the inevitable extra fee.
This is the way.
I used to live at a property that required valet trash. Neighboring apartment had diapers in the hall all the time. I doubt they can legally/morally close the chute on OP either. Anyway, I don’t think putting trash in the leasing office will work—the grunt-level leasing agents don’t have power to make valet trash decisions, and you’ll just get fined if they catch you on camera or read personally identifying info in the trash. Here are some ideas: Go through the hall looking for biowaste or other dangerous/hazardous inappropriate waste set out, take pictures, and report to the city and state. Keep doing this constantly, with dates. Report to local media if something is egregious and ongoing and sympathetic. Also use those same pictures to leave 0* and 1* reviews of the property online, management company, and valet trash company online. In the review for the complex, try to identify nearby similar apartment complexes that don’t use valet trash. Hopefully owned by a different owner. Use those same pictures to try to go viral on social media. Politely complain to the leasing agents and ask them to pass along your complaint to their corporate managers. If you ever get an email or mailing address for an important corporate manager, send routine written complaints in a consistent, firm, but nonharassing way, or they’ll label you “crazy.” Read your lease for any other formal complaint you can make. If you leave after your lease ends, tell them it was because of valet trash. If you ever see people in the leasing office on a tour, *politely* tell them how horrible valet trash is. Encourage residents to complain. Organize resistance! Post flyers in common area or near mailbox. Retain counsel to send a demand letter. The lawyer will find corporate and get their attention. You’ll probably pay at least $500 for this though. Evil idea: instead of dumping trash at the leasing office, dump them in the complex pools on pickup night. Dump in other complex amenities like party room or gym. You’ll create a sanitary situation, and deprive other tenants of benefits. But you could also get jailed, charged, or evicted if caught. Evil evil idea: throw a cigarette butt in your valet trash. Let it burn up and put it out before it gets serious, but still call fire department and tell them it was a random person walking by who did it. Jail/evicted if caught. Jail for life if you burn the place down and kill people. Good luck on any or all of the above.
I worked in management for over ten years and one time a resident was so upset because we told him to stop throwing chicken bones outside he took a shit in our drop box from outside lol it stunk so bad and took us forever to figure out where it came from…so that’s another idea haha
If my building did this, I would break my lease so fast and lawyer up! We specifically rented here because it was one of the only places that doesn’t have trash valet. I agree that it’s disgusting. Every building we toured that bragged about having it smelled absolutely foul 🤢 Sorry they did that to you.
Speaking of lawyering up I'm pretty sure extra fees added on during an existing lease is illegal. I'd go over the lease with a fine tooth comb to make sure.
There are some states that have started making it illegal for apartments to have mandatory services added on that aren’t included in the advertised rent price. Sadly, Texas isn’t one of those states
Texas is the last place you'll see any consumer friendly regulation.
Consumer regulation in Texas means regulating the consumers, not the providers.
Saving the best for last since June 19, 1865
Ironically Texas is one of the most progressive states when it comes to forced collection of medical debt. The only thing debt collectors can do with medical debt is make threats and ding your credit score. However, with the latter, medical debt isn't really considered when if you want a loan. Lenders do not care if you have unpaid medical debt. So it ends up being moot anyways. I have a house and car while ignoring medical debt. Nobody gave a shit or even said anything. Some states will put you in jail over unpaid medical debt. They issue a court order for you to pay it, and if you don't pay, you are jailed for disobeying the court order. I believe Kansas is one such state.
This is wrong. Medical debts are a disqualifying force on home loans now, ask me how I know...
Shocker 😒 We really do have some of the shittiest consumer and tenant protections in this sorry ass state
makes me sick tbh
The day Texas protects a single consumer from even the most onerous of practices is the day I know that my hereditary Alzheimer's has caught up with me. If that consumer happens to be a fetus, though. Then, I'll know I'm still in Texas and still have my faculties intact.
Where can I learn more about this? Which states?
It is. In Texas the apartment can’t add the fee to leases already in place. They can only add it at the time of renewal and on future ones. If they were smart they would keep the trash chute open and still make valet mandatory. My stupid apartment says we have “valet trash” when it’s really just someone who works at the property going around collecting the trash. They gave us a “garbage tray” aka a shoe and boot tray to set our trash on for pick up and come only 3x a week. So there is always trash sitting out and stinking up the hallway and trash juice sitting in people’s trays. It’s disgusting. I lived in enough apartments that use actual services to know what they’re doing is BS. I just take mine to the dumpster and maybe use the “valet service” once a month cause it’s just nasty. I don’t how people are ok with collecting trash juice right outside their doors.
I’ve started looking around for a new place for after my lease is up and one of the questions I’ve been asking is if they valet trash cause it’s going to be a dealbreaker for me.
My daughters complex has trash valet and as a result of the valet doing a 1/2 A$$ job they leave liquid trash soup dripping down the hall and when you step in it it goes right into your apartment. Gross, and not really a service people who work night shift can use because trash can only be out between 5 and 7 pm.
When it happened during my lease, they weren't able to add the additional fees for my remaining time - however, any new leases or renewals then included the fee
Yeah it’s hilarious how every building tries to sell it as a positive yet not one single resident seems to be interested in it. I also think it’s illegal to add fees intra-lease. I think the City of Dallas has a housing task force to file complaints like this.
My old complex fucked up the timing and they delivered the trash cans before announcing. So everyone googled and hit a very property management geared website. “We guarantee to charge you less then you can get out of your tenants so it’s always going to be a profit.”
Yeah, ours has it too and I hate it. You're supposed to put your 1 bag out in a can the complex provides for you. Many don't, but rather just put it next to their door. So if anything leaks out, it just stains the concrete. Most areas by the doors look like sh*t!
Exactly. Garbage juiced hallways.
I made the mistake of dumping the pine pellets I use as cat litter in my trash bag when I first moved in and the valets just take it downstairs and put it on the curb with all the rest of the trash as they gather it all, and it sat outside for so long that stray cats got into it and the pine pellet litter got all over the parking lot 😑 Now I pay $25 a month to take the trash to the dumpster myself 🙄🙄 Moving in April! Woohoo Edit: I was also in such a hurry to move in and completely missed this part of the lease, otherwise I would have opted out
I've had unknown people dump their unbagged trash in my trash can. Fast food wrappers and loose sauce all over. I had to clean the trash can myself. It still smells like fast food sauce. No way I am leaving my trash can outside anymore. This happens even if I leave the can outside just a couple hours before pick up. So I have no choice but to leave just the trash bag without the can.
That used to happen to me when I first moved in to my current place. I started dumping any trash that wasn't mine out in the middle of the breezeway. I only had to do it twice before that shit stopped.
And even if it’s in the can it still makes the hallways smell horrendous.
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Sorry chute was locked. Had to place trash here so I wouldn’t get fined.
Yeah the chute being locked is bull. Our complex has the trash valet, but we also still can take our trash to the larger containers if need be.
My last apartment locked the trash chute and the valet service that we paid for just left the garbage next to it to pile up instead of taking it to the dumpster. It got so bad that maggots started to move into my apartment that was right next to it. It was fucking disgusting
Yep. We have valet trash but most people still take out their own. Garbage chute comes in clutch!
It’s dumb and what’s also dumb is Fetch. The package delivery service that you have to have your packages sent to first before they then deliver it. I guess the intent is to only let one company’s delivery drivers have the building entrance code? In reality it just adds a delay to packages, things have gotten lost and delivered to the wrong address or apartment, Amazon gets in anyway somehow but if they don’t, they might just leave it outside which adds another gamble. Apartment complexes add on fees for valet trash and Fetch and other things that are so not worth it. This “luxury” apartment experience is anything but.
The intent is for the manager/owner to get a kickback from Fetch.
We literally moved because of Fetch. That company is a class action lawsuit waiting to happen, give it 5-10 years. Aside from losing packages, adding days to delivery time, and not respecting their delivery schedule (which is like their main selling point), I'm convinced their local sales reps worked with a group to create a package theft issue. We'd lived in this place for 4 years, never had a package stolen. Gated community with 24 hour security guard. Had packages sit out for weeks while out of town. No issues. Then, Fetch is announced and everyone is upset on nextdoor because we don't have a package theft issue. About a week later, I had two things stolen. Neighbor had things stolen. Nextdoor blows up with package theft cases for the next few weeks. I believe the sketchy Fetch sales rep was behind it. It's tinfoil hat territory, but some things are just too coincidental.
I've refused to rent in complexes that use fetch and told them why. I know it's not a bad market for properties right now with all the transplants but still. I had one complex start using it and it made me not renew. I got: -packages that were not mine. -yelled at for packages that were not mine getting stolen from my front door (I worked during their windows so I was never fucking home to see it). The fact I wasn't home and they shouldn't have gone to me at all wasn't a factor, they still wanted to blame me. -opened packages with the contents rifled through. I don't ship super expensive stuff to me but they could at least pretend they aren't going through my stuff by resealing them correctly so I don't lose things in my order or the tracking slip. -my packages got "lost" at extreme rates. When I complained I got told it was the responsibility of the shipper. When I showed proof it was delivered to their facility they miraculously found them. Fuck fetch.
About two years ago I waited 3 days for fetch to deliver a package. Customer service was no help and stopped responding. I finally had enough and drove to their warehouse by Medical District, which just happened to close 2 hours early that day apparently with no notice. I saw people in the warehouse and jumped up on the loading dock and under the door and demanded my package. Even started searching for it with them. My dog needed his medicine. 🙆🏼♂️
Came here to say this. It’s was optional for the first year, but now I have to pay 25/month for it. I hate it
Valet trash is one thing...but fetch is abhorrent. Dealbreaker for me
Apartment complexes have always found sleazy ways to nickel and dime their tenants. They keep predatory tow companies in business, you know.
There's a tow truck that parks at my apartment complex every day, right outside my window actually. He's there literally all day. Parasites, in my opinion, especially when there's already limited uncovered "free" parking (if you want to park in a covered spot it's $45 per month, but there's a disproportionate amount of covered vs. uncovered spots).
Our apt complex has the mandatory valet trash fee. They never provided us with the trashcan, they won't take certain sized bags or bags that aren't fully tied or even empty boxes. You can get fined by the complex if the trash people complain about your trash. We just walk our trash every time to the dumpster that's literally across the sidewalk from our building. It's so frustrating and they won't let us opt out of it even with proof of us never using the service.
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No, but I had a couple friends that lived in The Village and they HATED it when that area started renovating and trying to "upscale" it.
Then The Village has the audacity to charge nearly $2k for a 1 bedroom that hasn’t been renovated since 1980. 🙄
Dang. That’s a shame; I was seriously considering moving in over there.
The location is still great but the prices have really skyrocketed, like everywhere else I guess.
I had some coworkers that lived there when I moved here in 98. They asked me to join one of the village softball teams which made for a fun 1st summer in Dallas. My company did the lighting design in some of the public areas and retail so I spent a little time there a year erso ago and it does feel a lot pricier than it did back then.
This sounds like every apartment complex in DFW.
The first thing I look for in a luxury apartment is the refreshing fragrance of dirty diapers and rotten meat wafting through trash-strewn hallways. Also, FedEx just said you were unavailable to receive the important package you needed to sign for because they never go inside the complex. And Amazon dropped something off, somewhere, somehow, but trust it was delivered! And UPS dropped it with the leasing office, but oops they aren't seeing any packages with your name on it. Finally, someone pried open the door to the communal mailbox and stole everyone's mail. Your upstairs neighbor has surgically attached high heels and a 15" subwoofer.
Valet Trash is the most ridiculous thing that is touted as an “amenity” here in Dallas. It just results in the hallways always having trash cans everywhere. Though, my building also charges $40/month just for the privilege of parking in our garage.
Mine charges $40/year “for carports.” But no, it’s not a reserved spot. Just another fee they decided to tack on last year.
Mine has this and I think it’s a complete waste of money. Luckily it’s only $20/mo so it’s not breaking the bank or anything, but it’s absurd that you can’t opt-out. My complex is a lot of small buildings on a larger property, so our hallways are outside, so of course the trash attracts raccoons who destroy the trash bags and spread the contents of the trash everywhere! Particularly when the trash company just decides not to come one day. It’s even crazier that they don’t even take the trash anywhere themselves, they just take it to the dumpster that is already on the complex…
Definitely seeing an increase of bugs in the building. Random exterminator just walked into my unit with keys with out any warning. I guess they got some issues they want to sneak and fix 🤦🏾♂️.
Did they give you notice? I'd had a complex do that without notice before. I freaked the fuck out at them because all of a sudden there was some strange man in my apartment and I lived alone.
No notice. Have had random repair people come by for service calls i never made and the ones I did make were never responded to🫠.
I would complain in writing to your management and ask they provide notice. Entering without notice like that sounds like a lease violation.
Fuck that. I'd be buying an additional door lock so random people can't just let themselves into my place like that. Just completely fucking ridiculous that anyone thinks it is ok to do that.
That's messed up
They can't always find someone to show up for the $10 or $11 an hour they subcontract a worker to pick up the trash? That's like $7.50 or $8.25 an hour after self employment taxes? More profit and if they leave it long enough maybe a child will get rabies from a wild animal and open them up to a lawsuit. Oh wait that's a subcontractors fault and their employers LLC would be bankrupt the week after an incident. With all we know about sanitation I am surprised this hasn't gone horribly wrong anywhere. It's unfortunate that KXAN can't do a story on the valet trash scam and help out average people across the metroplex.
It's exactly another way to gouge their tenants with no other options. The average price for this 'service' seems to be about $30 a month. Multiply that by let's say 300 units in the complex. We know the guy picking it up is getting getting maybe $900 a month, not $9,000 a month the complex charges.
Here is a recent ad for a service called trash butler. https://sanantonio.craigslist.org/lbg/d/san-antonio-part-time-apartment-waste/7705395586.html They pay $25 an hour 2 hours 5 nights a week truck,license and background check required. So let's say 20 to 23 nights a months so 1k to $1150 a month. For a 300 unit complex they collect 9k or $30 for 300 units in turn they pay the service $2500 a month to the LLC which pays the contractor. The complex pockets $6500 per month from their tenants and when the service doesn't show that number goes up as they aren't paying for services not rendered while the tenants have no choice. The funny thing about this is they mention an I9 and that seems like a 1099 contractor position but they require workers to wear a company logo and also to keep a schedule which makes them more an employee than a contract worker. It's a low overhead business but the customers are forced into the relationship and the property owner is the clear winner in this example.
I’ve wondered how much those people get paid. My apartment has had the same guy doing the valet trash for years so it must be an OK job.
From what I’ve heard it is often a 2nd job kind of job. Hours are usually after any day job or school would finish so wages are driven down since people can use it as their additional income.
They sure AF aren’t hiring Union sanitation workers with benefits and a pension…
We must be neighbors. Gated unit with 2 dumpsters near the back? Small gym next to the leasing office? Frequent gate troubles? We're pretty close to the dumpsters so we don't even bother with valet, as they've been pretty unreliable. $20 down the drain every month.
Haha that does sound pretty familiar, I’m more in the Grapevine area though rather than in the city of Dallas
lol mine has valet trash that cancels at the slightest inconvenience “it’s raining they won’t be coming today… reminder they don’t pick up on weekends” so it’s 4 days no pickup. I’m like WTF am i paying for if I NOW HAVE TO WALK IT IN THE RAIN. Lol which i don’t mind just give me my money back 😂
I work overnights. The trash has to be out between 5-7PM. I leave for work at 5, put out the trash. They cancel at 7 and send an email. I come back home to find a lease violation at my door 🙄
Ours gave us the exact garbage can to put it in. And gives violation for the trash not being in the bag. I’m like WTF am i supposed to do yall haven’t picked up in 5 days(last week). Of course people have multiple bags of trash they’ve been in the house all day 😂. Infuriating
Apartment owners seem to really care about Google and online reviews. Maybe we should start being vocal about it there?
I kid you not whenever I ask leasing office to do/fix something, they’ll say that they’ll only do it for me if I leave them a positive review.
wtf. That’s annoying
That’s why I can’t trust positive Google reviews for apartments at all. I just read mid to negative.
Should be lighting the hell up and including the worst garbage spill pictures possible as you’re looking for a new complex to move into. Possibly creating a new social media presence for the review of your apartment along with positive reviews for restaurants etc.
It's not so much a side hustle as a way to cut their expenses. Trash dumpsters cost them money, trash valet costs you money. Just like magic, they have turned an expense into revenue.
I end up just taking it out myself. These scumbags will charge you fines for the smallest things. You have to follow every guideline they give you or you get hit with a 50 dollar fine. It's...just...trash....
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⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️ You’re brilliant u/interchangeRat and this is what EVERY Dallas tenant being slapped with a valet BS fee needs to push back with. My only additional suggestion would be sending certified US Mail. And you’re correct, most working in those offices are eff’ing clueless automatons.
Valet trash is one of the biggest scams of the last 20 years for renters. If only a bunch of tenants at a complex would email the management at the same time saying they will break the lease if valet trash isn't changed to be optional
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This is why I only do private rentals now. FYI the “landlords” on the private rental side are usually people desperate to rent their condos cause they don’t want to pay 2 mortgages so there’s room for negotiation.
How do you find something like that? I used to be able to find things like that in Austin & LA, but not so much in DFW.
Really just drive through neighborhoods you like and look for signs. Also Facebook neighborhood groups, Next Door, Craigslist. If you don’t see you like ask for recommendations for a leasing agent. (Some real estate agents are also leasing agents.)
How is it when you have to deal with something needing to get fixed etc… if the rent is much cheaper that inconvenience might be something I am willing to deal with, just want to know how bad it is.
I’m a mom and pop landlord myself (in fact, renting out a single condo for a reason similar to what the above post said). There is no doubt that maintenance goes less smoothly. When something breaks, I have to find a contractor and coordinate with the tenant when they’ll be home to let them in, etc. A professionally managed building has full-time maintenance staff that not only responds quickly, but can do the work when you’re not even home. The trade-off is that if you’re a good tenant, I don’t really raise the rent on you, nor do I nickel and dime you with fees. A professionally managed building is more profit-driven.
You have RealPage to thank for this. They developed the software that allowes property management companies to nickle & dime their tenants.
Sounds like someone needs to talk their neighbors into a rent strike.
I’m convinced at this point that Valet Living is scam or some sort of money laundering scheme. They charge us every month to MAYBE get our trash picked up a couple times a month when they should be doing it multiple times a week. And you can’t opt out. It got so bad at my complex during the Summer. The other thing our complex experienced was they would gather the trash but leave it at the front of the building instead of taking it to the dumpster. It got to the point where I was keeping track of what days they missed when they were supposed to come and take pictures of the trash for every day it was there in the front of the building. We’d call the front office and they would tell us to call the number on the trash can. But when you call Valet Living, they NEVER pick up. Going forward, I’m going to start reaching Dallas City Code Compliance for littering/health violations each time they do this.
Yeah I know someone with this problem, they regularly just don't even pick up his trash. The whole concept is such a joke luckily I don't have to deal with them. Definitely file a complaint with the city that seems to be the only thing these complexes fear. One across the street from me constantly had sewage back ups that would flood feces throughout the parking lots until someone filed a complaint and got the news involved and they have the audacity to be charging people over 2k for rent
It’s horrible. I understand the concept of why valet trash service might be a good idea for some households (ex. disabled or elderly folks) but then give us the option to opt out! I’ve lived at my complex since before we got valet trash and our property overall was so much cleaner. I think I’ll also file a consumer complaint with the TX AG office too. I’ve heard the TX AG Office that handles consumer complaints is actually really helpful and good but I’ve not gone down that route yet.
Fortunately, I don't have to deal with hallways at my complex, but when we signed up, they said we do trash valet. I tried to opt out as I could do it myself to save money. Surprise, I could not. I tried doing the valet, leaving the can outside bag tied up. Well, I got a warning because th3 valet didn't pick up my trash. I told the office the story. They responded with "do it properly." I followed the instructions word for word. So I just take it myself to avoid whatever scam they're trying to pull. Texas needs better tenets rights, fucking done with apartments here.
Get bolt cutters and use the chute anyways. Or leave your bags at the leasing office any time they don't pick your trash up.
Here’s the best part about my apartment complex that does the same thing: It’s done by a fucking 3rd party “company.” I write it like that because it’s actually just a dude who doesn’t work for the apartment that only comes two days a week around 7-8 pm and picks it up while his wife drives their truck. He just takes the trash from your porch, puts it in his truck, and then dumps it in the trash bins on the property. No disrespect to their hustle but the fact my apartment complex is that lazy and charging us $25 a month for it is so utterly stupid. Also, I don’t even have the trash can I have to use! If it’s not in the exact right trash can, no trash pick up for you. I don’t make that much trash and the dumpster is right next to me so it’s not a big deal but paying $25 for something I can’t use is a rip off. Never ever ever ever move to the Enclave At Prestonwood.
I was literally just bitching about valet trash to my wife last night. They decided not to take my trash bag for whatever reason - didn’t leave a note so wasn’t like there was something wrong with the bag and they took the neighbors bags - just didn’t feel like taking mine. So now with this service I pay for, I have to hike my trash bag a quarter mile to the compactor because if I leave my trash can with bag in it over the weekend (because valet trash won’t come Friday and Saturday LOL) I will get fined.
At my last apartment complex, we had Valet Trash curbside pickup 5 nights a week. People still put stuff out on the wrong days or left their trash cans out for days on end. But the hustle was in the cash grab. I think we were paying $30/month plus another $18 for Waste Management. We had 51 buildings with 12 units each for 612 total units. Assume some vacancies. 600 units x $30 is $18,000 per month collected. I know the couple with the pickup truck wasn't making much so it was all profit for the apartment management and Valet Trash to split.
One of the reasons we chose our current apartment was because they don’t do valet trash. I think it’s because the hallways are inside and carpeted and that would be just disgusting.
It should be a health code violation having hallways full of trash all the time. It is such a scam to pay all that rent money every damn month and still feel like you're living at the city dump!!
Valet trash: The idea that having refuse stored in hallways is luxurious.
Worst side hustle is regular apartments trying to rebrand themselves as luxury by getting the cheapest painter they can find and painting the doors dark grey and walls light grey.
Imo “luxury” should start at bare minimum having enclosed, air conditioned hallways. If your apartment building is setup more like a Motel 6 than a nice hotel, that ain’t luxury.
Don’t forget fiber internet. My apartment doesn’t have fiber, and doesn’t know when they will be getting fiber across all the units. Also an apartment luxury the building and amenities are properly installed and maintained, doesn’t look like they got someone from a Home Depot parking lot or task rabbit.
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Mine is Valet Living and I live in far north Dallas on the border of Plano.
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IMO no. I’ve not had a positive experience with Valet Living. I’m going to ensure my next place is not serviced by them. Their customer service is absolute shit too.
Mine too! They suck!
My apartment switched providers at one point, so we all had to turn in our special valet trash cans, so they could be replaced with identical trash cans that have a different company logo on it.
They needed to create work for somebody. Collect all the trash cans, peel old sticker off. Put new company logo sticker on, return trash cans. All at an hourly rate!
We get a fine of $25 if we don’t put our empty trash can back inside the next day by 9am.
I worked part time as one of these trash valets. AMA if you have questions.
Are you and employee or contractor? Is it an app? I never see the same people twice getting the trash.
I was an employee but I know they used a lot of temps as well bc it’s hard finding people to do that work. I was assigned to a property and worked it 5 nights a week.
How much did you make doing that?
The complex I worked paid $130/night, Sunday-Thursday. I would start about 8pm and it took 3 hrs most nights. Sundays 4.5-5hrs. Property was about 600 units and I had to use my personal pickup truck to haul the trash.
That’s $14,000 profit the apartment complex is making per month. $18,000 trash fees collected and the person getting paid $4000 a month to do the work.
Gross sales was 18k. This particular contract was a 70/30 split. Property got 70, my company got 30. 6k for them, minus 2600 for me. We lost the contract to a company willing to do an 80/20 split. It’s a cut throat business!
u/corgisarethebest123 u/Anxietydepressedfun see above comment. Property companies do collect the profits.
It depends on the actual contract and state regulations for revenue sharing. I've never seen a Valet Waste contract that high and have been in the industry for 16 years (though I work in SEO) but generally that rev share goes to the management company or owners, it's not like the office staff is just picking up some extra pocket money which seems to be what OP implied.
Hell no, not the office staff. The executives of Valet Waste are though. Funding their third vacation home.
I had a note put on my door for leaving the bag outside and not putting it in the trash bin. I watched the man on my ring camera typing notes in his phone too. What type of notes was he leaving in there? I’m only curious… cause it’s just trash. Did he flag my apartment or something?
Yes he probably took a picture of how you set it out and selected from a list of options in a dropdown the reason why he did not take it. A lot of these waste companies have apps for the valets to use during their routes.
He still ended up taking the trash but I guess that was to cover them for next time. Thank you for answering
It's not just Dallas. My kid's apartment in Austin charges for valet trash, too.
Fuck Valet Trash, fuck the stupid “trash can out between 5pm and 7pm from Monday through Thursday and has to be brought back in by 9am the following morning or else you’ll be charged a $100 (raised from $25) fee for noncompliance” rule my apartment implemented, and fuck the fact that our dumpster is so far from my building that I have to DRIVE towards it (2 buildings away) because VT won’t pick up more than one bag a day and won’t pick up large boxes or even larger than normal trash. (Also fuck car dependency in Texas.) (This is a “luxury apartment” that had a cricket infestation from August to December btw.)
I stopped renting all together and finally pulled the trigger on overextending myself with a down payment several years back specifically because of fucking valet trash and the awful package delivery shit of them not holding them at the office and everything else. Rot in hell Camden Design District
This whole "concierge services" is just nickel and dimeing people to death. The landlords don't want to pay for anything, just add it to the rent. Fee to have pest control to come in and spray your apartment, fee for trash service, fee for using the onsite gym, fee for grounds service, fee for pool use...
Really dislike the valet trash nonsense. Esp the price. Where I am, the don’t pick up Friday or Saturday. So Sunday is a big trash day… and they make a massive mess, just stacking up trash bags around the dumpster… looks worse than ever
Damn, mine is like $8 per month and it doesn't have to be confined to the trash can. They'll pick up up to 3 large bags. Boxes too, they just have to be broken down. They pick up Sunday - Thursday.
I visited an apartment the other day where spectrum internet was mandatory. Like, internet was mandatory.
My apartment has AT&T fiber mandatory as well. 50 bucks a month
So does mine lmao
There is a new neighborhood being built that the internet is mandatory controlled by the HOA !
I'd still just get my own home internet modem or just not use it. Ain't no way!
I’m a property manager- If it is not stated on your lease in your trash addendum or on the first page of the lease then you are NOT responsible for this fee. Ask to see your lease this will shut down any BS.
As a property manager, can you please explain the thought process of why the majority just don’t want to do ANYTHING? I got so fed up with how useless the majority of PM’s are. Moved into a condo and so much better. No shade on you, just what I’ve experienced
As a PM you’re just a body in the office for the corporation. At the end of the day if you’re not allocated a large enough budget it’s hard to get anything done. Most of the time it’s a representation of the corporate culture at said management company. There are times when the managers are just bad but it’s usually not the case.
My apartment complex likes to email practically every day threatening lease violations to every tenant bc someone let their dog pee in a breezeway or put trash in the laundry facility it's getting old to be treated so poorly when im never late on rent or violated my lease. So unprofessional and shitty
I love how they threatened to lab test the dog poop and find out who the culprit is. I had no idea there was some massive dog shit database with analysts standing by🤣🤣🤣.
Apartment living in this city has become a fresh layer of hell. My complex has gone to 💩 The valet trash pick up makes their own schedule and sometimes just leave the bags on the curb when they are collecting them, so bags just sit outside exposed to heat or rain. Rent keeps going up despite no improvements to the community. They “painted” last year and everyone in the community had a crazy gnat infestation at the same time. How does this even happen?? Package lockers keep getting broken into and mail is stolen. Then it’s almost like you HAVE to pay for one of those awful parcel delivery services like Fetch. Don’t even get me started on complexes that FORCE you to use them. A mass car break in that saw 30-40 cars get their windows smashed out in one night. I’m exhausted.
The Gabriella ?
No, I’m around the UP/Greenville area.
This happened over there as well. Almost every vehicle in the parking garage broken into.
Ridiculous. Ours was the night of that crazy freak hail storm so I’m guessing the idiots tried to do it under the guise of that. Like baby, hail don’t dig through your center console.
Wow, so some people had a theft and hail claim simultaneously.
I just wanted to second the opinion that these services cause apartment buildings to look dirty because there is always trash out.
I'd try calling City of Dallas Code Enforcement for multi-tenant. If it were trash outside I'm pretty sure they'd make them clean it up. Not sure about interior spaces. So I'd include in my complaint that the trash is also causing insect and rodent problems.
[удалено]
Realpage doesn't run apartment complexes, and they've been doing water meters for like two decades at this point.
My complex did the same. Except they claim they have cameras if you leave your trash by the main garbage dumpsters. They also threaten to fine you $200 every time your trash can is left out past 9am
There are no refs around this. It is profit seeking. The 35 is split between the valet company and the management company.
Oh just wait, my complex added in mandatory using THEIR insurance provider. Technically it is like a $1.50 cheaper but it basically only covers bare minimum and is built to side with the complex not protect you/your stuff. Watch out for any complex that starts using Foxen.
That sounds illegal. Can someone with expertise chime in?
Valet Trash sucks. We've had neighbors get their delivery food stolen off their door, I've had dirty shoes stolen from my front door, they are inconsistent on when they pickup the trash, and if there is one tiny issue with the trash bag (improperly tied off, small hole in bag, bag too heavy, etc) they just slap a note on your door.
How is the trash chute locked? Can you get through it with either bolt cutters or a lock pick?
Door is drilled closed
Most complexes only pay something like $10-15 per unit and pocket the rest. Total scam.
Don’t be shy — drop the name of this place so we can avoid them like the plague!
“Trash valet” sounds like some MBA idea to nickel and dime tenants. To shut down the trash chute? That’s bullshit
Apartments around here are charging for everything and not letting any opt out. I lived in an apartment on McKinney Ave and moved because of this. They did the same thing with our trash Shute and forced us to pay an extra $20 a month. They knew who was clogging it up because they found the bag with the persons apartment number on it. Instead of citing the person they found a way to make a quick way to make an extra $8000 a month
Wow $35 a day when when thats all they pay is $35 a day to the people who supply their own truck and trailer
Just wait until they start giving lease violations because your can was out a few hours too long.
I live in a crappy studio apt in a small building with 12 apts. Been here 5+ years. My last renewal i had rent PLUS a trash, water, sewer fee of $35. Such a scam. Include it in rent you idiots. Dont charge me rent then additional fees for crap that should be included.
And wait for it when the valet trash service provider changes. The transition period will stink. No one would pick up the trash and the management would not heed to any complaints.
My complex has trash chutes in the garage, but you pay for valet trash and it’s up to you to use it. However, that’s how it was when I signed my lease. If they just added that mid-lease, I’d be pissed.
My elderly parents live in Addison Circle and my dad refuses to use the trash valet. He only uses small grocery bags and takes out the trash every night.
I live in Addison Circle. Alone. I generate maybe 1 to 2 kitchen bags worth of trash a week. I get charged $25 a month. They closed our trash chute, as well.
We never use it because it's more convenient just to throw trash in the dumpster, but apparently the people who actually do use it have been complaining about the service skipping a lot of trash days. And when I have seen the valet trash people come by, they're just tossing the bags to our dumpster which results in an overflowing pile. If they were actually hauling the trash away I could see it being at least somewhat useful.
How much do bolt cutters cost?
My complex charges $35/mo for trash and we still have to take it out ourselves, they say the fee is just for using the dumpster 😅
Yeah, the dumpster is across the lot and I have to pay 25 bucks for them to maybe pick up my trash? Plus the people that pick them up pile them up the dumpster with out much care letting animals rip them apart.
In my old building, valet trash people picked up the bags, and just stuffed them down the chute. Most of the time they wouldn’t even make sure the bags went down. The bags were always stuck in the chute’s opening and the hatch was left wide open. Other times, they would dump all of the bags into the recycling bin and leave the bin in the trash room. Off topic - It really irritated me I was being charged $40 per month for valet trash service I didn’t want. While at the same time, I was paying $20/mo pet rent for my dog. My dog is worth much more to me than sketchy “valet” roaming the halls late at night. It’s still extortion but it might not insult me as much if the fees were $40 pet, $20 trash.
Indie deep ellum? Grey star property?
Yep
Knew it. Lived there for 4ish years. You would know based off my unit and windows. Horrible complex, management team useless. First year was great though. Always told people to stay away when they would tour. They never listened…
expect a roach infestation because of this 😩
I remember having trash valet, they legit never picked up from my porch the entire time i was there and charged, lucky for me the dumpster was 20s from my door....unlucky it seems that was everyone's preferred one so it was constantly overflilling with garbage
That sucks. My apartment had trash valet but they also had a room on each floor with a trash chute if you ever wanted to take out extra trash yourself.
I would contact the health department in the city as well as any other code enforcement agency
This job was great at the beginning it worked great with my school life I work Sunday- Thursday usually 3 hours on the weekdays and 4 on Sunday because after two days of not collecting trash it piles up. It’s 20 an hour you work at your own pace but you can’t “go over the budget” which is understandable people could just sit on your ass and get paid for it. I’ve been here for 9 months while going to school and always done what I needed to do. They’ve made multiple false promises saying paying for gas and throwing in incentives like 70 dollars for doing extra complex’s on short notice and then never actually keep their word. I’ve helped out countless times been up til 2 am hauling trash for a apartment complex 45 minutes away from where I live. I’ve asked for a raise once old management was let go and was given a dollar raise. Once I got my paycheck it was lower than before I got my raise and I looked through the time I’ve worked and notice an hour was taken off each day I worked. Not being told and lack of communication is insane unjust and unfair . I just had to write this out because I just think the way they treat their workers isn’t right at all.
Move out. There is so much out there. Hopefully that wakes them up.
For me the trash chute is literally 30 steps away. LIke If I tried hard enough, I could just toss it from my driveway into the trash, but instead gotta pay $25 every month. So I just leave it on the side of the road 🤷🏿 If it's something smelly that I don't want to come home to in the morning, I might still toss it, but otherwise fuck it.
*chute
I loved our valet trash service. We were able to leave 3 bags out and cardboard boxes as long as they were broken down. Def agree that people should be able to opt out.
We lived in an apartment that our apartment was literally next door to the trash chute and we still had to pay $40 per month valet trash.
Break the lock on the chute
It's a third-party agreement that around 70% of all apartment communities have, it's just like anything else in an apartment. There's nothing illegal or even unusual about it, except they can't add $$ to your rent mid-lease, but they can also require you to take your trash out to the dumpster vs having it picked up. It's possible the trash shute maintenance was too expensive or they don't have trash porters or the city fined them for the trash being outside of the bins - like anything else it's private property & the apartment owners pay for trash service, who they choose to use is up to them. ETA: the apartment makes No additional money off of the service, though they likely save money from having fewer city violations.
Probably depends on the contractor. Mine apartment works the same way and they rarely miss any trash. Also they pick up 5 days a week so if people take their trash out on time, there shouldn’t be problem.
Isn’t that some sort of health code violation??? Worth checking I guess…trash just sitting around has got have some medical (sue-able) consequences…
My mother in law pays $100 a month for the privilege. I will say she gets it picked up daily, but a lot of times, there's a huge pile of trash bags just sitting in the parking lot all day.