Blog Post

How Much Should You Pay For Scavenger Service?

Jeff • March 3, 2023

If you own a building with 5 or more units, you are required to have a private company haul away your garbage. There are so many companies to choose from and while they all kind of suck, there are certain things to know so that you are protected and have control of your account. If you are working with the larger national haulers such as Waste Management (now simply WM) or Republic Services, do you look at your bill every month? You should. We routinely find that for a contract that when signed, monthly service fee was $250, now 9 months later you find that the monthly charge (before added fees) is $700. Fee creep with many of these companies is unconscionable. They will always lower the fee when you call but to do so, you are required to renew your contract with them for an additional 2 to 3 years. Which leads to the next big problem, they write their contracts so that they automatically renew. When you sign a contract with these services, always insist that they DO NOT automatically renew. This will at least allow you to terminate a contract at any time (maybe with a 30 day notice). If you find fee creep, I recommend switching services. In Chicago, we find PWD and Chicago Disposal to be among the most flexible haulers to work with.


In a recent property management assignment, we found that a 42 unit building received a bill for $2,800 for one month of service. $460 of this was “extra pick up” This still left the monthly service at a staggering $2,400. Upon discussion, WM was willing to reduce the following months to $900. Both Chicago Disposal and WPD were around $500. Also the latter two services did not require a contract. The new contract will save the owner over $20,000. The bottom line, pay attention to services such as garbage hauling which if left on autopay can result in huge and unnecessary costs. 


If you are on the north side of Chicago and looking for better property management solutions, please contact Drexel Properties for a consultation.


Share this post

By 1924193 March 30, 2025
Why you Should Work with Drexel Properties
By 1924193 February 26, 2025
Ensure your rental property complies with the Chicago Heat Ordinance, which requires landlords to maintain indoor temperatures of 68°F by day and 66°F by night from September 15 to June 1. Failure to meet these standards can result in fines of up to $1,000 per day. Learn the specific heating requirements, compliance tips, and best practices to keep your tenants warm and avoid costly penalties.
By 1924193 February 11, 2025
2024 with Drexel Properties
Show More
Share by: