Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Penn Waste, Inc's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Penn Waste, Inc

  85 Brick Yard Rd Manchester, PA 17345-9204

• 

  Penn Waste, Inc

  PO Box 3066 York, PA 17402-0066

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/01/2023

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  This is a company we must use due to our township having a contract with them. They raised the rates in october which lead to my auto pay failing. I was not notified until they added a ten dollar charge for late fee. I paid all of the bill for oct-dec. Now they are double charging me for ********march. Is this allowed? I added my receipt of payment. If needed I have my bank statement as well to prove i paid them.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/22/2023

  Dear ******************:

  ************** has autopay set up through our Billtrust Portal system. I verififed the following:

  The customer received the 10/1/22 invoice via e-mail on 10/6/22 and he opened the emailed invoice on 10/6/22 which reflected the increase.  At that time he should have gone in and changed his threshold because he manages his online account.  There is also a pop-up that comes up once threshold has been changed stating the change will not take effect until the next invoice is generated so you will need to manually make this payment.  He did not make his payment for this invoice until 1/30/23.Which covered 10/1/31 12/31/22. 
  Billtrust Portal shows:

  File Parsed 2022-10-06 10:50:24 File parsed and document created in document warehouse
  Email Send Time 2022-10-06 13:32:36 The time the document was emailed
  Email Open Time 2022-10-06 14:22:10 The first time the email was opened by a recipient
  
  
  The invoice for 1/1/23 3/31/23 was emailed to him on 1/30/23 and he opened the emailed invoice on the same day.

  Billtrust Portal Shows: 

  File Parsed 2023-01-30 16:22:32 File parsed and document created in document warehouse
  Email Send Time 2023-01-30 17:08:23 The time the document was emailed
  Email Open Time 2023-01-30 17:40:22 The first time the email was opened by a recipient

  Should ************** have further questions, I encourage him to contact our customer service department at **************. 

  Sincerely,

  *****************************
  Credit & Collections Manager 

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/27/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Claim against PENN WASTE I am making this claim because of the ongoing never ending way this company rips off its customers. Those ways include, #1 - Trash pick up services are paid for but not always given. At least a half dozen times over the last few years NO trash pick up was made on scheduled Mondays. When their customer service is contacted we are told they will either send a road pickup truck out to get the trash, or it would be picked up the next day. NONE of the times I am writing about was either promise ever kept. And they will not credit customers for pick ups we PAID FOR but was not made. More than once trash sits in front of our houses till the next week's pick up, or we have to move it all back of our homes again until next week's pick up. And they will not credit our accounts for services paid for but not given. #2 - More than once recycling pick up was also not made and instead the regular TRASH truck took what was supposed to be recycled. That is when they even picked it up at all. We spend our time separating trash to recycle, and they mix it in with the regular trash when that saves them money. #3 - The last time yard waste was picked up a couple of months ago, I had two full cans, and almost half the waste was still left in the bottoms of each can. The guy never even bothered to check to see if he got all the waste. They not only didn't take half of what I am paying them to pick up, but the guy destroyed both cans. One he split from top to bottom and he broke the top edge of the other can. I had to clean out all that waste from the broken cans and put it all in a heavy duty trash bag I had to buy. When I called about it and said I expected the cans to be replaced, I was told they would replace one can, but a supervisor had to approve the 2nd can. That was around two months ago and I have not heard from anyone since. When it comes to ANY kind of service from this company there IS NONE. Not if and when it costs them money. #4 - Several years ago this company came up with a contract agreement for each customer. They offered to SELL us a supply of large orange trash bags that we could use, and while we used those we would not get a monthly trash bill. That plan turned out to be a total FRAUD. As soon as that plan wasn't paying them enough profit they broke that "signed" LEGAL agreement, (which they collected money for) and they refused to refund any money for unused bags. I complained about this with the BBB back then and was told by PENN WASTE that I could use the bags when I have extra trash to get rid of. I am 80 years old, I have no family, and it takes me two weeks just to fill a small kitchen trash can. It would take me two months to fill one of their orange bags and at the same time I would still be paying them for weekly pick ups. I still have half of those bags left that I do not create enough trash to fill, while they still have my money for them. Home owners are not the only ones who have problems with PENN WASTE. *********** Township that I live in has had to have a council meeting with them because of problems they have had with this company. Also, none of my neighbors I have ever talked to over the years have ever received any credit, refund, or promise kept by this company. But they have no problem taking our money. 

  Business Response

  Date: 04/24/2023

  Please be advised *** ***** used to be on the pay per bag program. As part of the contract extension agreement, *********** Township and Penn Waste mutually agreed upon changing the service from 26 bags per year for this service, to weekly collection of up to 1-32 gallon bag or container. The Township board voted on and approved this at their August 22, 2019 meeting. The contract change was negotiated for January 1, 2020. This was the final year of the initial term of the contract. The rate for this service remained the same from 26 bags per year to 52 bags per year (1 per week). The customers are receiving more service for the same rate. This was also the meeting that the extension of the current contract was addressed. The rate in the first two years of the extension agreement, which was voted on at the August 22, 2019 meeting as well.
  
  *** ***** can continue to use his purchased bags if he would like to get rid of them. We understand he doesn’t generate much material. He can place his small kitchen bag curbside each week and it should be collected.
  

  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ********

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/25/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: - - How does putting out a small kitchen bag each week make up for the money I PAID for the orange trash bags I now have no use for?  The offer makes no sense!
  

  ALSO, - - - they give me NO reply about the two yard waste "trash cans" that their people DESTROYED during the November 2022 yard waste pick up. Two cans that will cost me $50 to replace in order to get rid of my yard waste, or I have to again spend more money for the paper yard waste bags from ****'*.  

  ALSO, - - - this company totally ignores and refuses to credit residents for trash pick-up we PAY for, for pick-ups that were not made, sometimes a couple a year for the past 5 or 6 or more years. EACH time for which I made phone calls which were each ignored. Then they lie and claim they have no records of calls. At least twice I had to make THREE calls about each missed pick up. NEVER from all of my calls did I ever receive one single reply.
  

  This company wastes NO time in collecting their fees EVERY month, but totally ignores complaints hoping we will forget and go away.  I do not forget or go away.

  I'd like to add one more thing.    Charging a customer for those pick-up services not provided, and then billing those customers both by mail, and by eMail over the internet, are be both Mail Fraud,  AND Wire Fraud.  BOTH Federal crimes!  AND that would mean Federal charges for each and EVERY customer falsely billed these two ways for missed pick ups.
  

  - - - Attached are pics of my two trash cans this company's workers destroyed. - - -
  
  Regards,
  
  **** ** *****  
  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/12/2023

  Please be advised our operations manager has spoken to *** ***** in attempt to resolve. We’ve put in a work order to deliver two 32 gallon yellow yard waste bins to his address before next yard waste collection (May6). We have also Issued a 4 week credit to his account. Again, we apologize for the inconvenience.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/14/2023

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  Regards,
  
  **** ** *****  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/19/2022

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Penn Waste has failed to pick up my recycling for the past two weeks. I phoned them on Wed. Dec. 14 telling them they had forgotten me the week before but I did not make a complaint as I try to be understanding, and the customer service agent told me I should leave the recycling at the end of my driveway and it would be picked up ASAP. Nearly a week later, my recycling is still not picked up. We are now working on three full weeks of recycling. I called again today and was asked questions designed to blame ME for them not picking it up (Question 1: What kind of can are you using? Answer: the blue recycling container that says Penn Waste on it. Question 2: Are the items stuck in the can? Answer: No, but it is overflowing since it hasn’t been picked up. Question 3: When did you put the garbage out? Answer: By about 6 PM the night before pick up as I always do. ) I told the agent I wanted a discount on my bill for this pay period and she told me she could not issue any credits. I asked for her supervisor. She told me her supervisor would “tell me the same thing.” I asked for her supervisor’s boss and she said I should call customer service and “ ask for Steph.” She r we oils not give me a last name. This customer service rep also told me she was waiting for a call back from the driver and then she would call me back. She has not called me back. I think this is TERRIBLE customer service and would change garbage companies, but I can’t because Penn Waste is a monopoly. Finally, they often leave my cans in the middle of my driveway which is a huge safety risk for me as I live on a very busy and high speed road and am unable to turn into my driveway. I have had to push the cans out of the way with the nose of my car in order to enter my driveway on numerous occasions (top many to count). Please help me BBB. Thank you!

  Business Response

  Date: 01/06/2023

  Dear ******************:

  We apologize for the inconvenience in not providing recycling service. We strive to provide excellent service to all our customers. A 1-month credit was applied to the account in the amount of $22.61.  Please be advised we have reviewed with operations to not place the cans in the middle of the driveway. 
  

  Sincerely,

  Sheila B*************
  Credit & Collections Manager

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/07/2023

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ***********************
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/08/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Penn Waste in South Hanover Township in PA never picks up all the trash we put out. Moved into our new home in April and had to clean out many items for trash pickup and it seems almost every month we have to call and complain to their customer service because the drivers always leave items (mattresses, chairs, old furniture, etc) sitting after they empty the cans. We call and are told they will send a driver to get the left items but the driver never comes. The next week rolls around and it happens again. It seems to take them 4 or more wks to pickup the additional items (which are allowed per their contract with the borough) to finally get all the additional trash. Its been going on for almost 8 months. We constantly have to call them numerous times and they act like we're being dramatic, or they get offended because we are angry, or they make apologies and promises to fix the issue but it never happens. This service isn't cheap and we're the customers but the gaslighting is ridiculous! Its also a safety and health hazard for us and the entire neighborhood to leave this type of trash sitting by the road; not to mention its unsightly for everyone in what is a nice neighborhood. I'd like to see Penn Waste provide a billing credit for all the wasted time calling and complaining, the lack of service that we pay on time for, and the poor customer service and attitude of their customer service department and drivers.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/22/2022

  Dear ******************:

  We have reviewed the complaint with our operations supervisor. Please know we strive to provide excellent service to every customer. We apologize for this inconvenience and have issued a $40 credit to their account. 

  Sincerely, 

  Sheila B***********
  Credit & Collections Manager 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/15/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Penn waste regularly refuses to complete trash and or recycling pickups. Once a month trash and or recycling is left behind. I pay for a service that I do not recieve the full benefit of. I never get a response from a supervisor. I request my trash picked up every week without fail. Alll of the trash and alll of the recycling.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/05/2022

  Dear ******************:

  In response to ********************** complaint. Penn Waste strives to provide optimal refuse and recycling service to all our customers. In the event service is not provided, the customer is to call our customer service at ************** to report it immediately. All efforts will be made to collect. 

  Sincerely,

  Sheila B************
  Credit & Collections Manager 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/22/2022

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  9/7/22, 9/14/22, 9/21/22 My recycle trash has not been picked up for 3 weeks. I contacted them 5 times and nothing has happened. I pay for this service.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/10/2022

  Dear ******************:

  Please be advised we have serviced the recycling and ***********************'s account has been credited. We apologize for the inconvenience. 

  Sincerely,

  Sheila B************
  Credit & Collections Manager
  Penn Waste, Inc. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/17/2022

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *******************************
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/09/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Hello my name is *******, and I live at ****************** Middletown PA ******** my recycle was on by the sidewalk today, and they missed it up, and when I picked in the request, they came back to my street today again and missed it again, and I have run up to the workers, and one of them told me why they miss it for because there was trash in it and there was no trash in it just recycle stuff in it this happen to me before already I need y'all to come and pick it up again.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/12/2022

  Dear ******************:
  

  Please be advised our residential supervisor has been informed and reviewed *********************'s complaint with the crew. He will be out to collect the missed recycling tomorrow, 9/13/22.

  We apologize for this inconvenience. 

  Sincerely,

  Sheila B************
  Credit & Collections Manager
  Penn Waste, Inc. 

  Business Response

  Date: 09/14/2022

  Dear ******************,

  We did not pick up the recycling tote because it is full of non recycling materials. The customer was informed before there is trash in the recycling can. Recycling information can be found on our website at www.pennwaste.com Also, we will mail an informative recycling flyer today. 

  Regards,

  Sheila B***********
  Penn Waste, Inc. 

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/14/2022

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must explain why you reject the response. If no cause is received, your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:Their was no trash in the recycling   so I recommend y'all workers pick it up tomorrow!
  
  Regards,
  
  *******************************
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/31/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Left trash bin in middle of driveway, no street lights near my house so i backed up into bin causing damage to my car. Called to complain were supposed to call me back but havnt called me back. They have a history of leaving bins in middle of road, blocking sidewalks and driveways calling to complain only makes employees worse theres 2 seperate photos which they revieved and recieved video of emplyees throwing bins around yet nothing has changed and now my car has damage because they leave it in middle of drive way at 5 am, i leave for work at 515 and can not see it cause its so dark out

  Business Response

  Date: 09/12/2022

  Dear ******************:

  Please be advised we have contacted ************. We explained we were not provided a picture of damages incurred by his vehicle and a reported claim to the police and/or insurance at the time it happened. Also, we did not receive a video showing our loaders throwing totes in his driveway. However, to ensure excellent service we did review this complaint with our residential operations crew. 

  Sincerely,

  Sheila B*********
  Credit & Collections Manager
  Penn Waste. Inc. 

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/24/2022

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Penn Waste is contracted to pick up trash weekly We pay $68.07 a quarter For the past 8 months they have neglected to pick up residential waste on a weekly basis as contracted to.When called all I hear is staffing issues.They still demand quarterly payments and we must pay or they file judgements in court

  Business Response

  Date: 09/12/2022

  Dear ******************: 

  
  A national labor shortage has resulted in the inability for consistent service. We apologize to **************** for this inconvenience and have credited his account for the 3rd quarter.  We are committed to provide our customers with the optimal service they deserve. We thank our customers for their patience during this time. 

  Sincerely,

  
  Sheila B**********
  Credit & Collections Manager
  Penn Waste, Inc. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/24/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On 8/22/2022 penn waste didn't pick up my trash. I called that evening someone was to have gotten it Tuesday. They did not. Called back in Tuesday still have not recieved call back. Still have not picked up my trash. I have been requesting a call from a supervisor and I get ignored.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/12/2022

  Dear ******************:

  Please be advised we did return and provided trash service. We apologize to **. ******* for this inconvenience. 

  Sincerely,

  Sheila B**************
  Penn Waste, Inc.