Waste Management [WM] review: End of contract commercial dumpster hidden pickup fee

On 1/11/2023, I called Waste Management to schedule a pickup date for removal of our commercial dumpster. I got intentionally disconnected on my first call because that individual got frustrated with me. Called again and I was told that a fee of $300 plus surcharge (told $350 to be exact) could be waived if I waited until February 28th, BUT I still would be charged for that month of service. I refused because the verbiage in our contract is so vague such as using the terms "as needed services" that it would recommit us into another contract (regardless of what rep said, because lack of faith in what is told to me). So, then a truck is suddenly available to pick our dumpster up on 1/31/24 but now with that charge of $300+. I ended the call because my point was not being understood. The call then ended.

I then (re)reviewed our contract from 2017 and the 2021 contract and was unable to see where it disclosed an amount for picking up our dumpster, so I called again and talked to another rep. My question to the rep was here was this amount posted. I was told it's under the "as needed charge" on front page, as well as, on the website. It implies that there may be additional charges but are the amount of those charges. That person said it was posted somewhere. Once again, that conversation was going nowhere, and my point was not being understood. I was referred to a senior rep. The call ended and a senior rep called.

Each call the rep wanted to state the point that they tried to reach out to negotiate the price. This was after Waste Management received our cancellation letter and a contract was signed with a new service. I was told by rep number 3 that this was disclosed when we first started our service with Waste Management, about 20 years ago. I do not recall, during my 8 years at this agency, in any of contract renewal negotiations with Waste Mangement during a conversation that included a $350 pickup charge.

My question with each rep was where this is posted. Told the website, I was told it insinuated under the "as needed services", or I would have been told that if we negotiated a price for renewal. I do not believe that is so because at that point because why would there be a reason too since I' be renewing our contract.

I informed the last representative that if the difference between the price we would have received because we negotiated compared to the price we paid (understood because we did not want to renew) were paying would cover the $350 charge time and time again. I have brought up the $350 but the amount is the issue, my issue is where is this posted for the customer to see, or how that number became about. Its standard price is what I was told. Where are the standard prices listed.

I believe that Waste Mangement purposely uses very vague verbiage so they have such a grey area for any surprising costs or fluctuations that may occur. I can not be the only business who has this issue. I believe that this is deceptive, and this $350 is a hidden cost.

I was told by rep 4 that the company we went with has all the same term and conditions as Waste Mangement, but Waste Management's contract is 2 fine print full pages so I don't believe that our new company took 2 pages saying the same thing in just 1 page. Plus, representatives are allowed to make negotiations when it benefits Waste Mangement but as soon as I say I'm not interested in negotiating, we get a charge that seem to be an amount that just fell out of the sky.