Flat and apartment-dwellers can seemingly be at a disadvantage when it comes to renting skip bins. In a detached home, you generally just have the skip bin deposited on your driveway, fill it up, and you're good to go. In an apartment or flat, you share the driveway with however many other people live in the complex, and they're not going to be overjoyed to see a great big skip bin blocking their access. But still, when you live in a flat or apartment and need to rent a skip bin, there are ways to do it without too much hassle.
In a Common Area
Is there a common area where the skip bin company could place the bin? Even if there's space, it's not a given that this will be allowed. You should check with your body corporate association or building management before booking the bin. There could be restrictions on the length of time that the bin can be left there (even if you were only planning to rent it for a short period of time). There might also be restrictions on the times of day that the bin can be delivered and collected, so you'll need to check with the bin hire company to make sure this restricted schedule is possible.
In Your Garage or Parking Space
It's not as though a traditional skip bin can easily be maneuvered into a standard garage or parking space, but a non-traditional skip bin can be. Ask if the bin hire company provides mobile bins. Instead of being transported on the back of a truck, these smaller, wheeled bins are towed and can be backed into a narrow space. The bin is contained within a space designated for your private use and so won't get in anyone's way.
On the Street
If use of a common area is not possible and a mobile skip bin is not feasible, you could consider having the skip bin deposited on the street outside your building. This will require a permit from your local council (which the bin hire company might be able to help you with). Leaving a bin on the street is also subject to any applicable parking restrictions, so if there's a bus stop or another type of no stopping restriction, then the bin might need to be moved slightly along the street to where these restrictions are no longer applicable. Since this is somewhat more effort than merely carrying things downstairs and placing them in the bin, you might want to enlist some help from a few friends and family members for a truly efficient (and infinitely easier) job.
Living in an apartment or flat doesn't mean that you can't use a skip bin when you need to. It just means that a little more planning might be necessary.
Share21 December 2017
We have the worst possums in the world in my street. They are always trying to get into our garbage bin, but once they are in they don't eat much at all: They just drag rubbish around the yard looking for fruit scraps. It attracts flies and looks (and smells) terrible. I have tried nearly everything you can think of to try and discourage them, but the only thing that works is having air tight garbage bins that they can't lift the lids on. This blog has some tips on the best types of garbage bins for keeping possums and other wildlife out of your rubbish.
