Damage Claims — Rubbish Removal Annex
1. Service-specific Preamble
Rubbish removal is short-duration, heavy-equipment, access-intensive work — and most damage claims relate not to the rubbish itself but to the access: driveway, lawn, fence, gate, door frame, walls. The contractor's truck or trailer is the main risk source.
Customers must disclose: driveway weight limits; narrow access points; soft lawn; irrigation under access routes; and any item they want returned that has been placed in the disposal pile.
2. Common Damage Scenarios
The following 12 scenarios capture the most common damage incidents arising from rubbish removal services. Each scenario records why damage typically occurs, the liability outcome under this policy, the customer disclosure required to support a claim, the contractor procedure expected to avoid damage, and the evidence required.
2.1 Driveway cracked
Why damage occurs: Truck weight on weak slab.
Liability outcome: Excluded where the slab was pre-weakened or the weight limit was not disclosed. Covered where the contractor parked on a clearly soft surface.
Customer disclosure: Disclose driveway weight rating; known cracks.
Contractor procedure: Walk driveway; use protection boards for heavy loads.
Evidence required: Pre-arrival driveway photo.
2.2 Lawn rutted by truck/trailer
Why damage occurs: Wet soil compaction; heavy axle.
Liability outcome: Conditionally covered depending on weather. Excluded where the customer asked the truck to enter wet lawn.
Customer disclosure: Disclose recent rain; soft lawn.
Contractor procedure: Refuse lawn entry where wet; use boards.
Evidence required: Photo of lawn before and after.
2.3 Fence scraped during access
Why damage occurs: Tight access.
Liability outcome: Covered where the contractor caused. Excluded where the customer warranted clear access.
Customer disclosure: Disclose narrow access.
Contractor procedure: Measure before approach.
Evidence required: Photo of access width.
2.4 Gate hinge damaged
Why damage occurs: Forcing open beyond design.
Liability outcome: Covered where the contractor forced. Excluded if the hinge was pre-weak.
Customer disclosure: Disclose any sticky gate.
Contractor procedure: Inspect hinge before opening fully.
Evidence required: Arrival photo of gate.
2.5 Door frame damaged
Why damage occurs: Item dragged through doorway.
Liability outcome: Covered.
Customer disclosure: Disclose tight doorways.
Contractor procedure: Disassemble if needed; padding.
Evidence required: Photo.
2.6 Wall damage
Why damage occurs: Item carried through.
Liability outcome: Covered.
Customer disclosure: Disclose narrow corners.
Contractor procedure: Wall protection.
Evidence required: Photo.
2.7 Garden bed crushed
Why damage occurs: Worker stepping on bed.
Liability outcome: Covered where avoidable.
Customer disclosure: Mark protected beds.
Contractor procedure: Walk perimeter.
Evidence required: Photo.
2.8 Paving cracked
Why damage occurs: Truck weight or item drop.
Liability outcome: Excluded for pre-weakened paving. Covered otherwise.
Customer disclosure: Disclose.
Contractor procedure: Inspect.
Evidence required: Photo.
2.9 Council infrastructure damaged (kerb, footpath)
Why damage occurs: Truck access.
Liability outcome: Covered to neighbour/council under contractor PL.
Customer disclosure: —
Contractor procedure: Photograph kerb before parking.
Evidence required: Photo.
2.10 Neighbour property damaged
Why damage occurs: Truck or item swung over boundary.
Liability outcome: Covered under contractor PL.
Customer disclosure: —
Contractor procedure: Photograph before parking.
Evidence required: Photo.
2.11 Item taken by mistake from neighbour
Why damage occurs: Loading wrong items.
Liability outcome: Covered by replacement value (recovery from commingled waste impractical).
Customer disclosure: Mark pile clearly.
Contractor procedure: Confirm what to remove with customer before load-in.
Evidence required: Customer marking.
2.12 Item from customer's home taken by mistake
Why damage occurs: Misunderstanding what was rubbish.
Liability outcome: Covered to replacement value (irrecoverable from commingled waste).
Customer disclosure: Be present during load-in or clearly mark pile.
Contractor procedure: Confirm verbally and in app.
Evidence required: Booking notes.
2.13 Quick-reference summary table
The following table summarises the 12 scenarios above for at-a-glance use:
| # | Scenario | Default outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2.1 | Driveway cracked | Conditional (pre-weakened vs soft-surface parking) |
| 2.2 | Lawn rutted by truck/trailer | Conditional (weather + customer instruction) |
| 2.3 | Fence scraped during access | Conditional (contractor cause vs customer warranty of clear access) |
| 2.4 | Gate hinge damaged | Conditional (force vs pre-weak hinge) |
| 2.5 | Door frame damaged | Covered |
| 2.6 | Wall damage | Covered |
| 2.7 | Garden bed crushed | Covered (where avoidable) |
| 2.8 | Paving cracked | Conditional (pre-weakened paving excluded) |
| 2.9 | Council infrastructure damaged | Covered under contractor PL |
| 2.10 | Neighbour property damaged | Covered under contractor PL |
| 2.11 | Item taken by mistake from neighbour | Covered to replacement value (irrecoverable) |
| 2.12 | Item from customer's home taken by mistake | Covered to replacement value (irrecoverable) |
3. Service-specific Exclusions
In addition to the universal exclusions in the Damage Claims Master Part 5, the following are also excluded under this Annex:
- Irrecoverable items from commingled waste once the truck has left the depot — claim value is replacement value only.
- Damage to driveways and paving that were pre-weakened, where the customer was reasonably aware.
- Damage to lawn where the customer asked the truck to enter wet ground.
4. High-Risk Items Requiring Customer Disclosure
The following are high-risk items where customer disclosure before the service is essential to preserve a claim:
- Soft or wet lawns;
- Old or cracked driveways;
- Brick-on-sand paving;
- Ornate or specimen plants near the access route;
- Irrigation lines under the access route;
- Any item in or near the disposal pile the customer wants kept.
5. Contractor Procedure
The contractor performing a rubbish removal service through URGENT Pro must:
Arrival inspection focused on access route. Photograph driveway, gate, lawn, and walls before entry; confirm with the customer exactly what is to be removed; mark items to be kept.
6. Claim Evidence Requirements
To support a damage claim under this Annex, the following evidence is required (in addition to the universal evidence standards in the Damage Claims Master Part 8):
- Photos of access route before arrival (contractor) and damage (customer);
- Booking notes confirming scope of removal; and
- For "wrong item taken" claims — photo or description of the item.
7. FAQs
7.1 Your truck cracked my driveway — am I covered?
Only if the driveway was undamaged at arrival and the contractor did not warn you of the risk. Pre-existing cracks and weakened slabs are excluded.
7.2 They took my mum's chair by mistake — can I get it back?
Commingled waste cannot be recovered. URGENT Pro will compensate at replacement value subject to disclosure rules; this is why item-marking and pre-load confirmation are critical.
7.3 My neighbour's fence got scraped — am I responsible?
No — the contractor's PL covers damage to neighbour property caused during your service.