(Getty Images)
Better Business Bureau (BBB) St. Louis advises consumers to use caution if doing business with DCS Waste Systems, Inc., a waste collection company based in St. Louis. Consumers reported to BBB the business failed to pick up trash, did not provide refunds, failed to contact customers, and provided poor customer service.
DCS Waste Systems, Inc., has an “F” rating, the lowest on BBB’s scale, due to recent unanswered complaints. The business also has received negative customer reviews.
“This company’s problems not only hurt its customers, but also harms the public,” said Michelle L. Corey, BBB St. Louis president and CEO. “It’s not safe to let garbage sit on a curb for days and weeks on end. If you are in the market for a waste management company, make sure to read what experiences other people have had with the business before hiring them.”
A St. Louis woman told BBB she cancelled her service with DCS Waste Systems, Inc., in January 2024 because of inconsistent service. Having paid up front from three months of service, the woman expected to receive a prorated refund. She said a DCS Waste Systems, Inc., representative told her she would receive a refund, but she has not received it.
“They would go weeks and not pick up and then they wouldn’t pick up on the right day,” the woman told BBB. “You never knew when they were coming.”
An Arnold, Missouri, woman told BBB she had been a DCS Waste Systems, Inc., customer for 10 years, but had to cancel the service in January 2024 because of inconsistent service. She said she called the business and asked why her waste was not being collected, but said she was not given an answer.
The woman said a DCS Waste Systems, Inc., representative told her that she would not get a refund until she returned the company’s bins. The woman said it took the company 4 ½ months to retrieve the bins from her property. She said she has yet to receive her refund.
A different Arnold, Missouri, woman told BBB that she cancelled her service in January 2024. She said DCS Waste Systems, Inc., failed to pick up her trash for two straight weeks and was inconsistent with its service prior to that.
The woman said she paid for three months’ service and believes she is owed a refund for services not rendered.
“They’ve given me all kinds of excuses,” the woman told BBB. “I’ve called about the refund, but they keep telling me they are investigating the situation.”
According to Missouri secretary of state records, DCS Waste Systems, Inc., was incorporated in November 2005. In its latest filings from March 2024, James G. Smith of St. Louis was listed as the president of DCS Waste Systems, Inc.
The business did not respond to a BBB letter regarding how it plans to address its pattern of customer complaints. However, a company representative did respond to an inquiry from a BBB investigator.
“We had a truck that got into an accident in December,” the DCS Waste Services, Inc., office manager told BBB. “It took us everything to keep things moving.”
The employee said the business would answer the unanswered complaints. It has failed to do so.
BBB offers these tips on selecting a waste collection company:
- Research any business and its owners carefully before paying any money. Check the company’s BBB Business Profile at BBB.org or by calling 888-996-3887.
- When you move to a new residence, find out if your municipality or homeowners association contracts with a trash removal service. You may not have a choice, but if you do, make sure you do thorough research before entering into a contract.
- Ask about the business’ policy on missed pickups. Inquire about how you are to alert the business if the service is not provided as scheduled.
- Learn the cancellation and refund policies. Should you move, you’ll need to know how to cancel the service and how to recoup any money you may have already paid the business.
- If you have a complaint, make sure to file it at BBB.org and with your state’s attorney general’s office.
