A California business owner went viral for dumping heaps of trash into a resident’s driveway after they allegedly refused to pay a $700 fee. According to KGO, the individual had moved out of their home without paying Express Rental Dumpster for its services. Martin Perez, the owner, didn’t want to take a $1,000 loss on landfill costs, so he ‘returned’ the client’s garbage, making him an internet hero.
The unnamed client kept pushing off the payment, saying they would pay later, and then left Perez an aggravating message: $2 and an invoice with a smiley face. “You think that ‘it’s like that,’ right?” Perez said. “I feel bad, because I don’t want to cause any issues. But, sometimes, it’s hard doing this kind of work.”
Local police reportedly determined that no crime had been committed, as Perez had ensured that no trash was left on the sidewalk or the street. Still, the neighborhood was very concerned, as a heap of unattended trash was now left on someone’s driveway.
Countless Social Media Users Praised the Driver for His Actions
Tens of thousands on social media felt the business owner’s actions were justified, given that the customer refused to pay for his service. “He’s just returned his stuff that he didn’t pay to have removed. Seems like a nice guy to me,” commended a Redditor. “Not paying seems like a trashy thing to do,” quipped another.
“Now the client can pay the code violation fines instead,” laughed a Facebook commenter. “Excellent service. Don’t pay, he doesn’t play!” exclaimed a second. Praise aside, several other users claiming to work in the dumpster industry explained that this sort of client scam is not uncommon.
“I’ve operated rolloff dumpster trucks for years. Had to do this once a month,” wrote an individual. Another recalled how someone had done this to their business with “illegal trash.” In the responses, many wondered why the service fees weren’t paid in advance first.
While Perez has plenty of people supporting what he did, the ones who will unfortunately suffer indirectly from his actions are the neighbors. As one nearby homeowner stated, “This is not just between the driver and the neighbor. This started affecting all the community.”
