A California business owner went viral after dumping piles of trash back into a resident’s driveway after the customer allegedly refused to pay a $700 fee. According to KGO, the resident had moved out of the home without paying Express Rental Dumpster for its services. Martin Perez, the company’s owner, said he was unwilling to absorb a $1,000 loss in landfill costs, so he “returned” the customer’s garbage — a move that quickly turned him into an unlikely 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 concluded that no crime had been committed, as Perez had made sure no trash was left on the sidewalk or in the street. Nevertheless, neighbors remained concerned because a large pile of unattended trash had been left in someone’s driveway.
Social Media Users Weigh In
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 roll-off dumpster trucks for years and had to do this once a month,” one person wrote. Another recalled a similar incident in which someone targeted their business with “illegal trash.” In the comments, many questioned why the service fees had not been paid upfront.
Although Perez has received plenty of support for his actions, the people who may ultimately suffer indirectly are the neighbors. As one nearby homeowner put it, “This is not just between the driver and the neighbor. This started affecting the whole community.”
