Signs it may be time to switch
- Buildings or floors get missed more than once in a while, and it keeps happening
- You hear about missed pickups from residents before you hear from your provider
- You can’t reach anyone who can make a decision when something goes wrong
- The monthly bill keeps growing through surcharges or escalators you didn’t plan for
- Residents can’t tell who the crews are, or crews don’t follow the property’s rules
Switch when the same problems keep coming back and your provider can’t fix them.
Step 1: Read your current contract
Before you talk to anyone else, find these four things in your current agreement:
- The term end date. When does the current term expire?
- The notice period. How far ahead do you have to give notice that you won’t renew?
- Auto-renewal. Does the contract renew automatically if you miss the notice window, and for how long?
- Early termination. Is there a fee to leave early, or a clause that lets you terminate if service standards aren’t met?
If the notice window is close, put it on the calendar first. Missing it can lock you into another full term.
Step 2: Get proposals before you give notice
Line up the replacement before you tell your current provider. Have each company walk the property and send a written proposal. Use the walkthrough to ask the questions in our guide to choosing a valet trash company, and tell them plainly what went wrong with the current service. A good provider will explain how they’d handle it.
Step 3: Line up the dates
The goal is for the new service to start the night after the old one ends. Work backward from your current end date:
- Your current contract’s last night of service
- The new provider’s first night, the following night
- The new provider’s onboarding time before that. With Redstone Valet, service typically starts two to three weeks after a signed contract.
- Your notice to the current provider, sent within the window the contract requires
Step 4: Give notice in writing
Send notice the way your contract specifies, usually in writing to a specific address or contact. Keep a copy and confirm receipt. Be factual and brief.
Step 5: Tell residents what is changing
If the schedule, set-out time, and bag rules stay the same, residents may not notice the switch at all. If anything changes, send a short notice a week or two ahead covering the new rules and start date. Update your resident portal and any posted signage.
Step 6: Watch the first two weeks closely
Walk the property at night and the next morning during the first couple of weeks. Expect a few loose or misplaced bags while residents adjust. Tell the new provider about anything you see right away, so problems are fixed early instead of becoming habits.
Switching to Redstone Valet
Redstone Valet is a locally owned valet trash company based in Huntsville, serving apartment and multifamily communities in Huntsville, Madison, Decatur, Athens, Birmingham, Montgomery, and Nashville. Tell us your current contract end date when you request a proposal, and we’ll plan the walkthrough and onboarding around it. The owner is your direct contact from the first call.