I'm sure I read on Wandsworth Council's website last year that the binmen are not allowed to 'tout' for tips and it is a sackable offense. Whilst some of us would be happy to tip our binmen but it might be considered against the terms of their contract to do what they are doing, even if not directly asking for money. And of course people should never feel pressurised to give a tip. Knocking on doors after dark in the evening might be a bit intimidating for some people.

Even if they were legit I still find it rude that they are knocking on doors in the hope of getting a tip. Surely you could leave it somewhere for them or give it to them personally next tins they do the bins? Sure they didn't ask for money but they weren't just going around saying merry Christmas I'm sure!

There was a knock on our door last thurs at bathtime. I answered it and it was 4 guys in biffa logo luminous jackets saying "we are the binmen, happy Christmas". Well I responded that I'd read all about it on the Internet and knew it was a scam. The guy then pointed out that they hadn't actually asked me for money (technically true) and that they were in fact my binmen and that I had 2 little boys who watch them every week from the upstairs window and they always give them a wave (also true). I looked at them more attentively and actually recognised them as our regular binmen. Now I feelsorry for them that everyone is slamming doors in their faces instead of handing over their usual Christmas tip. I like tipping the real binmen as it means that they're a bit more flexible about what they take (eg they took a broken ironing board away for me a couple of months ago).

We live near Battersea Park and have just had someone call at the door about this. Thanks to the posts on here I didn't donate anything. These people are total scum.

I had the 'binmen' round this evening giving out their daft note about Christmas refuge collection dates (saying, for example, there will be no refuge collection on 25th December, like we didn't know that already!). Clearly not an official note and I'm already wise to their antics in previous years. Didn't ask for money, just wished a merry Christmas but clearly the hope is that people will give them a tip - certainly I fell for that the first time a few years ago and they didn't turn the money away! I'm sure we get the same lot each year as they always give out the same sort of note, have the same patter etc. Last year however, we had more than one group trying a similar thing (without the 'note') on another day so the trend is spreading!

We had someone come round at about 8pm last night, in Balham. I was home alone and am 7mths pregnant, so by the time I heaved myself off the sofa he was back on the pavement and just said he was from the binmen, wishing everyone a Happy Christmas and walked off...

I had someone call on me this evening in Balham saying he was a bin man collecting for Christmas. I had a crying baby in my arms so it was easy to fob him off without giving him anything. No idea could be genuine but seems dodgy to me.

Thanks for posting that - it's good to know. I was wondering if you should tip your bin men and/or postal carriers. I've left out some beer for them in the past, but I wasn't sure if that was the correct thing to do. And our postal carrier keeps changing and bringing me the wrong mail, so I haven't tipped him/her in the past. Any advice would be much appreciated.

The binmen/ refuse engineers warned me this morning that they do not come around at night asking for Christmas donations. I fell for the scam the year before last so just wanted to make sure people weren't being Christmas spirited with the wrong people!