What is valet trash?
Valet trash is doorstep trash pickup for apartment communities. Residents set a tied bag outside their door in the evening, a collector picks it up and carries it to the property's dumpster or compactor. The property hires the company and pays it per door. It is also called trash valet or doorstep trash collection.
Updated September 2026. General information, not legal advice.
This page has two readers. One is the resident who saw a valet trash fee on a lease. The other is the property manager deciding whether to add the service. Each has a section below.
How valet trash works
- The resident sets a bag out. Trash goes in a tied bag, in the container the community specifies, outside the apartment door, during the set-out window.
- A collector picks it up. The collector works the property building by building and floor by floor.
- It goes to the compactor. The collector carries the trash to the property’s dumpster or compactor. The hauler that empties the dumpster is a separate company.
Who provides it
Valet trash companies are hired by the property, not by residents. Some do only doorstep collection. Others are multifamily service companies that also offer porter service, pressure washing or bulk item removal. Operators range from single-city companies to national ones.
The directory lists valet trash companies by state and city.
If you are a resident
Why is there a fee on my lease? The property pays the operator for every unit. Many properties charge residents a monthly fee for the service. The property sets the amount. See how valet trash is priced.
Do I have to use it? Whether the fee applies to you depends on your lease and on state and local law. Read the valet trash addendum before you sign. This site does not give legal advice.
What can I put out? Tied household trash bags, in the container your community specifies. Recycling only if your community collects it. Your lease addendum lists what is not accepted.
What if I miss the window? Take the bag back inside and set it out on the next service night, or carry it to the dumpster yourself. Your lease addendum says what the community does about trash left out.
Who do I complain to? The leasing office. The property is the operator’s customer.
If you manage a property
What you are buying. A recurring route: collectors on the property on contracted nights, moving trash from doors to the compactor.
What it costs. Operators quote per door, per month. See the cost guide.
What to check. Insurance, how collectors are hired and vetted, how missed pickups are handled, and the contract term. Every operator profile in the directory lists ten questions to ask. The service agreement guide covers each clause.
Valet trash and can-to-curb are different services
A can-to-curb service rolls a homeowner’s cans to the curb on collection day. The customer is the homeowner, and the home is a single-family house. Valet trash is for apartment communities. The directory lists can-to-curb services separately.
Questions
What does valet trash mean?
It means a collector picks up your household trash from outside your apartment door and takes it to the dumpster or compactor for you, on a set schedule.
Is valet trash the same as trash valet?
Yes. Valet trash, trash valet, doorstep trash and doorstep waste collection are names for the same service.
Who pays for valet trash?
The property pays the operator per door, per month. Many properties charge residents a monthly fee for it in the lease.
Is valet trash mandatory?
That depends on the lease and on state and local law. This site does not give legal advice. Read the valet trash addendum in your lease before you sign.
What days is valet trash picked up?
The pickup nights are set in the agreement between the property and the operator, and residents are told through the lease addendum. Ask the leasing office for your community's schedule.