I have lived in Wimbledon for the past 10 years and never had any problem with the rubbish bags being collected from the side of the house which happens to be the entrance to my back garden (accessible from the main street). This was until five months ago when I noticed that they were no longer being collected regularly.

I rang Merton Council and explained the bags had been collected from the same place for the past 10 years and that, in the past few months, I was unexpectedly and inexplicably experiencing problems. They had no idea why this was happening but assured me that they would investigate and solve the matter.

The collection then became more regular: one out of two weeks, I could consider myself lucky. I was then on the phone to Merton Council's refuse collection department on a regular basis of two to three times a week explaining the same thing over and over again.

I was told the collection is from the main road but I said it had been collected from the same place for the past 10 years. No one knew why it had suddenly changed but I was advised to write a complaint letter following the guidelines of a form. Upon receipt of the latter, I realised that action would be taken in 15 days. While all this was happening, I was piling three weeks' worth of rubbish and storing some of the bags in my shed to avoid foxes, squirrels and cats banqueting on their content.

By the weekend, I had three bags in my shed covered with worms. On Monday, after spending part of the weekend cleaning and disinfecting the shed and the bags, I rang the council again, asked to have the rubbish collected and expressed my concern for hygiene matters. If kept for so long the rubbish could easily attract rats.

The lady I spoke to this time agreed on hygiene issues but had no idea why all this was happening. She assured me that someone would come round and collect the bags by 5pm. Also, a manager would call me to make an appointment so that the matter could be investigated further.

The same day, someone from the waste services operation called in and explained to me that the bags should be collected from the main road, as only £40 of the (ridiculously expensive) council taxes we pay in Wimbledon goes to the waste services whereby this has a very limited number of people working and a very limited service to offer. He told me the matter would be investigated.

Well, last Tuesday (October 3) came and went and do you know where my refuse bags are? Where I left them. In their containers where, until five months ago, they have always been collected from for the past 10 years.

In truth, this is the frustrated account of how I lost a right. I believe I am not alone.

Name and address supplied