Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in California

Yes. In most all California jurisdictions, an owner of improved property is required by law to have trash pick-up service, either directly or through a tenant's account. So your landlord can either pay for it and then has the right to charge you, or can require you to have your own account as a condition of tenancy. Most landlords choose to have their own account, because if they don't or it goes unpaid the city or county can lien their property. So unlike gas and electric, which it is your problem if you don't pay, they want to control the trash account to make sure it's paid, and then bill you. Perfectly legal.