Junk Diaries

London council bulky waste collection

London Council Bulky Waste Collection

24 June 2020

Comparison of London council bulky waste collection service and prices

This is a guide to the Council bulky waste collection service in London. It covers the following:

  1. Cost – how much do London councils charge to collect bulky waste?
  2. Internal bulky collections – will councils collect from inside the home?
  3. Waste types – what bulky waste is allowed/prohibited?
  4. DIY waste – will councils collect DIY/home improvement waste?
  5. Booking method – how can I book a collection?
  6. Response time – how long do I have to wait for my waste to be collected?
  7. Business bulky waste – will the council collect business bulky waste?

 

1. Cost – how much do London councils charge to remove bulky waste?

The table below shows how much each London borough charges their residents for a council bulky waste collection.

Council Sofa Fridge Mattress 3 Combo
Tower Hamlets bulky waste collection 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Barking & Dagenham 10.00 10.00 10.00 10.00
Greenwich 10.72 10.72 10.72 10.72
Hackney 15.00 15.00 15.00 15.00
Haringey bulky waste collection 20.00 20.00 20.00 20.00
Newham 20.00 20.00 20.00 20.00
Wandsworth 20.00 20.00 20.00 20.00
Lewisham 22.00 30.00 22.00 22.00
Camden 25.00 25.00 25.00 25.00
Hillingdon 25.00 25.00 25.00 25.00
Lambeth 17.00 17.00 17.00 25.00
Southwark 25.00 25.00 25.00 25.00
Hammersmith & Fulham 26.55 26.55 26.55 26.55
Islington 30.00 30.00 30.00 30.00
Redbridge 10.00 10.00 10.00 30.00
Westminster 31.00 31.00 31.00 31.00
Croydon 31.78 31.78 31.78 31.78
Sutton 31.80 31.80 31.80 31.80
Merton 32.00 32.00 32.00 32.00
Barnet 35.00 35.00 35.00 35.00
Brent 35.00 35.00 35.00 35.00
City of London 35.00 35.00 35.00 35.00
Bromley 36.00 36.00 36.00 36.00
Kingston Upon Thames 37.00 37.00 37.00 37.00
Bexley 38.00 38.00 38.00 38.00
Ealing 40.00 25.00 40.00 40.00
Hounslow 40.00 40.00 40.00 40.00
Harrow 42.00 42.00 14.50 42.00
Havering 44.50 44.50 44.50 44.50
Waltham Forest 27.00 27.00 27.00 48.50
Enfield 42.20 42.20 42.20 51.40
Richmond upon Thames 62.00 62.00 62.00 62.00

source: LoveJunk 2022

Richmond council charge their residents the highest flat fee at £62 for the removal of up to 5 items.  The cheapest councils are Barking, Greenwich, Hackney, and Tower Hamlets who offer 2 free collections per resident per year.

When comparing the cost of a London council collection per large item, Richmond and Havering are the priciest councils as Richmond charges £62 (for the removal of three items) and Havering £44.50 (per item).

The charges and number of maximum items you’re allowed vary from council to council, but the average cost for a council bulky waste collection of 3 items in London is £30.48.

Bear in mind some London councils charge premiums for the removal of certain bulky items such as fridges and most offer reduced costs for residents on income support.

 

 

2. Internal collections – will London councils collect from inside the home? 

Most London councils will only collect your bulky waste from outside your property so make sure you’ve moved everything in advance.  It’s good practice to place your items outside the day before your collection because some councils, for example, Lewisham, charge extra if they need to revisit a property.

Some councils do offer internal collections for a premium, for example, Wandsworth who charge £89.  Most councils are able to offer collections from inside the home if you’re registered disabled.

 

3. Waste types – what waste is allowed/prohibited?

A council bulky waste collection is for large household items that are too big for your usual bin collection.  This is typically furniture, electrical appliances and white goods.  Note, each council has its own list of items that they’ll accept and it’s worth checking their website before booking a collection.  For example, Southwark council accept DIY waste but only if it’s doors, kitchen units or worktops – nothing else.

Hazardous waste such as asbestos can be disposed of by London councils for free for the first collection, provided you don't have any more than 7 rubble bags.

 

4. DIY waste - will London councils remove my DIY/home improvement waste?

DIY / home improvement waste means stuff like rubble, tiles, radiators, kitchen units and baths. Generally, this is NOT included in council bulky waste collection service.  However, a few London councils allow small amounts as part of their bulky collection service.  These are Bromley, Greenwich, Hammersmith & Fulham, and Southwark.  Kingston upon Thames will only collect very small DIY waste and Southwark will only accept doors, kitchen units and worktops. 

For more info on how to dispose of DIY waste such as bricks and cement, check out our how to dispose of rubble guide.

 

 

5. Booking method – how can I book a collection?

Most London councils let you book online and by phone. Below is a table showing each council’s booking method.

table of London borough booking method for council bulky waste collection service

source: LoveJunk June 2022

 

6. Response time – how long do I have to wait for my waste to be collected?

You can expect to wait up to two weeks from your booking for your collection.  Different councils promise different response times.  Some councils may be able to pick up your waste much faster, but it all depends on how busy they are, the collection date chosen and the time of year.

 

7. Business bulky waste – will the council collect business bulky waste?

No, councils do not offer a service for business bulky waste because they have no statutory duty to do so.  Businesses need to engage a private waste contractor or take the waste to a commercial disposal facility themselves.

 

Further reading:

 

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