Book a bulky item collection

We can collect bulky waste items from your home. This service is not available for businesses.

Alternatively, you can take bulky items to Townmead Road Reuse and Recycling Centre for free, or donate, sell, share or repair items. 

Book your collection

Complete our online form to arrange collection of your bulky items. Make sure you read the information on this page if you have not used this service before.

Start my booking

Collections are booked separately for fridges and freezers.

Changing your booking 

If you want to change or cancel your collection, complete the amendment form found in your booking confirmation email. You must submit the form by 5pm on the working day before your collection.

We will usually only reschedule a collection once.

Refunds

If you cancel your collection, you must tell us at least two working days before the collection date to be eligible for a refund. For example, you would need to cancel a collection booked for Tuesday by the end of the preceding Friday.

What we can collect

We can collect household waste items that are too big for the bin, and can be safely lifted by two operatives. This includes:

• All types of mattresses
• Free standing electrical goods
• Free standing glass sheets or panes. For example, table tops, mirrors - these must be wrapped to allow for safe transit
• Furniture
• Printers and computers
• Small electrical items for recycling
• White goods, like washing machines. A separate process is in place for fridge and freezer collections

What we cannot collect

There are some general rules around what we cannot collect:

• Any items that you do not list on your booking form
• Anything that cannot be safely lifted by two operatives
• Any item over 6ft long that will not fit into the collection vehicle - items over 6ft, like a sofa, can be broken down into smaller pieces. If you cannot do this, you may want to consider using another service
• Any items our operatives deem a significant risk to health and safety, or harm to the environment

There are some specific items we cannot collect:

• Broken fluorescent light bulbs or tubes
• Calor gas, gas cylinder, butane and propane bottles or oxygen bottles - some gas bottles can be taken to Townmead Road and disposed of safely
• Commercial or industrial waste
• Earth, stones, concrete and soil
• Hazardous waste such as clinical waste or asbestos
• Ink cartridges or printers with ink cartridges in situ
• Motor vehicle parts
• Oil or liquids
• Garden waste - there are different ways to recycle your garden waste
• Waste from construction, demolition or preparatory works - for example, rubble, plasterboard, fitted kitchen units, bathtubs, carpets, doors. Small quantities from domestic sources can be taken to Townmead Road. For larger amounts, you should use a registered waste collection company or hire a licensed skip

If you have any items that we cannot collect, you can check if they can be taken to Townmead Road. You can also visit Recycle Now to see if your items can be recycled locally.

Small electrical items

When you book a bulky item collection, we can collect other small waste electrical items for recycling for free. 

Find out more about recycling your electrical items, including what we can and cannot collect.

Charges

Our standard charge covers a single collection of up to five bulky items. There are extra charges for additional items. You will need to make payment when you place your booking.

Discounted and free collections

Collection charges are discounted for residents aged over 60.

We offer limited free collections for residents on a low income who can provide evidence they are receiving any of the following:

• Job Seekers Allowance
• Income Support
• Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
• Employment and Support Allowance
• Universal Credit
• Housing Benefit

Bulky item charges 2024/25

Type	Cost for up to five items	Price per additional item	Maximum collections per financial year
Full price	£76	£8.90	No limit
Over 60s	£25	£7	5 - additional collections are charged at full price
Low income	Free	Free	2 - additional collections are charged at full price

How collections work

You can select from several collection dates. All of these dates will fall on the weekday after your usual household waste and recycling collection. For example, if your usual collection is on a Tuesday, your available bulky item collection dates will all be on a Wednesday.

Your collection will be made between 7am and 4pm on the day you select. We cannot give you a specific time slot.

You do not need to be at home when your collection is made.

Failed collections or no shows

If you have not put your items out when the collection is attempted, or in the location you stated they will be left, this will result in a failed collection. You will not be eligible for a refund, and you will need to book and pay for another collection.

If collection operatives are delayed and do not arrive on your collection day by 4.30pm, a new booking will be made - call us on 020 8891 1411. If your items are on your own property, you can leave them there. If your items are on the public highway they must be moved or you will be liable for a fly-tipping offence.

Preparing your collection

If possible, all items should be contained in bags, boxes, or sacks.

You should leave your items for collection where they are clearly visible in your front garden, if you have one. 

We cannot collect items from inside your property. If you need help moving items outside, you should make these arrangements before your collection date.

Collection crew will not contact residents, porters or concierges to locate or collect bulky waste.

Leaving items on the highway

If you do not have a front garden or other open and accessible area, you can place your items on the public highway. The items should be next to your property's entrance and not causing an obstruction.

You must only place items on the highway after 8.30pm on the day before your collection.

Access to gated properties

If you live in a property with secured gate access, please follow these instructions:

• Provide access codes for any secured main gates on your booking form
• Give clear instructions and directions to the bin area or location of the items if they are not clearly visible from the gate
• If your secured gate does not use an access code, the gate should be left unlocked, or items should be placed outside the gate for collection
• There must not be a locked second gate or door with a code
• If collection crew cannot access the gates this will result in non-collection and no refund will be made

Collections from blocks of flats

If you live in a block of flats, your items must be placed by the bin shed area or your communal bin collection point.