Assisted bulky waste collections
If you’re booking an assisted bulky waste collection please ensure you follow the guidelines below:
- you must ensure you follow the 2m social distancing rule throughout the collection. If this isn’t possible, then you must wait in another room whilst the collection is taking place
- if you’ve tested positive for Covid or have any symptoms, then you must inform our office before the date of your booking so that the collection can be cancelled/rescheduled
- you’ll need to wear a face-covering throughout the duration of the collection
- we’ll only collect items stated in the booking form (no other items will be collected)
- items will only be collected if they are safe to handle – an on site assessment will take place
- you must ensure items are safe to manoeuvre and handle
Failure to follow these instructions will result in the cancellation of your assisted bulky waste collection.
There are 4 waste and recycling centres near Hackney which residents can use free of charge. You can take a range of household waste items to the sites, including unusable furniture, garden waste, electrical appliances, scrap metal and textiles. You can also arrange for items to be collected for free via Freegle‘s website or mobile app, or via LoveJunk a website which matches you to nearby reuse charities.
Donate your pre-loved furniture
Bright Sparks will collect your furniture and household items:
Arrange furniture collection
- most pre-loved furniture in good, clean, and reusable condition. Soft furnishings must have the appropriate fire safety labels attached and intact
- white goods less than 10 years old in working and good cosmetic condition, or small electrical items as long as they are part of a furniture collection – all white goods must already be disconnected and emptied ready for collection
- smaller second-hand items (eg bric-a-brac, children’s toys, boxes of books) if they can be collected with furniture items
- wardrobes (assembled only)
- chest of drawers
- sofas and armchairs (fire safety compliant only)
- divan beds, single and double (clean, dry, and fire safety compliant only)
- lounge display or wall units
- dining tables with sets of 4 or 6 chairs
- coffee tables, shelving, bedside cabinets, office desks, and chairs (but not as single items)
- second-hand mattresses
- carpets
- fridges or fridge freezers
- broken, stained, ripped, or torn items
- items will be collected on your booked day – Bright Sparks offers collections on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays
- 30 minutes to an hour before your collection will take place you will receive a telephone call or text to confirm the collection
- collection staff will have a Bright Sparks photo ID and a copy of your order
Bright Sparks will collect your items from inside your home and are able to collect from up to the second floor.
They can only collect from higher floors if there’s a working lift big enough to accommodate the item.
It’s your responsibility for making sure that your personal property and surfaces are protected from damage.
Routes for carrying should be clear and accessible.
It is important that you remove any obstacles that and protect any of your property that might be damaged during the removal.
Bright Sparks’ collection crew will not remove items through windows.
Recycle or repair electrical items
You can recycle, repair or arrange a collection for electrical items small and large.
Collections for other bulky items
We offer a collection service for bulky items including TVs, fridges and washing machines. Collections must be booked in advance. Collections start at £15, but residents who receive housing benefit do not have to pay. Please read our bulky waste terms and conditions.
If you’re renovating your house or redecorating a bathroom, kitchen or other room, and you need to get rid of your waste, you’ll need to book a commercial waste collection. This kind of waste is not eligible for a bulky waste collection.
Please contact commercial.waste@hackney.gov.uk or call 0208356 6683 to obtain a quote.
If you incorrectly book a bulky waste collection instead of a commercial waste collection, then the items left outside will not be collected.
Book a bulky waste collection
- 1 to 5 items: £15
- 6 to 10 items: £30
Over 11 items? Contact us and we’ll arrange a quote for you.
Exemption for residents who receive housing benefit
Residents who receive housing benefit are exempt from the fee and receive 4 free collections (of up to 5 items) per year. Please have your housing benefit number to hand when booking your collection.
Book a collection
You can make changes to your collection before your collection if you give at least 48 hours’ notice. Changes include rescheduling the collection (subject to availability), adding or removing items or cancelling your collection.
Bookings changed or cancelled with less than 48 hours’ notice will not be refunded.
Change or cancel my collection
Bulky waste is collected Monday to Friday apart from on public holidays. You can choose a collection slot. Depending on demand the first available slot is usually in about 5 working days’ time.
Building or DIY waste
The bulky waste collection is for household waste items. We will not collect:
- rubble
- masonry and tiles
- construction waste
- fencing
- carpet
Our commercial waste service can collect these items and other DIY waste – call 020 8356 6683 to arrange a collection.
Small electrical items like DVD players, computers, hair dryers and kettles
Use one of our recycling banks or take it to a reuse and recycling centre.
Sacks or bags of rubbish
These will be collected as part of your regular household waste collection.
Garden waste
Use the garden waste collection service or take it to a reuse and recycling centre.
Hazardous waste
To arrange a collection of hazardous waste or paint, please contact the Corporation of London hazardous waste collection and disposal service.
Any waste from landlords, tradesmen or businesses
Contact our commercial waste service.
The collection crew will only collect those items shown on the job ticket. They will not collect any other items put out for collection.
If the crew is unable to collect your items you will be notified by email. You may have to rebook your collection.
Items are sorted and any that are suitable for recycling are separated and placed in recycling containers. This waste is then sent to North London Waste Authority (NLWA) or other specialist contractors for recycling. Electrical items are dealt with under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations.
Due to government cuts, the Council has to save another £14m in 2017/18. We don’t want to cut frontline services like cleaning streets and maintaining parks. We need to raise money so we can continue to provide the high quality services expected by residents.
The charge of £15 for a collection of up to 5 items is amongst the lowest in the country. Some London boroughs charge over £50 for collections.
We want to ensure that the charge does not penalise those on low incomes, so residents who receive housing benefit or live in council homes will continue to receive the 4 free collections per year.
Skips
If you are hiring a skip, Skip and Bin is a useful price comparison site. It is free and impartial and shows live prices from licensed skip companies operating in Hackney.
Our list of approved skip companies has the details of all the skip companies who are licensed to operate in Hackney.
Other pages in this section
Page updated on: 20 January 2022