Book a bulky waste collection
We offer a Monday to Friday collection service for large items.
There is a cost to booking a bulky waste collection – unless you receive housing benefit.
There are ways to get rid of items for free:
- 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.
- Ferris is the Zero Waste App for giving and getting once-loved items for free. You can declutter your home, save great stuff from disposal and pick up items from your neighbour for free. Ferris is available on the App Store and Google Play Store.
- Items are collected for free via Freecycle or Freegle.
- Hackney Fixers arrange free, fun repair events to help you fix electrical and electronic goods. Find the next event on their website.
Alternatively, LoveJunk, a waste removal marketplace, helps you to find the cheapest collector.
The price for the collection and disposal of bulky waste is increasing from 1 April. This change is necessary to meet increasing costs of waste management and disposal.
Number of items to be collected |
Total price |
1 to 5 items |
£20 |
6 to 10 items |
£40 |
11 to 15 items |
£60 |
16 to 20 items |
£80 |
If you receive housing benefits then bulky waste collections are free. You must include your housing benefit number when booking your collection.
Residents who receive housing benefit receive 4 free collections (of up to 5 items) per year.
The number of collections is unlimited for paying customers.
You can choose your collection slot.
The first available slot, depending on demand, is usually in 5 working days.
On the day of collection leave your items as stated in the instructions received when booking.
We will only collect:
- items on the job ticket – we will not collect additional items
- items left in the agreed location that you selected when booking
- items left at the correct time – items should be out and available by 6am on the day of collection
- items that are safe to collect – for example, items should not be dangerous such as nails sticking out, sharp edges, dirty or soaked mattresses
- items that allow one person to collect them – for example wood should be securely bundled together
If you do not leave your items as instructed then they may not be collected and your payment will not be refunded.
If your collections are free and the items were not left as instructed then you will not get the collection slot added back to your annual entitlement.
If the crew is unable to collect your items you will be notified by email. You may have to rebook your collection.
Wet items left out in the rain
We won’t collect wet items left out in the rain because the rainwater adds extra weight to the items making them too heavy to move.
You should cover the items with a plastic sheet.
If the items are wet we will not remove the items on the scheduled collection day. We will make another attempt to collect 48 hours later.
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 – email commercialwaste@hackney.gov.uk or call 020 8356 6683.
Small electrical items like DVD players, computers, hair dryers and kettles
Take it to one of our recycling banks.
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.
Our Bulky Waste assisted collection service is available to disabled and elderly residents who cannot place items outside of their premise for collection.
If you’re booking an assisted bulky waste collection:
- we’ll only collect items stated in the booking form – no other items will be collected
- you will sign a waiver of liability form when we arrive so that we can collect the items
- items will only be collected if they are safe to handle – we will assess this at your home
Failure to follow these instructions will result in the cancellation of your assisted bulky waste collection.
This service is offered at the council’s discretion and will be monitored for misuse.
Legislation requires that we must collect all bulky waste items containing persistent organic pollutants (POPs) separately from other items.
POPs are chemical substances that do not break down in the environment. They are a danger to human health and the environment.
The following are examples of large household items which may contain POPs:
- sofas
- sofa beds
- armchairs
- cushioned kitchen and dining room chairs
- stools and foot stools
- home office chairs
- futons
- bean bags, floor and sofa cushions
- pushchairs
- child car seats
- electronic waste
We collect these items separately (which may be on a different day) to other items that you have booked for bulky waste collection.
Reschedule or update a bulky waste collection
All collections can be rescheduled to another available slot if you give us 48 hours notice.
- If you’re a paying customer and give less than 48 hours notice you will not be refunded and will have to book the appointment and pay the fee again
- If you don’t pay because you receive housing benefit and don’t give us 48 hours notice to reschedule then you will not get the collection slot returned to your annual entitlement
Reschedule your collection
You can also reschedule by calling 020 8356 6688.
All collections can be updated if you give 48 hours notice.
If you give us less than 48 hours notice you will not be able to make changes or get a refund.
- If you’re a paying customer and add or remove items within the 5 item limit you will not receive an additional fee or refund.
- If you’re a paying customer and add more items to exceed the 5 item limit you must pay the additional fee.
- If you’re a paying customer and remove items from your booking bringing your collection into a lower price bracket you will receive a partial refund.
Add or remove items from your booking
You can also make changes by calling 020 8356 6688.
Bulky waste cancellations and refunds
All collections can be cancelled if you give 48 hours notice (excluding weekends).
- If you’re a paying customer and give us less than 48 hours notice then you won’t be refunded.
- If you don’t pay because you receive housing benefit and don’t give us 48 hours notice, you will not get the collection slot added back to your annual entitlement.
Change or cancel my collection
You can also cancel by calling 020 8356 6688.
Cancellations with at least 48 hours notice (excluding weekends) will be refunded.
- If you’re a paying customer with an account then the refund is automatic.
- If you’re a paying customer that booked via the telephone the refund must be requested – call 020 8356 6688.
- If you don’t pay because you receive housing benefit you will automatically get the collection slot added back to your annual entitlement.
The bulky waste collection service is for household waste items.
Our commercial waste service can offer a service for the collection of most items not collected by the bulky waste service.
The commercial waste service cannot collect large amounts of builders material and construction waste.
If you would like to get a quote or further advice contact our commercial waste service.
We will not collect your items if you incorrectly book a bulky waste collection, instead of a commercial waste collection.
Page updated on: 26 May 2023