Bulky Waste Terms and Conditions
1. Description
a. The collection of bulky household waste is a chargeable service.
b. The council will provide a bulky household waste service for residents living within the London Borough of Hounslow.
c. Collections are carried out Monday to Friday throughout the year except for a two-week period over the Christmas and New Year period.
2. Eligibility
a. Residents must live within the London Borough of Hounslow and be registered to pay Council Tax.
b. Bulky household waste items must be presented clearly visible and access must not be restricted by fences, walls, gates, or parked cars and must be accessible by a refuse collection vehicle and operatives.
c. All bulky waste items must be stored within the boundary of the property.
d. Residents living in flats can request a bulky household waste collection. For residents living in flats, the items must be presented in the communal area and must not restrict access to the communal bins, walkways or store areas. It is recommended that you seek permission to leave the items in a communal area from the landlord, managing agent or housing association before you make your booking.
e. Residents living in a flat above a shop will need to confirm that the area the bulky household waste is being left in is accessible for the collection crew and that the items are not left on the footpath or road blocking access for pedestrian or vehicle users. Businesses are not eligible for this service.
f. Landlords who are who are helping to meet local housing demand through Direct Let Schemes (DLS), Private Sector Leasing (PSL) or through a licensed House of Multiple Occupation (HMO) are eligible for this service and will need to provide evidence at the time of booking the collection
3. Fees and application
a. The minimum charge for the service is £41.00 for 5 items with each additional item priced at £8.20 per item.
b. A discount is offered to those in receipt of Council Tax Reduction (Support). Council Tax Reduction (Support) is a means-tested council tax discount and refers to residents in receipt of income-based Council Tax Reduction (single person occupancy discount or disability band relief does not apply).
c. When claiming the Council Tax Reduction discount, please ensure that you quote your Council Tax Reduction (Support) 6 digit claims reference number. Officers will check for eligibility.
d. Payment can be made by Debit Card or Credit Card.
e. You can cancel the service at any point up to 12 noon the working day before your collection. We do not offer refunds if the booking is cancelled after 12 noon the working day before your collection.
f. The council reserves the right to refuse a bulky waste collection.
g. The council reserves the right to amend the fee. Appropriate notice will be given prior to any alteration.
h. We may use the data that we hold on you to help maintain accurate records, and to facilitate the efficient operation of the bulky household waste service.
4. Refunds
a. No refunds will be provided for cancellation after 12 noon the working day before the collection is due.
b. If a collection has been missed by the council, please report it by email recycling@hounslow.gov.uk or by telephone 020 8583 5555. A remedial collection may be offered on the next available slot depending on the circumstances of the missed collection.
c. There are no full or part fee refunds for missed collections.
5. Cancelling the service
a. You can cancel the service at any time, before 12 noon the working day before your collection.
b. You can only cancel the service by telephone 020 8583 5555.
c. The council reserves the right to alter the collection day but will provide reasonable notice to the resident.
6. Changes made to listed items
a. Only those items that are listed for collection will be collected. Any other items that are presented for collection that are not listed will be left at the property.
b. The Council is not responsible for any items that go missing, stolen or are removed prior to the collection being made.
c. You can change the items at any time before 12 noon the working day before your collection by calling 020 8583 5555.
7. The collection
a. Bulky household waste must be presented by 7.00am as close to the front edge of your property (by the entrance) as is safely practical, i.e. the nearest point to the collection vehicle. However, you must not leave bulky household waste on the public highway. The bulky household waste must remain within your property boundary. We cannot collect from rear/back gardens or side entrances. We cannot knock on doors to advise you that we are ready to collect your items, they must be presented outside of your property.
b. Collections will be made on the day and date selected at the time of the booking. Any changes made to the day or date must be agreed with the Council before 12 noon the working day before the initial collection date.
c. If you are sharing a service with your neighbour, please ensure the bulky household waste items are presented at the address the service is registered to.
d. We reserve the right to suspend collections in exceptional circumstances, for example in adverse weather conditions.
e. If items are not presented as listed, items are too heavy, too large or are not permitted on the vehicle. Items such as sofas and mattress left outside for a period of time uncovered will not be collected due to mold and dampness. A note will be left at the property explaining the reason for non-collection.
f. It is your responsibility to ensure items are presented correctly.
8. Missed Collections
a. A report of a missed collection will not be accepted until after 5pm on the day of collection - once drivers' reports have been checked. This is to avoid sending vehicles back unnecessarily or taking reports when crews may still be working. A missed collection must be reported by 5pm the day after the designated collection day.
b. If the bulky household waste is not presented by 7.00am on the day of collection it cannot be reported as a 'missed collection'. Responsibility for correct disposal of the waste will then become that of the householder.
c. Bulky household waste items that are not presented for collection by the time the collection crew arrive at the property will be recorded on the electronic waste management system as a ‘not presented’.
d. If an item(s) is recorded on the waste management system as ‘not presented’, the responsibility for disposal will become that of the householder and the council will not return to collect the waste.
e. Where residents do not present their bulky household waste in accordance with council requirements, the resident will have the following options
i. Take the waste to a Household Reuse and Recycling Centre, for example Space Waye.
ii. Pay the appropriate fee an additional collection.
f. Should a missed collection be correctly reported (subject to the waste management system not showing the bulky household waste as being ‘not presented’, ‘item not as listed’ or ‘too heavy’ for collection’ where possible, the council will return and collect the waste within 2 working days.
9. Permitted Materials
a. The Bulky Waste service is designed to provide a collection service for bulky household waste items that cannot and must not be disposed of using the household wheeled bin, recycling containers, purple sack collection or the communal bin facilities on housing estates.
b. Only items that can be lifted by two operatives will be collected through this service. The service will operate with a barrow or trolley system where there is a level surface and enough space between gates, walls and vehicles to allow a trolley and its load to move safely through the gap. Many large items, such as heavy iron framed sofas or due to wetness, may not be safely balanced on trolleys.
c. Bookings to be made through the Councils contact centre on 020 8583 5555 or via an online web form - coming soon
d. The service will recycle and reuse as much material as possible and residents should think about reuse options before disposing of unwanted items.
e. Only items listed at the time the booking was made will be collected. See Bulky Household Waste Policy for items excluded from this collection service.
f. Only CLEAR bags of non-household waste will be accepted. Each clear bag MUST NOT exceed 10kg in weight.
