Getting your waste removed should be an easy process when you’re getting someone to come and collect it for you. But you need to be careful who you hire or it could end up costing you - especially if you get caught out by a rogue collector who simply dumps your waste and leaves you to deal with the fines. Whenever you’re looking to hire a waste removal company there’s a few key things you should always ask.

Do they have a licence (and a number you can check for reference)

Any legitimate waste removal company requires a waste carrier's licence from the Environment Agency in order to operate in the UK. They should also be able to provide you with their licence number so you can check it on the Environment Agency website. You should also check what type of licence they have. Typically a waste disposal company transporting house, garden, commercial or construction waste on behalf of a customer will have an ‘Upper Tier’ licence.

How much is it going to cost?

Any legitimate waste carrier or disposal company will be able to provide you with a quote upfront so you know what you’ll be paying. You should be wary of any company that refuses to provide an upfront quote and will only give you a price on arrival at the site.

What do they charge for excess weight?

Sometimes you might book a waste removal company and then find more waste that you want to dispose of at the same time. You won’t be able to simply add this to your arranged disposal as it’s outside the original quote, but they should be able to give you an idea what you’ll pay extra for additional waste.

Similarly, if you end up disposing of less waste than they quoted for, what happens to the additional fee? You should expect to get that back.

What’s expected of you on the day of collection?

If you’ve ever booked a bulk waste disposal through the council, you’ll know it can be a hassle dragging your waste to the side of the road on collection day. Especially if it’s heavy or awkward to move. Councils make you do this because their collection teams aren’t insured to remove waste from your home. But a waste removal company should be. So find out if you’re expected to move your waste to the kerb on the day, or if the collectors will take it directly from your home or garden.

What happens to your waste?

While you’ll no doubt be happy to see the back of your waste, do you really just want to see if end up in landfill, adding to the detrimental impact of waste disposal to the environment? Probably not, especially when so much house, garden and commercial waste can be recycled. You should definitely check the recycling rate of the rubbish disposal company you choose.

For the record, at LITTA our waste recycling rate is 93%.

What waste can they take away?

This seems like an obvious one but some waste needs specialist attention to be taken away - especially if it’s hazardous. Make sure you ask your disposal company if they’re a suitable choice for the type of waste you want removing. It could end up being a costly mistake if they arrive and can’t deal with it.

Can they do urgent pickups?

Another problem you’ve probably encountered when trying to organise a council bulk collection, is they can take a long time to organise. You’re usually waiting at least a couple of weeks before a truck can get to you - and it’s even longer now with councils dealing with a backlog of waste collections and a shortage of vehicles and drivers. Your waste disposal company should be able to get your rubbish removed much quicker.

At LITTA we can do same day collections anywhere in London as long as you book before 12 noon on the day.

How do you know when your drivers will arrive?

Is there anything worse than wasting a day sitting around waiting for a delivery driver to knock on the door? Especially when you’ll got other things you could be doing or you’ve taken a day off work to sort the waste disposal out? At the very least you should be able to get an estimated time of arrival for your waste removal company. If you book with us we have real-time tracking of all our vans and drivers that you can use to track them to your door so you’re not waiting around.

Do they offer any other services?

Chances are if you’ve got a big waste removal project on the go you’ll need more than one type of removal service. Whether it’s a man and van service or skip hire.

When talking to a potential waste removal company, see what other types of removal services they offer alongside the main one you’re looking for. If you book everything through the one company you’ll at least save the hassle of dealing with more than one removal company - and you might even get a discount.

Make the right choice of waste removal company.

When it comes to getting your home, garden or commercial waste removed it really doesn’t have to be a complicated process or cost you a lot. By doing some research and asking some simple questions you can make sure you choose a waste removal company that will deal with your rubbish quickly, cost effectively and in an environmentally friendly way.

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