Bulky waste

We are now offering free and paid collections of bulky waste. You can book a free collection up to 14 days in advance and new slots will be released regularly.

Bulky waste includes large items that cannot fit into a standard bin and must be collected separately. These include things like sofas, fridge freezers, bicycles and garden furniture. Collections are normally made from the front of the property and items need to be left as close to the highway as possible. Please keep your items covered to stop them getting wet and too heavy to lift.

Changes to the way we collect sofas and other upholstered items

Due to new instruction from the Environment Agency, the treatment of upholstered domestic seating items such as sofas, armchairs, cushions, beanbags, home office chairs, footstalls, and also upholstered headboards and bed bases has changed. We are no longer able to collect upholstered seating with other household bulky items. The new instruction does not include mattresses.

If you have upholstered seating items you would like us to collect, please book a collection and we will contact you with an alternative collection date for the upholstered items.

Free collections

We can collect:

• one collection per property in a 6 month period
• up to 3 items or one fridge/freezer

The 6 month collection periods run from 1 January to 30 June and 1 July to 31 December.

You can book a collection up to 14 days in advance and new slots will be released daily.

Free Collection days:
The borough is split into two collection areas.
West Reading – Monday, Tuesday, alternate Fridays
East Reading – Wednesday, Thursday, alternate Fridays

Paid collections

We can collect:

• as many collections as you need
• up to 5 items per collection

Paid Collection days:
The borough is split into two collection areas.
West Reading – Monday
East Reading – Thursday

You cannot make changes to the list of items to be collected once you have submitted the form.

Before using the bulky waste collection service, you should be aware of the following:

• We can collect items you would normally take with you when your move house. Items on this list can be booked online.
• If your item is not on the list, complete our contact form telling us about your item and we will let you know if we can collect it.
• We can collect a maximum of 5 items.
• We can only collect from a residential address.
• We cannot collect commercial fridge/freezers.
• We cannot collect black bags, cardboard boxes, hazardous waste, DIY waste (including bathroom suites, carpets/flooring, doors, worktops, sheds, fence panels), construction or demolition waste.
• We do not carry out house or garden clearances.
• We can provide an estimate to collect built-in furniture and very large or heavy items.
• Arrange the items together in one place, where your bins are collected from. For most properties this will be at the front of your property. The Items should be as close to the highway as possible, so the crew can easily see them and take them.
• If you are unable to put items out for collection yourself, get a relative, friend, carer or neighbour to put the items out for you.
• You do not have to be there when your items are collected.
• Once the collection has been booked, you cannot make changes to the list of items to be collected.
• Mattresses and sofas should be covered to stop them getting wet and too heavy to lift.
• Fridges/freezers must be empty of all food, shelves, trays and baskets.

We cannot collect items from inside:

• Properties
• Garages
• Rear gardens
• Locked gates

Prices for paid collection service

• £54.60 (£41.00 for holders of a concessionary Your Reading Passport) for 1, 2 or 3 items
• £8.70 (£6.53 for holders of a concessionary Your Reading Passport) per extra item
• £52.40 (£39.30 for holders of a concessionary Your Reading Passport) for each fridge/freezer

Costs vary depending on what you want collected and whether or not you have a concessionary Your Reading Passport. Find out more about Your Reading Passports (opens in new window).

Cancellation and charges

If you cancel your collection after noon on the working day before the collection, you will not be able to book another free collection until the next 6 month period.

For paid collections, if you cancel giving fewer than three working days’ notice, you will be charged £12.30.

Collections cancelled after noon on the working day before the collection cannot be refunded.

What else can I do with my bulky items?

You could think about:

• Selling items you no longer want.
• Passing them on to friends or family.
• Giving them away for free on ‘freecycling’ sites like Freegle or Freecycle.
• Donating them to charity. Some charities such as British Heart Foundation, Christian Community Action even offer free collections of items such as furniture.