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.
We are currently providing a free bulky waste collection service as well as a paid collection service.
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 collection service
- one collection per property in a 6 month period:
- 6 June to 31 December 2022
- 1 January to 30 June and 1 July to 31 December 2023
- up to 3 items or one fridge/freezer
You can book a collection up to 14 days in advance and new slots will be released daily.
Paid collection service
- as many collections as you need
- up to 5 items
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
- £52.50 (£39.40 for holders of a concessionary Your Reading Passport) for 1, 2 or 3 items.
- £8.40 (£6.30 for holders of a concessionary Your Reading Passport) per extra item.
- £50.40 (37.80 for holders of a concessionary Your Reading Passport) for fridge/freezers.
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 £11.20.
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.