How Much Does Rubbish Removal Cost in London? (2026 Prices)

Rubbish removal in London costs from £80 for a mini load (about one washing machine's worth) up to £410+ for a full van. A typical mixed household load lands around £165. Those are our actual prices, not a teaser — the full table is below, along with the things that genuinely change the number, and the situations where we'll tell you straight that the council is the better deal.

Most pricing pages in this industry make you fill in a form to find out what a sofa costs to remove. We think that's daft. Here's everything.

London rubbish removal prices by load size

Prices are per collection, anywhere in Greater London, and include labour, loading, transport and licensed disposal with a digital Waste Transfer Note.

| Load size | Roughly how much stuff | Price from | Typical range | |-----------|------------------------|------------|---------------| | Mini load | A washing machine, or 4–5 bin bags | £80 | £80–£110 | | Small load | A two-seater sofa, or a cupboard's worth | £115 | £115–£155 | | Medium load | A single room's clear-out | £165 | £165–£205 | | Large load | A small flat's worth | £215 | £215–£255 | | Large+ load | A garden shed, contents included | £265 | £265–£305 | | XL load | A one-bed flat clearance | £315 | £315–£340 | | XL+ load | A cluttered one-bed, or a sparse two-bed | £345 | £345–£395 | | XXL load | A full house clearance load | £410 | £410–£540 |

Prices correct at publication — the [live pricing page](/pricing) always has the current numbers, and our [instant quote tool](/booking/new) will price your actual pile, including from a photo.

What changes the price

Four things move the number, and none of them should be a surprise on the day:

1. **Volume.** The single biggest factor. You pay for the space your stuff takes in the van — nothing else. Half a van costs less than a full van, which is the main way we differ from skip hire, where you pay for the whole skip however empty it ends up. 2. **Specific items.** Fridges, freezers, mattresses and some electricals cost extra because they legally require separate disposal routes. A fridge can't just go in the general load — it has to be degassed at a licensed facility. 3. **Access.** A fourth-floor flat with no lift takes our crew three times as long as a driveway. Difficult access adds a surcharge; we'll ask about stairs when you book, and honesty at that point keeps the price honest on the day. 4. **Parking.** If there's genuinely nowhere to stop — some central London streets — a parking surcharge can apply. If you have a driveway or a visitor permit, this never affects you.

What *doesn't* change the price: which borough you're in, what day it is, or whether you found us through an ad. Same table for everyone.

When the council is honestly cheaper

Every London council runs a bulky waste collection, typically £15–£60 for a few items depending on the borough, and some collect certain items free. If a couple of things can sit at the kerb for a week or three, book the council and keep your money — that's not a trick, it's just the right answer for that job.

The council option comes with three catches worth knowing: the wait is commonly one to four weeks, you carry everything to the kerb yourself, and they take a set list of household items rather than mixed loads. The moment the job involves stairs, urgency, or "the whole spare room", private collection stops being a luxury and starts being the cheaper option once your own Saturday is priced in.

How to pay less for private rubbish removal

- **Send a photo.** Our [photo quote](/booking/new) prices what's actually there, so you're never guessing a load size upwards to be safe. - **Get it to the ground floor** if you safely can — access surcharges exist because of stairs, not spite. - **Dismantle the big stuff.** A flat-packed wardrobe takes a quarter of the space of an assembled one, and you pay for space. - **Combine jobs.** One medium load costs less than two small ones a week apart. Do the garage and the loft in one go.

The cheap quote that costs £1,000

One warning, because we see the aftermath weekly: if a price seems impossibly low — £20 for a van load off a Facebook ad — the maths only works if your waste gets fly-tipped. When it's traced (and it's traced via your post, more often than people think), **you** can be fined up to £1,000 via a Fixed Penalty Notice, or unlimited amounts on conviction, because householders have a legal duty of care for their waste.

Anyone legitimate will have a waste carrier licence you can check in about ten seconds on the Environment Agency's public register, and will give you a Waste Transfer Note. We issue one digitally for every single collection. If a cheap quote can't produce either, that's the whole answer.

Frequently asked questions

**What's the minimum charge?** £80, which covers a mini load — think one appliance or a few bags. Below that, honestly, check whether your council or a charity shop wants it first.

**Do you charge to quote?** No. Quotes are free, take about two minutes online, and a staff member confirms every price before you pay anything.

**Is it cheaper than a skip?** For most one-off clear-outs, yes — skips start around £150 plus a permit if it sits on the road, and you do the loading. Skips win for multi-week building jobs with heavy waste. We sell both, so we don't mind which you pick; there's an honest comparison on our [skip hire page](/services/skip-hire).

**Can I get collected today?** Often, yes — same-day is frequently available in central London and next-day across the rest. The [booking page](/booking/new) shows real availability.