Questions to ask before hiring someone to take your waste
A few questions before you book can protect you from fines and from rubbish being dumped.
The questions
- What is your waste carrier registration number?
- What is the name of your business, and can I have your address?
- Do you have insurance?
- Where will the waste be taken?
- Will I get a receipt or a waste transfer note?
- Is the price the total, including anything extra?
What a good answer looks like
- A registration number you can find on the Environment Agency register, under the same business name.
- A named business with an address, not just a mobile number.
- A clear answer about where the waste goes, such as a permitted waste site or transfer station.
- Paperwork provided as a matter of course.
If you are not sure
If they dodge the questions, do not use them. Read how to check a waste carrier and your duty of care.
More guides
How to check a waste carrier is registered
Anyone who takes your waste away as a business must be a registered waste carrier. Here is how to check in a few minutes, and the warning signs to look for.
Your household waste duty of care
Householders in England have a legal duty to make sure their waste goes to the right person. What that means, what councils can do, and how to protect yourself.
Fly-tipping: what to do and who is responsible
What counts as fly-tipping, how to report it, and why handing waste to the wrong person can make you responsible. Plain-English help for UK householders.
Getting rid of bulky items: your options
Sofas, mattresses, fridges and old furniture: the legal ways to get rid of bulky household items in the UK, from council collections to registered carriers.
Skip hire or man and van: which is right?
Skip hire or a man and van? How the two compare for household clearances in the UK, what a skip permit is, and what to check before you book.
Waste transfer notes: what householders need to know
What a waste transfer note is, whether you need one for household waste, and why keeping a receipt from your waste carrier is a good idea.