What the Council Will Not Collect in Chelsea and What to Do Instead

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea publishes a clear list of what its bulky waste collection will not take. It is worth reading before you pay, because a refused item is not returned and the charge is not refunded.

The service will not collect garden waste, car parts, paint, hazardous waste, builder's waste, pianos, items infested with bedbugs, or unhygienic items such as soiled mattresses.

Garden waste and builder's waste are both outside the domestic bulky service. They arise from work rather than from ordinary household living, so each needs its own route.

Our crew takes garden cuttings, branches, hedge trimmings, soil and old fence panels under our garden waste service, and rubble, timber and fit-out debris under our builders waste service.

Paint, car parts and hazardous waste cannot go into a domestic bulky collection or a household bin. These streams have to be separated and handled through a route that accepts them.

We can advise on the handover for anything hazardous before any clearance, so the item is identified and dealt with properly rather than left at the kerbside.

Items infested with bedbugs and unhygienic items such as soiled mattresses are refused because of the risk they carry for collection crews. A mattress that has been soiled is a clear example.

If an item is in this category we talk it through first. Some can be handled with the right protection and kept separate from the rest of the load, and some need a specialist handover. We will tell you which is which before booking.

A piano is heavy, awkward and easy to damage, which is why it sits outside the council bulky list. Moving one safely is a job in itself.

If you are clearing a Chelsea home and a piano or a similar awkward piece is in the way, tell us when you enquire. Knowing about it early is the difference between a smooth clearance and a wasted visit.