Rubbish removal
Fridge and freezer disposal
Fridge disposal costs £35 to £75 for a fridge and £65 to £110 for a tall fridge freezer as a one-off collection (RubbishBids prices, October 2026). If you are buying a new one, ask the retailer about take-back: retailers selling electricals must offer a free take-back service or fund one through the Distributor Take Back Scheme (GOV.UK). Many councils also collect fridges through their bulky waste service.
What this covers
Typical price. A fridge costs £35 to £75 to collect and a tall fridge freezer £65 to £110 as a one-off job (RubbishBids, October 2026); added to a mixed load, RubbishBids quotes a surcharge of £25 to £40.
Typical jobs
- Removing an old fridge freezer from a kitchen when the replacement came without a collection
- Collecting a chest freezer that has stopped working in a garage
- Taking away an under-counter fridge during a kitchen refit
- Clearing a tall fridge freezer and a washing machine from a rented flat
- Removing an American style fridge freezer that needs its doors taken off to get out
What is involved
Fridges and freezers are waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), and their cooling circuits and insulation contain gases that must be recovered at a specialist treatment site. That is why they cannot go in a general load or a skip without a charge: skip firms that accept them charge £50 to £90 and many refuse them.
Retailer take-back. GOV.UK says retailers selling electricals must offer a free in-store take-back service, a free alternative take-back service, or join the Distributor Take Back Scheme, and must tell customers which they provide, including any collect on delivery. A retailer with in-store take-back must accept waste of the same type as the item you buy, whether bought in store, online or by mail order, and give you at least 28 days to bring it in. The in-store service is free, but a retailer can charge to collect from your home. Ask when you order the new fridge.
Council options. GOV.UK notes that councils may offer special collections for large items such as fridges. Business Waste found an average minimum council bulky waste charge of £37.70, from £5 to £90.90 (July 2026). Council recycling centres also take fridges from householders.
Private collection. A rubbish removal firm will take a fridge on its own or with other waste. RubbishBids lists a surcharge of £25 on its single item guide (July 2026) and £30 to £40 on its main price guide when a fridge is added to a load.
Choosing a firm
Ask where the fridge goes: it should be a treatment site for electrical waste, not a scrap yard that strips the metal. Defrost and empty it the day before, and say if it is an American style or chest freezer, as these may need two people or doors removing.
The rubbish removal page covers the rules.
Read next
Common questions
How much does it cost to get rid of a fridge?
RubbishBids prices a fridge at £35 to £75 and a tall fridge freezer at £65 to £110 as a one-off collection (October 2026). Added to a mixed load the surcharge is lower, at £25 to £40. Retailers with in-store take-back accept a like-for-like appliance free when you buy a replacement.
Will the shop take my old fridge when I buy a new one?
Retailers must offer a free take-back service or fund one through the Distributor Take Back Scheme, and tell you which. A retailer with in-store take-back must accept an appliance of the same type free and give you at least 28 days to bring it. Collection from your home can be charged, so ask when you order.
Can a fridge go in a skip?
Many skip firms refuse fridges, and those that accept them charge £50 to £90. A fridge needs a specialist treatment site because of the gases in its cooling system and insulation.