Cost guide
How much does rubbish removal cost in 2026?
Man and van rubbish removal costs £60 to £150 for a small load and £250 to £400 or more for a full van load outside London, including VAT (Fantastic Services, October 2026). London and the South East run 20 to 30% higher, and sofas, mattresses and fridges add per-item charges.
How much does rubbish removal cost by load?
Fantastic Services prices a small load at £60 to £150, a quarter load at £90 to £150, a half load at £150 to £250, a three quarter load at £220 to £340 and a full van load at £250 to £400 or more outside London, including VAT (October 2026). In London and the South East a full load is £320 to £520 or more.
Firms price by the share of the van your waste fills, and Fantastic Services puts the average at roughly £33 per cubic metre. Clearabee's published prices are £99.99 for 1 cubic yard and £149.99 for 2 cubic yards, including VAT.
How much does it cost to remove single items?
Fantastic Services prices furniture disposal at £30 to £90 per item and a 2 or 3 seater sofa at £60 to £120 (October 2026). Clearabee charges £32 for an armchair, £61 for a 2 seater and £73 for a 3 seater sofa, including VAT.
A single or double mattress costs £40 to £70 as a one-off collection (Fantastic Services). RubbishBids prices a fridge at £35 to £75 and a tall fridge freezer at £65 to £110. Added to a mixed load, RubbishBids lists £20 to £35 for a sofa or mattress and £30 to £40 for a fridge or freezer.
How much does a house clearance cost?
A typical house clearance costs £450 to £650, and a full 3 bedroom house £600 to £1,000 outside London in RubbishBids' July 2026 guide, or £600 to £1,200 in Fantastic Services' October 2026 guide. In London a 3 bedroom clearance is £750 to £1,200 (RubbishBids) or £750 to £1,500 or more (Fantastic Services).
A 1 bedroom flat costs £250 to £450 outside London (Fantastic Services), and a probate or bereavement clearance £600 to £1,500, because of the time spent sorting papers and belongings (RubbishBids).
How much does garden and builders waste removal cost?
Garden waste costs £60 to £100 for a small load and £160 to £200 or more for a full load outside London (Fantastic Services, October 2026). Light green waste is bulky but not heavy, so it is priced by volume.
Builders waste costs £100 to £200 for a small van load of 3 to 4 cubic metres and £250 to £400 for a large load outside London (Fantastic Services). Heavy rubble fills a van's payload before its space, so it costs more per cubic metre than household rubbish.
Why does rubbish removal cost more in London?
Fantastic Services puts London and the South East 20 to 30% above the rest of the UK, because of congestion, parking and disposal fees. RubbishBids puts London house clearances 20 to 50% higher.
Access adds labour anywhere: stairs with no lift, a long carry to the van, or no parking near the door.
Why do rubbish removal price guides disagree?
The figures come from operators' and marketplaces' own price guides, not independent surveys. RubbishBids quotes £160 to £250 for a full load while Fantastic Services quotes £250 to £400 or more.
Get two or three quotes from photos, and ask each firm what a load means in cubic metres or yards. Check the firm's waste carrier registration before booking. In England a householder who hands waste to someone not authorised to take it, without making reasonable checks, can be given a fixed penalty of up to £600 in England (since 31 July 2023).
Common questions
How much does a man and van rubbish collection cost?
A small load costs £60 to £150 and a full van load £250 to £400 or more outside London, including VAT (Fantastic Services, October 2026). RubbishBids quotes £160 to £250 for a full load.
How much is a house clearance?
A typical house clearance costs £450 to £650 and a 3 bedroom house £600 to £1,200 outside London, depending on the guide (RubbishBids, July 2026; Fantastic Services, October 2026).
Is the council cheaper than a private firm?
Often, for one or two items. Business Waste found an average minimum council bulky waste charge of £37.70 in July 2026, from £5 to £90.90. Councils usually collect from the kerbside only.
Why is a sofa extra?
Since 1 January 2023, upholstered seating containing POPs must be kept separate from other waste and incinerated, so it is priced per item.