HOW TO HIRE · REMOVALS & STORAGE

How to hire an appliance disposal firm in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

An appliance disposal firm must be a registered waste carrier. Fridges are hazardous waste. A retailer selling you a new one must offer free take-back.

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THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring an appliance disposal firm in five steps

  1. Ask the retailer firstBuying a new one? The retailer must offer free take-back of the old item.
  2. Check the carrier numberAny firm collecting it must be registered.
  3. Say what the item isFridge, freezer, washing machine or cooker — fridges are hazardous waste.
  4. Disconnect safelyGas cookers by a Gas Safe engineer; plumbing isolated.
  5. Keep the receiptYour proof of your duty of care.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

Waste carrier registration

Carrying waste for others is lawful only with registration: Environment Agency in England, Natural Resources Wales, SEPA in Scotland, DAERA in Northern Ireland. Ask the appliance disposal firm for the number; in England an upper-tier one starts CBDU.

Look the number up before booking, and note it with the date. environment.data.gov.uk →

Your duty of care

The householder's duty of care (Environmental Protection Act 1990, section 34 in England and Wales; Scotland's own duty) means checking that the appliance disposal firm is authorised. In England failing it can bring a £150 to £600 fixed penalty.

Keep a photo of the carrier registration, the vehicle registration and a receipt with the business's details. legislation.gov.uk →

Hazardous items

Hazardous waste — gov.uk's examples include asbestos, chemicals, batteries, oils and fridges containing ozone-depleting substances — follows stricter rules than ordinary waste, regulated in England by the Environment Agency. A fridge or freezer goes for specialist treatment, not the general load.

List anything hazardous to the appliance disposal firm before the quote, and ask how each is dealt with. gov.uk →

Retailer take-back (WEEE)

Under the 2013 Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations a retailer selling you a new electrical item must give you a way to dispose of the old one of the same type — a free take-back in store or an alternative free service.

If you are buying new, ask the retailer for its take-back service before paying an appliance disposal firm. gov.uk →

VAT

Collecting and disposing of appliances is standard-rated, so a registered appliance disposal firm adds 20% to the price per appliance and to any disconnection. Registration becomes compulsory once an appliance disposal firm has VAT-taxable turnover over £90,000 in any rolling 12 months; from then VAT must be charged and shown as a separate line on the invoice.

Ask the appliance disposal firm for the VAT number with the carrier number, and for the price per item and VAT shown apart. gov.uk →

“What is your waste carrier number?”

A good answer: A number to check against the appliance disposal firm's name.

“Where will the fridge go?”

A good answer: A site that treats fridges, named — not a scrapyard.

“Will you disconnect the appliance?”

A good answer: Electric yes; gas only by a Gas Safe engineer; water isolated first.

“Is the price per item and including collection?”

A good answer: One written figure per appliance.

“Can it be reused instead?”

A good answer: Working items may go for reuse; ask.

“Do you carry it out of the house?”

A good answer: Yes, with care for floors and doorframes.

“Will I get a receipt with your details?”

A good answer: Yes, naming the business and carrier number.

Getting the quote right

  • Items listed and price per appliance
  • Who actually attends the collection: the appliance disposal firm's employed crew, or a subcontracted carrier with its own registration
  • Disconnection, if included
  • Where each goes for treatment
  • The carrier number
  • The VAT number, with VAT at 20% on the collection and disposal price

Walk away if

  • No carrier number
  • A fridge going to a scrapyard
  • A cash price with no receipt
  • Gas cooker disconnected by someone not Gas Safe registered
LOW
£15
TYPICAL
£30
HIGH
£60

What an appliance disposal firm costs: £15–£60 per item

Appliance disposal is priced per item; the type of appliance, disconnection and access set the price. Appliance Disposal price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Appliance disposal firms near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

  1. BookItems listed, carrier number checked.
  2. DisconnectPower off, water isolated, gas by a registered engineer.
  3. Carry outMoved out with floors protected.
  4. TransportFridges upright and kept separate.
  5. TreatTaken to a site that recycles appliances.

WEEE
Waste electrical and electronic equipment.
Take-back
A retailer's duty to accept your old appliance when you buy new.
Ozone-depleting substances
Gases in older fridges that make them hazardous waste.
Waste carrier number
Registration to carry waste for others.
Isolation valve
A valve that shuts off water to an appliance.
Hazardous waste
Waste with stricter handling rules.

AFTER

When the job is done

Keep the receiptWith the carrier number.
Check for leaksWhere a washing machine was disconnected, valves capped.
Ask about recyclingSome firms confirm treatment.
Rate the workBooked through Locufy, the job can be reviewed; if the appliance disposal firm needs to come back, the make-it-right step gives them the chance first.

STEP 1Start with the appliance disposal firmSet out in writing what went wrong with the collection. Section 49 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 is the duty of reasonable care and skill; section 55 lets you ask for the service to be repeated.
STEP 2Let Locufy follow it upBelow four stars, you choose whether the appliance disposal firm sees the problem before your review does; we follow it through, then the review goes live.
STEP 3Fly-tipping or an unregistered carrierIf waste the appliance disposal firm took turns up dumped, report it to the council and the regulator — the Environment Agency in England, Natural Resources Wales, SEPA or DAERA — with your receipt and their number. For advice, or to have Trading Standards told, ring Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133 in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 800 9060, or Consumerline on 0300 123 6262 in Northern Ireland.
STEP 4Small claimsKeep the quote, the photos and every message with the appliance disposal firm: claims up to £10,000 in England and Wales, £5,000 in Scotland and £5,000 in Northern Ireland are heard on the small-claims routes.

Hiring an appliance disposal firm: questions people ask

Yes. Carrying other people's waste as a business needs registration in every nation — Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales, SEPA or DAERA. Ask for the number and check it.

If you buy a new one of the same type, the WEEE regulations require the retailer to offer a free take-back, in store or through an alternative service.

Expect £15 to £60 an item, most often near £30. Our appliance disposal price guide covers what changes it, and the search above lists appliance disposal firms where you live.

Gov.uk lists equipment with ozone-depleting substances, like fridges, as hazardous waste.

The appliance disposal firm commits an offence, and you can too if you did not check they were authorised: in England the fixed penalty for a householder is £150 to £600. Keep the carrier number and receipt.

Many councils run bulky-item collections; ask yours.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in removals & storage

How to hire: WEEE / Electronics DisposalHow to hire: Furniture DisposalHow to hire: Mattress DisposalHow to hire: Junk & Rubbish RemovalHow to hire: House ClearanceHow to hire: Skip HireHow to hire: Man with a VanHow to hire: Garage ClearanceAll 701 hiring guides →

Appliance disposal firms near you

Appliance disposal firms in LondonAppliance disposal firms in ManchesterAppliance disposal firms in BirminghamAppliance disposal firms in GlasgowAppliance disposal firms in BelfastAll appliance disposal firms on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. gov.uk — register as a waste carrier, broker or dealer (England)
  2. Environment Agency — public register of waste carriers
  3. Natural Resources Wales — register as a waste carrier, broker or dealer
  4. SEPA — waste carriers and brokers
  5. DAERA — registration of carriers and brokers
  6. Environmental Protection Act 1990, section 34 — duty of care
  7. Environmental Protection Act 1990, section 34ZA — householder fixed penalties (England)
  8. gov.scot — Duty of Care code of practice for managing controlled waste (2026): householders
  9. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 54 — what you can ask for when a service falls short
  10. Civil Procedure Rules Part 26 — the small claims track (England and Wales)
  11. nidirect — the small claims process (Northern Ireland)
  12. gov.uk — hazardous waste (England)
  13. gov.uk — electrical waste: retailer and distributor responsibilities
  14. VAT rates — VAT rates for goods and services: standard rate 20% on most goods and services
  15. GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register