Collection for flats
Check your collection day
If you live in a flat, on an estate, or above a shop, your waste and recycling collections may work differently from houses.
The way collections work depends on the type of property you live in and the space available for storing bins and containers.
Missed collections
Before reporting a missed collection, please check that the bin is not:
- contaminated
- overloaded
- inaccessible
These issues can stop us from collecting it.
Report missed collections within 24 hours so we aim to collect within two working days.
Flats and estates collections
Most flats and estates use shared communal bins rather than individual household bins.
You'll usually have access to:
- communal rubbish bins
- communal recycling bins
The number and size of bins depend on the number of residents and the space available.
Recycling
Communal properties can use our recycling service.
Please follow any signs on or near the bins and only place accepted materials in recycling containers.
You can recycle:
- food tins and drinks cans
- glass bottles and jars
- plastic bottles
- clean plastic pots, tubs and trays (no food residue and no black plastic)
- empty aerosol cans
- clean aluminium foil and foil trays
- cartons or tetra Paks
- clean tubes (for example face wash tubes or toothpaste)
- paper, envelopes and cardboard
Before you recycle all items must be clean, rinsed and have no food on it. Squash items where possible to save space. Do not leave recycling beside bins.
If communal recycling bins are regularly full, you should contact the landlord or managing agent who can discuss options with us.
If your block does not currently have recycling facilities, you should ask your managing agent or landlord to contact us.
Garden waste
Garden waste collections are not available from most flats and estates.
You can take garden waste to Chigwell Road
If you live in a flat and would like to start composting, we can help you set up a shared composting site. You can see more information online on how composting works in flats
Bulky waste
Large household items cannot be placed in communal bins, these include:
- furniture
- mattresses
- carpets
- white goods (like fridges and washing machines)
- other large household items
If you need to dispose of a bulky item, you can book a bulky waste collection
Once you've booked your collection, you'll need to wait for your collection date and time.
Put your items outside the front of your property by 6am on the collection day. Or if you live in a block of flats, you can place them in the communal bin shed.
You can take garden waste to Chigwell Road
Food waste collections
Food waste collections are not currently available for all flats and estates.
We are working to expand food waste collections to more communal properties and will contact residents when this becomes available.
Keep bin areas clean
To make sure your waste area is clean and can be collected please:
- place waste inside the correct bin
- flatten cardboard boxes
- do not leave bags of rubbish beside or in front of the bins
Report overflowing or damaged communal bins to your landlord or managing agent.
Leaving waste outside bins can attract pests and create litter problems.
Flats above shops collections
Flats above shops often do not have a lot of space for bins. Because of this, collection arrangements may be different.
If there is enough space for bins, we may be able to provide a standard collection service.
You can tell us where you have space for a wheelie bin
We'll then assess the property before deciding what service can be provided.
Rubbish collections
If you live above a shop or do not have a lot of space, you may not have a wheelie bin. You’ll be provided with official red sacks for your rubbish.
Theses sacks are delivered twice a year. This is usually in March and September.
You must use the official red sacks provided by us for your rubbish. Otherwise, waste may be treated as fly-tipping.
To make sure your red sacks are collected please:
- put your red sack out between 9pm on Sunday and 6am on collection days (Monday to Friday)
- place your sacks near the entrance of your building or by your front door
- do not place sacks next to litter bins or lampposts
- do not leave sacks anywhere that could block the pavement or road
- do not put sacks out on Friday evening or at any time during the weekend
This helps keep streets clean and reduces problems with litter and pests.
Do not put sacks out on Friday evening or at any time during the weekend, as there are no waste collections on Saturdays or Sundays. Friday is the last collection day of the week.
Recycling
Currently, recycling collections are not available for most flats above shops.
You can still recycle by using local recycling banks across the borough.
Find your nearest recycling bank online
We provide free orange recycling bags to help you store and carry your recycling. The bags have separate sections to keep paper and card separate from other recyclable materials.
You can collect free orange recycling bags from any Redbridge library
We are also looking at ways to introduce a recycling collection service for flats above shops.
Garden waste
Garden waste collections are not available from most flats and estates.
You can take garden waste to Chigwell Road
If you live in a flat and would like to start composting, we can help you set up a shared composting site. You can see more information online on how composting works in flats
Food waste collections
Currently, food waste collections are not available for flats above shops.
We are working on introducing a food waste service in the future and will contact you when it becomes available.
Communal bin store responsibilities
Communal bin stores are usually looked after by the landlord, managing agent or housing provider.
They are normally responsible for:
- providing access to the bin store
- keeping the area clean, safe and easy to use
- reporting damaged, missing or overflowing bins to the Council
- maintaining the bin store and related facilities
- requesting changes to waste and recycling services when needed
If you have any concerns about your bin store, contact your landlord, managing agent or housing provider first.
We do not provide communal bins for flats free of charge. The property owner, landlord, managing agent or housing provider is responsible for providing, maintaining and replacing communal refuse bins.
Get recycling bins for your building
You need to ask your Managing Agent to approve a request for recycling bins.
Your Managing Agent must contact us and provide the full property address. Without this, we cannot process the request.
We’ll carry out a site visit.
Get help with waste and recycling
Contact your landlord, managing agent or housing provider for:
- overflowing communal bins
- damaged bins or bin stores
- access problems
- requests for additional bins
- questions about bin store management
- cleaning and maintenance of communal areas
Contact us for:
- missed collections and fly-tipping
- recycling information
- bulky waste collections
- questions about our waste services
- advice on local recycling facilities
If you are unsure who to contact, speak to your landlord or managing agent first and they can advise whether the issue needs to be raised with us.
Hire a private waste contactor
You may want to hire a private contractor for items and waste that we do not collect.
You should check:
- they are registered with the Environment Agency and have a valid Upper Tier Waste Carrier’s Licence. You can check using their registration number, business name, or postcode, or call the Environment Agency on 03708 506 506
- they are a genuine and trustworthy person or company. You can do this by looking at different reviews
- ask where your waste will be taken
- write down the vehicle registration number of the vehicle removing your waste
- pay by cheque, card, or bank transfer so the payment can be traced. If they only want cash, do not use their service.
- ask for a waste transfer note and a receipt. Keep them both as proof.
If you do not do these checks, you could be fined £600 if your waste is fly‑tipped and you cannot prove who removed it or that they were licensed.
See where your waste goes
The rubbish left over after most recycling has been taken out is called residual waste.
This waste from Redbridge wheelie bins is taken to the Jenkins Lane waste management facility.
At Jenkins Lane, the waste goes through a treatment process that:
reduces the amount of waste by drying it out
separates more materials for recycling
turns some waste into fuel that can be used to create energy instead of fossil fuels
See more information online on what happens to your waste and streets
