In a block of flats, an extra collection involves shared spaces as well as individual households. Before anyone books, find out who controls the bin store, who can authorise removing things from shared areas, and who is agreeing to pay.

Find out how the building is run

Ask the managing agent, landlord, freeholder or residents’ management company how waste is organised in your building. The right contact depends on the building. One resident cannot assume they are allowed to authorise the removal of everything in a shared bin store or corridor.

Then work out what the problem actually is:

• Missed council collections: the council is responsible for collecting household waste, so report it to the council first.
• Overflow from a private contract: the managing agent or whoever holds the contract should deal with it.
• Items that don’t belong in the bins: furniture, mattresses or electricals dumped in a common area usually need a separate arrangement.

Keep the recycling system working

From 31 March 2026, Simpler Recycling rules require councils in England to collect the core recycling streams from all households, including flats, although some councils have a later start date for food waste. The government guidance says communal on-site bins may be more suitable for some flats. Check your council’s instructions for the building, and make sure a paid extra collection does not undo the separation the existing system relies on.

Agree access and scope with the collector

Tell the collector about keys, entry codes, bin-store doors, where the vehicle can stop and how far the crew must carry. The collection must not block fire escapes or shared access. List exactly which bins and items are included, so the crew does not take residents’ belongings or anything outside the agreement.

Confirm who pays before instructing work

There are two common routes:

• The managing agent arranges it under the building’s management arrangements. Whether the cost can later be passed on through service charges depends on the lease and the law on service charges. If that is disputed, get advice rather than relying on a general guide.
• Residents book their own collections for their own household waste.

Get written confirmation of who is paying, the total price including any VAT, and the waste allowance. Keep the collector’s details and receipt.

The type of customer matters. Each household disposing of its own household waste has the householder duty of care in England: take reasonable steps to make sure it only goes to an authorised person, such as a registered upper-tier waste carrier. The duty-of-care code says waste from a property mainly used for business, or from a landlord or letting agent clearing a property after tenants have left, is not household waste, so a business arranging that kind of clearance has the fuller business duties, including waste transfer notes.

FAQs

Can one resident book a collector for a sofa dumped in a shared hallway?

Only with the agreement of whoever manages the common parts. Otherwise you may be paying to remove something that belongs to someone else, or that the managing agent is already dealing with.

The bottom line

One emergency clear-out can restore access, but it will not fix unclear responsibility. Establish who controls shared areas and who pays, agree scope and access in writing, and set up a simple way to report overflow and dumped items so the problem does not keep coming back.

Sources

This guide draws on the following sources, checked on 30 September 2026:

• GOV.UK (Defra), “Simpler recycling: household recycling in England (flats and communal properties)”
• GOV.UK (Defra), “Waste duty of care code of practice (sections 2 and 5)”

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