The Ultimate Furniture Disposal Guide for London

 

See below a list of all London councils and their respective charges for 1 furniture item (sofa), organised alphabetically. Enfield, Harrow, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest all offer a free collection.

 

London council bulky waste collection charge for 1 item

 

For further details about the council service and how to book it, visit the council websites. 

 

2. Retailer takeback schemes

Another option to consider is a retailer takeback scheme. Some furniture companies introduced them for a couple of reasons. First, to remove the furniture you’re replacing and second, to help divert old furniture - especially sofas - from landfill at their end of life. 

Some options are free, some are paid depending on the retailer. Here is list of popular furniture companies in London that offer a takeback scheme:

Sofa Retailer	Armchair	2 seater sofa	Sofa bed
DFS	£129	£129	£129
Dunelm	£70	£80	£140
Furniture Village	£80	£90	£150
Heals	£80	£90	£150
Next	£80	£90	£150
SCS	£80	£90	£150
Sofa.com	£99	£99	£99
Sofology	£129	£129	£129
Swyft	£80	£90	£150

 

 

3. Charity donation in London

Is your stuff still in good condition? If yes, donating to a local charity is a great idea. The following charities operate in London and offer furniture collections. Check to see if there is a collection service in your borough. Follow the links directly to their websites where you can find booking forms or telephone numbers. 

Charity	How to book
British Heart Foundation	Type in your postcode and check if your nearby store offers furniture collection.
DEBRA	Telephone to arrange a collection.
Emmaus	Find your local shop and call or email to ask for a free furniture collection.
Red Cross	Enter your postcode to see if there are any furniture and electrical stores near you. Call or email.
Sue Ryder	Visit the main site or contact your nearest store.
Salvation Army	Visit the main site or contact your nearest store.
Thames Hospice	Call, email or complete the form to arrange free collection.
Shelter	Check if there’s a Shelter shop in London near you and call to organise. This option is good for lots of furniture. You can request a full or part house clearance from Shelter. You'll need to pay for a full house clearance but a part clearance is free.

 

More charities (without collection service)

There are more charities in London that want furniture donations but don't offer a collection service. If you are able to transport your items, you could also consider these options:

• Age UK
• Barnardo's
• British Red Cross
• Cancer Research
• Oxfam
• PDSA
• Sense
• YMCA
• Betel UK

By the way - there are also lots of smaller, independent charities looking for furniture donations. Try your council’s bulky waste collection pages for suggestions.

 

Top tip - to donate any upholstered furniture to charity, it must have all fire labels included. If your furniture is reusable but you’ve lost the labels, don’t worry - see the options for online donation below.

 

4. Sell your furniture or donate to individuals (not charities)

There are loads of options for getting rid of furniture without using charities. You could try:

• Asking your friends and family. Put the word out in your direct network that you’re getting rid of furniture. Chances are they or someone they know might like it. 
• Donating to local theatre groups. Amateur theatre groups often want furniture donations to build sets. Check whether there are any in your local area and drop them an email.
• Using social platforms to give away furniture. See below!

 

Donate or sell furniture online

Posting your furniture online is a really easy way of getting it removed either for free or - even better - for a profit. Here’s a list of sites where you can either sell or give your furniture away for free. 

• Gumtree - you could try selling, or list on Gumtree Freebies London to give away for free.
• Facebook marketplace - post a free listing or sell.
• eBay - sell your old furniture.
• Freecycle - donate only within town groups. See our Freecycle Guide here for tips on getting started.
• Freegle - donate only within town groups.
• Nextdoor - donate or sell within community groups.
• LoveJunk - donate only. You can also really easily match with a waste collector if you don’t find anybody to take your item for free.

 

For a more detailed breakdown about using these sites when giving away your furniture, see our article about Free Collection of Unwanted Furniture.

 

 

5. Man & Van Furniture Disposal London

Is your furniture beyond reuse? Or maybe you don’t fancy waiting a couple of weeks for the council to come? Your best solution is Man and Van Waste Removal! This option has a few advantages:

• Collection from anywhere on the property (inside, outside, upstairs)
• Urgent or next day collections available (though be aware this can usually bump the price up a bit!)
• No restrictions on the types of furniture you can donate - a man & van removal team will accept household or office furniture

 

How much does furniture disposal cost in London?

The cost of furniture disposal can depend on a few things: how many pieces of furniture you have, if they require heavy lifting and how urgently you need the collection. For example, big or heavy items like a couch, sofa bed or glass coffee table tend to be a bit more expensive. Lighter items like drawers or stools usually cost less for removal and disposal.

Below are some examples of recent furniture disposal jobs in London.

 

 

Cheapest furniture collection in London

The best way to find your cheapest local licensed waste collector in London is to post a listing on the LoveJunk marketplace. Take a picture of your furniture and upload it with no obligation - if you decide on another option that’s no problem! Or, accept the lowest bid from a local waste carrier. 

All waste carriers are vetted through us, which means we’ve checked for their Environment Agency license and insurance. It’s free to use the platform, and we’re recommended by 17 London councils.

 

6. London Recycling Centres 

You also have the option to take your old furniture to the local recycling centre. There are many of these around London, also known as Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs), civic amenity centres, or just the tip. They're run by councils, so check where to find ones in your borough. You could also check out our list of rubbish tips in London including location, map & opening times.

If you're able to transport your furniture, this is a great option because disposal at recycling centres is free. Be aware that HWRCs can get really busy at peak hours. Some have introduced a booking system to reduce queues, so best to check your council's website for details. Generally, the quietest time to visit is early morning or late afternoon on a weekday. Try to avoid going at the weekend.

 

Further reading

• How much to pay for a London sofa disposal
• Bulky waste disposal options in London
• 10 Eco-friendly Ways to Dispose of Furniture in London
• Ultimate Guide to Freecycle London

 

PS, are you moving house?

In this blog, we've focused on furniture removal in London with a view to disposal, but if you are looking for information on moving furniture from A to B, we recommend using Really Moving to make this process easier. We all know that packing up your belongings and moving them from A to B safely and securely can be very stressful. They offer money-saving tips and guides for moving home as well as costs.