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Rubbish Removal in Cheltenham, Done Properly
Are you feeling overwhelmed by the thought of clearing out a property? Dealing with an entire estate or just a garage full of bulky items can easily take up your whole weekend.
We understand how exhausting that process is. Coln Clearances has been helping local families as a family-run business since 2014. Our team runs a licensed rubbish removal service across Cheltenham, Charlton Kings, Prestbury, Leckhampton, Cirencester, Tewkesbury, and the wider Cotswolds.
Most jobs are booked and completed within 24 hours, and same-day collection is usually possible if you catch us before mid-morning.
Everything is priced up front at a fixed rate to prevent on-the-day surprises.
Let us walk you through exactly how the process works.
Skip Hire Alternative
Hiring a skip might seem like the obvious choice for most household clearances. Waiting for council paperwork can quickly delay your plans.
Gloucestershire County Council currently charges £90 for a 28-day skip permit as of 2026. That fee applies anytime the skip sits on a public highway.
We bypass that entire headache because our vans load up and leave on the same day. Here’s a quick look at why a van collection makes more sense:
| Feature | Traditional Skip | Our Van Clearance |
|---|---|---|
| Wait Time | 12-day minimum permit delay | Often same-day or 24 hours |
| Labour | You load it yourself | We load everything for you |
| Street Impact | Sits for weeks, attracts pests | Gone in under 30 minutes |
Your property could be clear long before a skip even arrives. You also don’t have to spend a Saturday hauling heavy items yourself.
What We Take Away
Figuring out what items can go together is a common stumbling block. We accept a wide variety of household and estate items to make things simple.
The National Bed Federation reported in 2025 that the UK throws away over 7 million mattresses annually. Getting rid of heavy beds and bulky items is a huge part of what we handle.
The short list of what we collect includes:
- Household bulky items: sofas, beds, mattresses, wardrobes, tables, chairs, and appliances
- General household rubbish: bin-bags, black-bag waste, packaging, and boxes
- Garden furniture (see also our Garden Clearance service)
- Small appliances and electricals (WEEE covered)
- Scrap metal (routed to recycling)
Certain materials require special handling facilities. The short list of what we don’t take includes:
- Grass cuttings, hedge trimmings, and general green waste (not our licence)
- Chemicals, paint, and hazardous liquids (special disposal only)
If you have an unusual item, just ask. Almost everything else falls under our Environment Agency licence.
The Curbside Discount
A standard two-bedroom household clearance in the UK often involves removing over 500kg of items. Moving that amount of weight takes significant time and physical effort.
Our pricing model is very simple. Ian looks at the load and gives you a fixed quote based on volume.
Here’s how the optional discount works:
- Move the items: You place the rubbish by the roadside before arrival.
- Save on labour: This cuts our loading time by roughly 30 to 45 minutes.
- Pay a lower rate: We pass those direct time savings back to you.
You absolutely don’t have to choose this option. Our crew handles the lot at the standard rate if you cannot safely move heavy items.
This choice simply reflects the reduced access time on our side.
What Happens to Your Rubbish
Sending waste to the dump is expensive and terrible for the environment. The UK standard landfill tax increased to £130.75 per tonne in April 2026.
Our depot in Cheltenham sorts everything we collect to avoid those high landfill costs. Working items and furniture are routed to charity or resale.
This process actually offsets your quote through our cashback scheme where applicable. Here’s a quick look at where materials go:
- Recyclables: Wood, metal, cardboard, plastic, and textiles are separated for processing.
- Electricals: We send WEEE items directly to certified electrical processors.
- Mattresses: Specialist recyclers strip them down to recover the steel springs and polyester layers.
A guaranteed 90% of everything collected is diverted from landfill. That number is not a marketing target.
The depot is specifically set up to achieve this recycling rate every single day.
Licensed, Insured and Safe
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs reported 1.26 million fly-tipping incidents in England over a single year. Handing your waste to an unregistered operator is incredibly risky.
We want you to feel completely secure during the clearance. Here’s how you’re protected when booking with us:
- Environment Agency Licence: Every piece of rubbish travels under our legal Waste Carrier Licence.
- Protection from Fines: Local council fixed penalty fines for fly-tipping were recently increased to £1,000 in 2026. Our official paperwork ensures you are never liable for illegal dumping.
- Public Liability Insurance: The business is fully insured in case of very rare accidents.
The team will always make it right if anything gets damaged during collection.
Please get a fixed quote for your rubbish removal today.
You can also call 01242 830849 directly, and Ian usually replies within the hour.
