Chargeable garden waste collection service terms and conditions

1. Introduction

1.1 This is a subscription-based collection service for the removal and disposal of domestic garden waste under section 45 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, for the residents of Islington.

1.2 The basis on which the service is provided to residents is set out in these terms and conditions.

1.3 These terms and conditions apply to subscriptions for the service purchased on or after 7 January 2024.

1.4 This agreement forms a binding contract and is made between:

• you, the person registering for the green garden waste chargeable collection service (the service); and
• us, the London Borough of Islington.

1.5 By entering into this agreement, you are agreeing to the following terms and conditions and to pay for the service. 

2. Description of the service

2.1 The service is available for collections from residential properties with their own gardens. The service is not available for allotments.

2.2 Once we have received your payment for the service, your address will be added to our secure database, and we will send you a calendar setting out the dates your garden waste will be collected. You will not receive a physical permit and there is no requirement to attach any physical permit to your collection bags.

2.3 Please check the council’s website for details of any collection day changes which may affect this service around public holidays.

2.4 We offer an assisted green garden waste chargeable collection service for residents who are currently receiving assisted collections for their household waste and recycling.

2.5 We can withdraw the service at any time if there are not enough registered customers to cover the cost of providing the service. If this happens, we will refund an amount proportional to the cost of the remaining scheduled collections in the financial year, to the card you used to make your payment.

3. Payments

3.1 The charge for this service is £75 for 12 months for residential properties.

3.2 Irrespective of the date on which you apply to receive this service, the service will be provided for 12 months. At the end of 12 months, you will need to make a further application and payment if you wish to continue receiving the service. There will be no automatic renewal.

3.3 Residents in receipt of Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance and Personal Independence Payments are entitled to a 50% discount on the normal charge. When applying for a discount, the relevant benefits or other reference number must be provided as evidence of receipt of benefit together with any additional information requested by the council to support entitlement to the discount.

3.4 You are allowed to purchase up to three permits for use at one address.

3.5 You must pay for the service in advance.

3.6 We will not refund the payment for the green garden waste chargeable collection service unless we withdraw the service under clause 2.5 above.

3.7 You must pay for the service by direct debit, debit card or credit card through our website. 

4. Putting out green garden waste 

4.1 The garden waste reusable sacks must be placed in the front garden of your property by 9am on the day of the collection. If the garden waste reusable sack is not placed out for collection by the time of collection, we will not return until the next scheduled collection date.

4.2 The crew must be able to get to the garden waste reusable sacks safely, without any obstructions. If the crew are not able to do so, we will not empty the garden waste reusable sack. We will return on the next scheduled collection date.

4.3 By accepting these terms and conditions you are giving the crew permission to enter your front garden to get to and return your garden waste reusable sacks.

4.4 We will only collect green garden waste that is in a garden waste reusable sack or in refuse sacks that remain open and untied and are no larger than a garden waste reusable sack and left for collection at an address which has subscribed to receive the service. Green garden waste must be placed loosely in the garden waste reusable sacks. You must not put plastic bags in the garden waste reusable sack.

4.5 You can put the following in your garden waste reusable sack.

• Cut flowers.
• Leaves and weeds (except Japanese knotweed and Hogweed) 
• Grass cuttings 
• Twigs and hedge trimmings
• Branches no more than 10cm thick and 50cm long
• Fruit that has fallen in the garden 

4.6 You cannot put the following in the garden waste reusable sack.

• Plastic
• Soil
• Stones or rubble
• General household waste 
• Food waste (including fruit and vegetable peelings)
• Biodegradable packaging

4.7 If you put items that are not acceptable into the garden waste reusable sack, we will not empty it.  You will need to remove the items before we will empty it.  We will return on the next scheduled collection date. 

4.8 If you regularly put unacceptable items in the garden waste reusable sack, we may choose to suspend the service and you will be notified that the service will be suspended. There will be no refund given for any suspension period.

4.9 You are allowed three garden waste reusable sacks for payment of one subscription. We will collect up to three sacks of garden waste per subscription.

5. Missed collections

5.1 If we do not empty the garden waste reusable sack at your property because of circumstances beyond our control (road closures, roadworks, police incidents or accidents and so on), leave the garden waste reusable sacks out for two working days. We will return to your property within this time.

5.2 If we do not empty your garden waste reusable sack when we have collected others in the area, and this is not because it contains unacceptable items or has not been left for us properly, you must report this to us from 10pm on your normal collection day until 6pm the following working day. Please note, collections will take place later in the day than normal refuse and recycling collections and may not be completed until 10pm. Please report this at www.islington.gov.uk/myeaccount or call Access Islington on 0207 527 2000. You cannot report a missed collection by email.

5.3 We investigate all reported missed collections before we come back out. If we agree to another collection, we will try to do this within two working days of your report.

5.4 Please note that we may take photos of missed collections to make sure that any problems with you not leaving your garden waste reusable sack in the correct place, putting unacceptable items in the garden waste reusable sack, or any other issues, can be solved. 

6. Moving home

6.1 You can transfer the service to a new address if this is within the borough. You must give us proof of your change of address at least 14 days before you move.

6.2 If you move to a property outside of the borough we will not pay any refund, and the service will continue for the address you have left until the permit runs out. We recommend that you leave the garden waste reusable sacks behind for use by the new resident.

7. Liability

7.1 We will not be liable for garden waste reusable sacks used for any purpose other than disposing of green garden waste. If you misuse your garden waste reusable sack, we may take it back without giving you a refund.

7.2 Once we have collected your green garden waste it becomes our property.

8. Cooling-off 

8.1 You are entitled to cancel this service within 14 days of signing up. You will receive a full refund if you have not already received a garden waste collection.

9. Privacy notice relating to the garden waste chargeable service 

9.1 We are committed to making sure that your personal information is protected, respected, and used as allowed by law.

9.2 We are the data controller, meaning that we are responsible for how and why personal information is collected, used, and held. We are registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), with registration number Z6018243.

9.3 The following information tells you about what we do with your information when you sign up to the green garden-waste chargeable collection service.  

11. How we use your personal information 

10.1 The Council will use the information you provide for the purpose of administering your green garden waste service and providing you with important service-related information including, but not limited to, subscription reminders and details of service disruption.

10.2 We may share the information with other Council departments and our garden waste permits partner, Permiserv.

10.3 Data will be stored for a period of maximum of 3 years.

10.4. Further information about the way the council handles your information can be found on our privacy notice webpage.