A beginner’s guide to replacement council bins

by Craig Pryce November 11, 2020

The idea of a replacement council bin probably won’t have entered your head until the day you needed one.

After all, every household across the country is supplied with wheelie bins (or alternatives) by the council and they are so robust that they rarely get damaged.

However, they can get damaged, making them unusable, and they can also go missing or be stolen. In this case, you’ll be wanting to get a replacement bin.

So, what do you do if you need a new council wheelie bin?

Check with neighbours

If your bin has gone missing on collection day, it’s always worth checking with your neighbours first that they haven’t taken your bin in by accident; this happens more often than you’d think as the waste operatives might mix them up when emptying them.

Most people will just grab the bin that is closest to their garden or property and it may not be theirs.

If you have spoken to your neighbours and they are unaware of the whereabouts of your wheelie bin, then it’s time to take action as the chances of it reappearing are slim.

Wheelie bins do get stolen; more often than not this is because the thief doesn’t want to pay for a new one.

Contact the council

If you have a damaged or a missing household rubbish bin then you need to contact your local council. You can usually do this via an online form or a phone number.

They will want to know which bin needs replacing and will then inform you of the replacement cost as councils do often charge for wheelie bins.

In some areas, they charge for some replacement bins (such as the general waste bins) but not others (such as the recycling and food waste bins), so you may be lucky.

Once you have made your request and paid the fee (if necessary), your bin will often be delivered within the next fortnight but your council will be able to inform you of a more exact delivery time.

You don’t usually need to be home for the delivery — the council will try to place it somewhere out of sight in your garden.

colourful wheelie bins against a colourful wall

Prevent the issue from arising again

Depending on the reason why you needed a replacement bin, you might want to take action to prevent the same issue from occurring again.

If your bin was damaged, give some thought to how that occurred and make changes.

For example, if the lid broke off in strong winds, consider storing your wheelie bin in another area of your garden where it is protected from the elements.

If your wheelie bin went missing, then you might want to consider investing in or building some secure wheelie bin storage in your garden and bring your bins back in on collection day as soon as they’ve been emptied.

That way, nobody will have access to your bins except you.

Summary

To conclude, if your bin is damaged and no longer usable, then you need to contact your local council for a replacement. This may cost you, but it won’t be a huge fee.

If you bin goes missing, check with your neighbours and then contact the council.

If you need any additional wheelie bins, then you can browse our selection online.

Craig Pryce

With over 17 years of experience in the waste and recycling industry, Craig is passionate about making recycling easier and reducing the negative impact of litter. He has been the managing director of Wheelie Bin Solutions (WBS) since January 2016, and prides the company on his expert knowledge, top-quality products, and customer service. His proudest moment was when WBS supported the 2012 Olympic Games, working in partnership with Contenur UK to supply over 9000 bin containers to all Olympic venues. Craig is always keen to share his knowledge, so whether you need advice about the benefits of a wheelie bin lock, or ideas for alternative uses for your wheelie bin, Craig will ensure your recycling and waste disposal habits are gold medal worthy.