How to Get Rid of an Old Washing Machine in London
By the Waste Collectors team · 7 min read
A customer in Highbury had a broken washing machine still plumbed in under the kitchen worktop of her flat. She sent us one photo, and the price was fixed before we came: £60 for the machine, £10 for the flat and £15 for us to disconnect it.
Washing machines are one of the hardest things to get rid of yourself. They weigh 65 kg or more, they’re still connected to the water, and they can’t go in the bin or be left on the pavement.
Here’s every way to get rid of an old washing machine in London, what each one costs, and which one makes sense for you.
Short answer: if you’re buying a new one, the shop has to give you a free way to hand in the old one. If it still works, sell it or give it away. Otherwise your council’s bulky waste collection is the cheapest option, as long as you can get it outside, and in seven north London boroughs there’s a free collection for large electricals. The tip is free but you need a car and a strong helper. The quickest is a licensed collector: with us a washing machine is usually £55–£60, carried out from wherever it is, often the same day.
Your options at a glance
| Option | Typical cost | Do you move it? | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| The shop, when you buy a new one | Free to hand in, delivery collection may cost extra | Usually yes | Only like for like, and it must be disconnected |
| Selling or giving it away | Free | Usually yes | Only works if it still runs |
| Council bulky waste collection | About £5 – £40 | Yes, to the pavement | Their date, and it has to be outside |
| Free north London electricals collection | Free | Check when booking | Seven boroughs only, limited slots |
| The tip | Free | Yes, and into a car | 65 kg or more, needs two people |
| Waste Collectors | Usually £55 – £60 | No, we carry it | You pay for the convenience |
1. If it still works, sell it or give it away
A working washing machine is worth something to someone. Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree and Freegle all work, and many people will collect for free. Say how old it is, whether it’s still plumbed in, and which floor it’s on, and agree who carries it out.
Some charity shops and furniture reuse projects accept washing machines in good working order, but most want them tested first, so ring before you book.
2. Let the shop take it when you buy a new one
Shops that sell washing machines have to give you a free way to get rid of your old one when you buy a new one. It works like for like: buy a washing machine and you can hand in a washing machine, not a fridge. According to Recycle Your Electricals, the old one doesn’t have to be the same brand or come from the same shop.
Most appliance shops do this by collecting the old machine when they deliver the new one. Check the price at checkout, because collection on delivery isn’t always free, and the delivery team will usually only take it if it’s already disconnected and drained.
3. Book your council’s bulky waste collection
Every London council collects washing machines as bulky waste. The price and the rules differ a lot:
| Council | Price | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Lewisham | £5 per item | At the edge of your property by the pavement. Crews won’t go inside. |
| Royal Greenwich | £13.82 per item | Front of the property by 6am. Nothing from back gardens or up steps. |
| Haringey | £20 for 1–4 items | Put out at the front on the day. |
| Hackney | £24 for 1–5 items | On the pavement by 6am, Monday to Friday. |
| Camden | £25 for 1–5 items, plus £10 for up to 2 large electricals | Outside your home at street level, Monday to Friday. |
| Croydon | £40.40 for 1–3 items | Waterlogged items are refused. |
Taken from each council’s own website. Prices change, so check before you book.
The council is the cheapest option if you can disconnect the machine yourself and get it down to the pavement. That’s the hard part: a washing machine is too heavy for one person on the stairs, and the council crew won’t come in to get it.
Free in north London: if you live in Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington or Waltham Forest, the North London Waste Authority runs a free collection for large electricals, including washing machines, fridges and cookers. Slots are limited, so book early.
4. Take it to the tip yourself
London’s tips (Reuse and Recycling Centres) take washing machines from residents for free. They go into the large appliances area, not the general waste, so the steel, copper and motor can be recycled.
The problem is getting it there. A washing machine weighs at least 65 kg, it’s too big for most car boots, and you’ll need two people and ideally a sack truck to lift it in and out. Most tips only let vans in with a booking. Check your tip’s opening hours and rules first.
5. Be careful with “free scrap collection”
You may see vans or leaflets offering to take washing machines for free because of the scrap metal inside. Some are fine. Others strip out the metal and dump the rest, and if your old machine is fly-tipped, the fine can come back to you.
Before you hand anything over, ask for their waste carrier registration number and check it on the Environment Agency register. Ours is CBDU553904.
6. Book a licensed collector
This is what most people choose when the machine is upstairs, still plumbed in, or the council date is too far away. Washing machines are one of the things we collect most as part of our rubbish removal work across London.
What it usually costs with us:
| What needs to go | Price |
|---|---|
| Washing machine on its own, outside or on the ground floor | Usually £55 – £60 |
| From an upstairs flat | Usually £10 – £20 extra, depending on the floor and lift |
| We disconnect it for you | Usually £15 – £20 extra |
| Washing machine with other rubbish | Priced as one load, by van space |
That includes carrying it out, VAT, licensed recycling and a waste transfer note. Send a photo and you’ll get a fixed price before we come. There’s more on our washing machine collection page and the full list on the prices page.
Real washing machine jobs we’ve done
Disconnected and carried out
Still plumbed in under the worktop. We disconnected it and carried it down from the flat.
From a third-floor flat
Carried down three flights of stairs with no lift.
From a high floor on an estate
Taken down in the lift and loaded straight away.
From a flat
Carried out of a flat in a purpose-built block.
Left ready outside
Already disconnected and waiting by the front door.
Sofa and washing machine
Both taken in one visit, priced together.
How to get a washing machine ready to go
- Turn off the water. There are usually two taps on the pipes behind the machine, one for hot and one for cold. Turn them a quarter turn so the handle sits across the pipe.
- Unplug it and drain it. Most machines have a small filter door at the bottom front. Put down towels and a shallow tray, open the filter slowly and let the water run out. There’s usually more than you expect.
- Disconnect the hoses. Unscrew the water hose from the tap and pull the drain hose out of the waste pipe, with a bucket underneath. Tuck the hoses into the drum so they don’t trail.
- Don’t lift it by the door or the top. Tilt it back and lift from underneath. It’s a two-person job, and a sack truck makes the stairs much safer.
- Or leave it to us. If you’re not sure about the plumbing, we’ll disconnect it for you. Tell us when you send the photo.
Why it can’t go in the bin or on the street
Washing machines count as waste electrical equipment, which is why they carry the crossed-out wheelie bin symbol. They have to be recycled separately, not put in with your household rubbish or in a skip without asking.
Leaving one on the pavement without a booked collection is fly-tipping, even outside your own home, and councils fine people for it. Our guide on avoiding fly-tipping fines explains more. Getting rid of a fridge as well? Read can I take my old fridge to the tip.
Common questions
Yes, every London council collects washing machines as bulky waste, usually for a fee. It has to be disconnected and outside at street level on the day, because the crews don’t come into your home.
Yes, for residents. The hard part is transport: it weighs 65 kg or more and needs two people. If you’re using a van, most tips need you to book first.
No. We can disconnect it for you, usually for £15–£20 extra. If you do it yourself, turn off the water taps first and drain it through the filter at the bottom.
Yes. Fridges and freezers have an extra recycling charge because of the gases inside, so tell us about both and we’ll give you one price for the visit.
When you buy a new one, the shop has to offer you a free way to hand in the old one, like for like. Collection with delivery may cost extra, and it usually has to be disconnected first.
Usually, yes. We work 24/7, and same-day washing machine collections are common if you get in touch in the morning.
Got a washing machine to get rid of?
Send us a photo and we’ll give you a fixed price before we book you in.