Garden waste collection service Terms and Conditions

These Terms and Conditions formalise the arrangement between Woking Borough Council and the Householder. If the Council wishes to change any term or condition it may do so by giving the Householder one months written notice.

Service

1. The collection service year will run for 12 months and your renewal date will be 12 months from your first scheduled collection date following delivery of the containers. Service rates will be reviewed annually.

2. The Householder may leave the service at any point by notifying Woking Borough Council on 01483 755855. Upon leaving the service your container(s) will be collected by the Council.

3. No refunds will be issued for Householders leaving the collection service part way through the service year.

4. Customers moving to another property within Woking Borough can take the containers with them. Woking Borough Council requires 14 days notice so the service can be transferred to the new address. No subscription money will be refunded for any gap in service.

5. Customers who are moving out of a property and do not want the service to continue must inform Woking Borough Council and present the containers for removal.

6. Should it become necessary, Woking Borough Council has the right to withdraw the service. The Council will give written notice should the withdrawal be permanent.

7. The refuse collection vehicle requires access to within 25 metres of the container. Containers need to be presented at the point at which the property or private road abuts the nearest service road / highway.

8. The collection service will operate Monday to Friday on a fortnightly basis, in accordance with the schedule stated in the letter included in the information pack.

9. The collection service will operate all year round, with the exception of two weeks over the Christmas and New Year period.

10. During cold spells, garden waste may freeze and prevent us from fully emptying your container. It may not be possible to fully empty your container until the next scheduled collection day when temperatures have risen. During periods of extreme/adverse weather Woking Borough Council reserves the right to suspend collections. No subscription money will be refunded. Notice of this will be posted on our website.

11. Woking Borough Council reserves the right to alter collections, but will notify the Householder where reasonably practicable in advance.

12. All garden waste must be presented at the boundary of the property or at the agreed collection point by 6.30am hours on the day of collection. If the garden waste is not presented by this time the crew will not return until the next scheduled collection day.

13. If access to the container is blocked or the highway to the container is impassable, the collection crew will try to empty the container(s) again within 24 hours. If there is still no access to the container, the crew will return on the next scheduled collection day.

14. Where collection is by means of a wheeled bin, the address sticker provided in the information pack must be filled in and attached to the lid of the bin. Failure to attach the sticker could result in the bin not being emptied or returned to the correct property.

15. In exceptional circumstances where collection is by means of reusable sack, the address panel on the sacks are to be completed. Failure to complete the address panel could result in the sack not being emptied or returned to the correct property.

16. An assisted collection service is available for those residents eligible for an assisted refuse and recycling collection.

17. The collection service applies to domestic households only. Commercial properties and activities are excluded from the scheme.

18. Only households who use the Council's black refuse or blue recycling sacks and are unable to accommodate a wheeled bin due to problems with storage or access will be provided with reusable sacks.

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Use of containers (wheeled bin(s)/re-usable sacks)

19. All containers remain the property of Woking Borough Council at all times.

20. Woking Borough Council may provide Householders with a used wheeled bin, according to container stock levels.

21. Garden waste will only be collected as loose, not bagged, waste from the container(s) provided by Woking Borough Council on the designated day of collection.

22. Containers that are overflowing or too heavy for the crew to handle will not be collected. All containers must be closed for health and safety and spillage reasons. If required, the Householder may purchase an additional wheeled bin or sack, up to a maximum of six per property.

23. Only plant material may be placed in the containers. For example, grass cuttings, hedge trimmings, weeds, prunings, dead plants, twigs and small branches less than 12cm in diameter.

24. The following items are not acceptable and must not be placed in the containers - wood products, timber, rubble, soil, plastic, kitchen waste (including vegetable peelings), or animal bedding. Further information on what materials are acceptable is provided in the information pack and/or accessible via the Council's website, www.woking.gov.uk/environment

25. A contaminated container (a container with any items other than those listed in the information pack) will not be emptied. The Householder must remove the contamination and present the container for the next scheduled collection. A return will not be made where container could not be collected due to contamination.

26. If a container is regularly contaminated, the Householder will be contacted by Woking Borough Council and offered advice. If the contamination continues, Woking Borough Council will remove the container and collections will cease. No subscription money will be refunded.

27. If the container becomes worn out, lost or damaged, the Householder will be responsible for the cost of a replacement. The cost of the replacement container will be determined by Woking Borough Council.

28. There is a limit of six containers per property. Additional containers up to this amount will be charged at a rate determined by Woking Borough Council.

29. Customers use containers at their own risk.

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Charges

30. The cost of the service is non-refundable.

31. Service rates will be reviewed annually.

32. The payment for the service will be required annually in advance. You will be notified of the renewal / payment date at least 20 days prior to payment being due, along with any change to the service rate.

33. Payment can only be made with a valid debit or credit card. Cash payments will be accepted in person at the Civic Offices.

34. Woking Borough Council reserves the right to remove containers should the householder fail to make payment for the service or if the Council withdraws the service for any reason.

35. Reduced charges are available for those in receipt of Council Tax Benefit or Housing Benefit.

36. Once an annual subscription has expired, the Council will recover its containers from the property. If the householder resubscribes within a six month period, a one-off delivery fee will be charged to the subscriber to cover the cost of redelivering the containers. This fee will be reviewed annually.

Please note: details of all subscribers are held on a database to be used by the Council and its business partners for the issue of containers and collections. Any information held will be in accordance with the Data Protection Act.