Anyone a self employed gardener?

sprucegs

I want to start gardening, gras cutting, hedges, weeding etc.
Do I need a licence to get rid of the waste? I've heard different things and I'm not sure, whether it's free for a licence or not? And if it's free to tip?

Thanks.

CKhalvashi

I leave the brown bin (colour may vary) around the back for the gardener (who actually seems to spend more time on the phone and playing with her child than gardening, before getting annoyed when I've requested she finishes the job before she goes) when she comes.

If you're transporting waste you will require the appropriate trade disposal license from your council.

Davesnave

Unless you plan to take on only small jobs, you'll need a waste carrier's licence, because your activities will make you a frequent visitor at the [STRIKE]tip[/STRIKE] recycling centre. They will notice.

Different councils/operators will have their own rules on green waste, so you need to enquire locally about costs etc.

Niv

See link:


https://www.gov.uk/waste-carrier-or-broker-registration


Cost £154


You will have to pay for disposal at a local transfer station / MRF / composting site. Its worth giving them a call to confirm their rates. Often there is a 1 tonne minimum charge.

Niv

Also do consider if you will be needing to buy compost in bulk, the same local composting site you could be disposing of your waste is the same place you can probably buy compost in bulk, its pretty cheap if you have your own transport.

sprucegs

Ok thanks. So if I use the customers green waste bin I will be ok.

Farway

Most of the garden services I see around here specifically state they do not remove the garden waste, because of the fees involved, plus time & hassle of going to the tip of course

Putting it in the householders garden waste bin should be fine, after all you will be doing no more than the householder would be doing if they could

glasgowdan

There's some wrong advice above.

If you are transporting waste you create yourself as part of your job, the license is free. You are a lower tier waste carrier. You still have to register.

If you have access to an informal composting facility to take the waste to, they won't be filling in WTNs. Chances of being stopped on the road are too small to quantify.

AVOID taking waste to a council-run commercial waste centre. It's a fortune. Get researching places in our area. For example, within 3 miles of my home I have 3 centres... one is a farm that composts, one is an informal quarry site, one is a formal compost and eco centre. All 3 cost me £20-25 for a full load of green waste (van and trailer).

Does your local council provide green waste wheelie bin collections for free?

Don't be afraid to charge properly for waste removal. A liftable (i.e. you can still lift it) bulk builder's bag should be charged at £10-15 in my experience.

Yes, you are fine to use the customer's green waste bins.

Davesnave

Even council centres vary significantly. I've access to four within 20 miles (none locally) and in two I'm treated civilly and given a little leeway on the basic rules. In a third one I tried, the staff enforced 'the rules' without any flexibility whatever. They saw me with three short pieces of drain pipe, total length about 1m, and wanted to charge me £3.50.

At the fourth site, I've had staff see my van in the queue and wave me past the householders in their cars, because in their eyes I'm a worker and a paying customer, so I deserve better treatment!:rotfl: That's also where I've done advantageous deals on the larger amounts of 'difficult' waste, like plasterboard.

So yes, take time to sort out the best places, private, council or whatever.

I_have_spoken

Anything but the most trivial jobs will fill a household wheelie-bin and more

glasgowdan

I_have_spoken wrote: »

Anything but the most trivial jobs will fill a household wheelie-bin and more

If all you do is garden clearances, yes. But if you're doing grass cutting rounds and general fortnightly maintenance then a wheelie bin is more than enough. My rounds cover gardens from 8 minutes per visit to 3hrs. Min charge £25 applies to all jobs.