Disposal of Old Washing Machine

cajef

When we purchased a new washing machine from John Lewis recently they took the old one for the costly sum of £20.

Chomeur

FreeBear said:

Are you purchasing a replacement ?

If so, the retailer you are buying from has an obligation under the WEEE regulations to collect and dispose of the appliance on your behalf. There may be a cost associated with this (I think the likes of PC World/Currys charge about £20). The alternative is to hire a man-with-a-van for an hour or so and get it taken to the local recycling centre.

Ah, may be a bit late for that now. Anyway I phoned a scrap metal merchant and he said that no-one would come round to collect it for nothing as the scrap is only worth about £10. But if I leave it outside with a note saying "scrap" then someone will almost certainly drive by and take it within a couple of hours, so I'll try that.

Section62

Chomeur said:

But if I leave it outside with a note saying "scrap" then someone will almost certainly drive by and take it within a couple of hours, so I'll try that.

Very likely to work.

But make sure you leave it on your own property, not on shared property or public space.

Otherwise you could get fined for flytipping.  Councils like Camden are very efficient at that kind of thing.

Belenus

Chomeur said:

FreeBear said:

Are you purchasing a replacement ?

If so, the retailer you are buying from has an obligation under the WEEE regulations to collect and dispose of the appliance on your behalf. There may be a cost associated with this (I think the likes of PC World/Currys charge about £20). The alternative is to hire a man-with-a-van for an hour or so and get it taken to the local recycling centre.

Ah, may be a bit late for that now. Anyway I phoned a scrap metal merchant and he said that no-one would come round to collect it for nothing as the scrap is only worth about £10. But if I leave it outside with a note saying "scrap" then someone will almost certainly drive by and take it within a couple of hours, so I'll try that.

Write 'For Sale - £50' on the note and it will probably go a lot quicker.

pattycake

cajef said:

When we purchased a new washing machine from John Lewis recently they took the old one for the costly sum of £20.

Yes, our new washer came from JL and I was happy to pay the small fee for the convenience of their driver bringing my new machine and taking away the old one.

EssexExile

Around here if you leave anything metal out the front it soon disappears.

Chomeur

Section62 said:

Chomeur said:

But if I leave it outside with a note saying "scrap" then someone will almost certainly drive by and take it within a couple of hours, so I'll try that.

Very likely to work.

But make sure you leave it on your own property, not on shared property or public space.

Otherwise you could get fined for flytipping.  Councils like Camden are very efficient at that kind of thing.

No-one has taken it after four hours.

TELLIT01

Round where I live it can take several days for the scrappers to discover it.  As said, just make sure it's left on your own property as near the boundary as possible.

Chomeur

TELLIT01 said:

Round where I live it can take several days for the scrappers to discover it.  As said, just make sure it's left on your own property as near the boundary as possible.

Still there after a day. The problem is I live in a block of flats and the only place to leave it is at the top of the entrance steps. I think my neighbours are probably getting very frustrated with it by now....

Section62

Chomeur said:

Still there after a day. The problem is I live in a block of flats and the only place to leave it is at the top of the entrance steps. I think my neighbours are probably getting very frustrated with it by now....

Did you try Freecycle/Freegle ?

Some scrappers monitor that and will ask for anything they think has scrap value. (unfortunately sometimes stuff which still has life left in it, or historic interest/value)

Just posting "Washing machine available for scrap outside entrance of [building address].  First come can have it." would normally be enough... no need to enter into any lengthy communications about pickup arrangements.