Garden clearance firms near me: how to choose one in 2026 (UK)
Garden clearance sounds simple — someone turns up, fills a van with green waste and old junk, and drives off. The catch is what happens to that waste afterwards, because in the eyes of the law it is still your waste. There is no national ranking of “best clearance firms” worth trusting. What actually protects you is one hard check above all others: does the firm hold a registered waste carrier licence with the Environment Agency, and will they give you a receipt or waste transfer note? This guide shows you what to verify and what a fair 2026 rate looks like.
- Check registration: registered waste carrier licence (Environment Agency / SEPA / NRW), public liability insurance
- Typical 2026 rate: £150–£400 for a typical garden clearance, or £60–£120 per cubic yard removed
- Always compare: three written quotes, like for like
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Why we do not publish a “top 10 clearance firms” list
Clearance is a commodity service where the difference between firms is not really the labour — it is whether the waste is disposed of legally and whether the price you were quoted holds when the van is full. A national ranking cannot see who is licensed today or who quietly tips a load in a lay-by to save the gate fee. The single biggest factor in a good clearance is the licence, and that you can check yourself in two minutes.
So we teach the method rather than sell a list. Confirm the waste carrier licence, get a fixed written price, and insist on a receipt. That travels to any garden in any town.
The one accreditation that really matters
Garden clearance is largely about waste, so the checks are simpler than for skilled trades — but one of them is non-negotiable. A firm that moves your waste for money must, by law, be a registered waste carrier. Everything else is a bonus.
Verify the card, not the logo
You can check any firm’s waste carrier registration for free on the Environment Agency’s public register — ask for the number and look it up before they take a single bag away. If a firm cannot or will not give you a registration number, do not let them remove your waste.
What garden clearance costs in 2026
Clearance is usually priced by volume removed or as a fixed price for the whole job, with heavier or bulkier waste costing more because of higher tip fees. Figures below include labour and disposal at a licensed facility, excluding VAT.
For a full breakdown see our cost guides.
How to compare quotes without comparing apples and oranges
Clearance quotes go wrong when the volume is guessed low to win the job, then revised up once the van is loaded. Pin down what is being taken and what the price covers before you agree.
- Insist on it in writing. A verbal figure is an opinion, not a quote
- Agree a fixed price for the defined waste. Not an open-ended per-load rate that can climb
- Ask whether it is a quote or an estimate. A site visit gives a firmer number
- Confirm VAT. Is it included, and is the firm VAT-registered?
- Check the receipt is included. You want a waste transfer note, not a verbal “don’t worry”
Questions worth asking before you book
About the business
What is your waste carrier registration number? Will you give me a waste transfer note or receipt? Do you have public liability insurance? Are you a registered company, and are you VAT-registered?
About the job
Where will my waste actually go? Is the price fixed for everything I have shown you? Do you cut up and remove trees, and are you certificated for it? Will you leave the garden swept and tidy?
Red flags to walk away from
- Cash only, no paperwork. No receipt means no proof you met your duty of care
- No waste carrier licence. The single biggest red flag — do not let them take your waste
- Suspiciously cheap “we’ll take it away” offers. A price well below the tip gate fee usually means fly-tipping
- Vague about where the waste goes. A legitimate firm names a licensed transfer station or tip
Fly-tipping liability: why the licence is the whole game
This is the point that turns a cheap clearance into an expensive mistake. Under the household waste duty of care, you are legally responsible for making sure your waste is only passed to a registered carrier. If an unlicensed firm takes your garden waste and dumps it — and fly-tipped rubbish is routinely traced back through letters, receipts or garden debris to the original household — you can be fined, even though you paid someone to remove it. Fixed penalties can run to hundreds of pounds, and prosecution can reach thousands.
A registered waste carrier who hands you a waste transfer note gives you a documented chain of custody: proof that you did the right thing. That single piece of paper is worth far more than the £20 or £30 you might save by using a cash-in-hand van. Whether the firm is a large local company or a one-person outfit does not matter — what matters is the licence number, the receipt, and a clear answer to “where does my waste go?” Always get those before the job starts, not after.
FAQs: choosing a garden clearance firm in the UK (2026)
How much does garden clearance cost in 2026?
A typical full garden clearance costs £200–£400 in the regions and £300–£550 in London and the South East, or roughly £60–£140 per cubic yard of waste removed. Overgrown gardens with tree work cost more because of the labour and tip fees.
Does a garden clearance firm need a waste carrier licence?
Yes — this is the essential check. Any firm that removes your waste for payment must be a registered waste carrier with the Environment Agency (or SEPA/NRW). Ask for their registration number and verify it on the free public register before they take anything.
Am I liable if a firm fly-tips my garden waste?
You can be. Under the household duty of care, you must ensure your waste goes to a registered carrier. If it is fly-tipped and traced back to you, you may face a fixed penalty or prosecution — even though you paid to have it removed. A waste transfer note protects you.
What is a waste transfer note and do I need one?
It is a receipt showing your waste was handed to a licensed carrier and where it is going. Ask for one on every clearance; it is your proof that you met your legal duty of care, and it is the document that clears you if the waste is later dumped.
Is garden clearance or a skip cheaper?
For a one-off clearance where you do not want to load it yourself, a man-and-van clearance is often better value and includes the labour. A skip can be cheaper for volume if you have time to fill it, but you may need a council permit if it sits on the road, and you do the lifting.
How do I compare garden clearance quotes fairly?
Get a fixed written price for the defined waste after a site visit where possible, confirm the waste carrier licence and that a receipt is included, and check VAT. Beware quotes far below the others — that usually signals the waste will not be disposed of legally.
Compare real clearance firms, on your actual garden
No fake “best of” lists. Tell us what needs clearing and we will match you with vetted, licensed local firms who can quote on the real job, so you can compare three prices side by side.