Garden Waste Subscription Service

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• Why are you charging?

  Not everyone needs a garden waste collection service. The majority of residents who live in flats do not manage their own gardens and so do not need this service. Many residents do not create enough garden waste to warrant a fortnightly collection, or already choose to have compost bins to break down their garden waste. Making the service a paid-for subscription means that only those who are using the service are paying for it. This makes it fairer for everybody and enables Council Tax to be spent more effectively.

• I already pay Council Tax, why are you charging me twice?

  The Council Tax that you pay helps to provide mandatory services, which have to be prioritised. Garden waste is a discretionary service, not a mandatory one, meaning that it is a service we are not legally required to provide. Having a self-funded, optional service for garden waste will help us to protect our other essential public services.

• Do other councils charge for collecting garden waste?

  More than two thirds of councils in England currently charge for this service and, with increased financial pressures, unfortunately we can no longer offer this discretionary service without collecting a subscription charge. We will be joining the majority of other councils in Hertfordshire who all charge for garden waste collections. This includes St Albans, Watford, Three Rivers, East Herts, North Herts, Broxbourne and Welwyn Hatfield.

• Will this be added to my Council Tax bill?

  No, this is an opt-in service. By introducing a paid-for subscription it means that only those who are using the service are paying for it. This makes it fairer for everybody and enables Council Tax to be spent more effectively.

• What happens if I cannot afford the new service charge?

  For those in receipt of certain benefits, a reduced rate of £35 will be available. Alternatively, you can compost your waste at home or take it to your local recycling centre.

• Why was I not consulted on this?

  Garden waste is a discretionary service, not a statutory one. This means that it is a service that we are not legally required to provide. We will always seek to consult on statutory services.

  Unfortunately, due to financial constraints, the service is no longer viable and it would be unfair for it to be funded through the public purse as not all residents require garden waste collection - for example, those who live in flats. As such, the decision was made to make it a subscription service, so that those who require it still have this option. Therefore, a consultation was not required.

• How can I complain about this decision?

  We understand that some residents may wish to complain. However, we will not be in a position to respond as this is a policy decision that we have had to make.

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• If I sign up after collections have begun, how much do I pay?

  The annual fee of £45 will remain the same throughout the year. We encourage residents to sign up to the service before collections begin in March to ensure that they receive best value for money. 

• Can I have a refund if I cancel the subscription during the year?

  No, if you decide to cancel the service (for example, if you move out of the borough) during the year, we are unable to offer a refund.

• If I subscribe, when does my service start?

  Green-lidded bin collections will be the same as is on your bin collection calendar.

  Once you have subscribed to the service, we aim to get your sticker (and extra bins if ordered) delivered to you within 10 working days of payment. Your green-lidded bin will not be collected until the subscription sticker is in place, and will then be collected at the next scheduled collection. For this reason, we encourage residents to sign up to the service as early as possible - ideally in January - to ensure that you have everything in place before collections start.

  Delivery of bins and stickers may be affected by matters outside our control (for example unexpected high demand, postal issues).

• I don’t want my green-lidded bin. When are you taking it away?

  To help our collection crews manage the transition to the new service we are asking residents to keep hold of their green-lidded bins for the time being, regardless of whether you would like to subscribe to the new service or not. Once the transition period is over, we will put in place arrangements for residents to request removal of unwanted green-lidded bins. More information will be published on this page when the removal service is available.

  If you ask for your green-lidded bin to be removed, then later decide to subscribe and need a new bin, there will be a charge of £25 to provide a new green-lidded bin.

• Can I share a bin with a neighbour?

  Yes. This is a great way to keep costs down for both neighbours. You will need to decide which neighbour will pay for the service and ensure that the bin is stored on their property ready for collection.

  It is the responsibility of individuals to split the costs between them. We will not get involved in any disputes from neighbours who decide to share a bin.

• Can I have more than one green-lidded bin?

  Yes, you can have an unlimited number of extra green-lidded bins for each household. Each bin will require a valid annual subscription sticker costing £45. This means that you cannot purchase an additional bin for storage purposes only. If you previously had extra bins through the Additional Garden Waste Subscription Service, then you can continue to use these as long as you ensure they all have a valid annual subscription sticker.

  If you do not yet have extra green-lidded bins and would like to purchase some, these will be at an additional charge of £25 per bin. You can order and pay for this through the same link as the subscription service.

• Will you collect additional garden waste that won't fit into the green-lidded bin?

  No. We will only collect what is stored within the bins and they should not be overfilled. If they are too heavy for the collection crews to be lifted or moved safely, then they will not be collected. You will then be responsible for ensuring your bin is suitable for the next collection. The collection crews will not return until the next scheduled collection. Crews will also not collect extra waste left on top of or at the side of the bins.

  If you are frequently generating excess garden waste, you may wish to buy an additional green-lidded bin, or a home composter.

• I live in a block of flats - can I have a garden waste subscription?

  No. This service is currently not available for flats.

• If I rent my home, who should sign up - me or my landlord?

  This is a matter for discussion with your landlord. We cannot decide this.

• If my green-lidded bin is missed, do I get a refund?

  No. If your green-lidded bin is not collected because it fails to meet the standards set out in our terms and conditions - such as contamination with the wrong materials, being too heavy, overloaded or not being on the property boundary in time for collection - then it is your responsibility to resolve the issue before the next scheduled collection.

  If the bin is missed accidentally, then it must be reported to us within 48 hours and we will aim to send our collection crews to you within five working days.

  In cases where the collection is missed beyond our control (for example, severe weather), keep your green-lidded bins out and we will do our best to collect where possible. 

• I currently have a garden waste sack collection. Can I still subscribe?

  Yes. To continue having your garden waste collected you will need to purchase a garden waste subscription, which costs £45 . You will receive sacks within 10 working days of your subscription purchase. Garden waste sacks are only available for residents who already have a garden waste sack collection.

• Can I swap my garden waste sacks for a green-lidded bin?

  Yes. If you think you have space on your property for a green-lidded bin and would like to swap your garden waste sacks for a green-lidded bin, please email customer.services@dacorum.gov.uk before you purchase your garden waste subscription.

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• What happens if I move home?

  If you move within the borough, then you can contact us to get your subscription transferred to your new address. A new subscription sticker will be sent to you, and you will not need to pay again.

  If you move outside the borough, then you will need to inform us so that the subscription can be cancelled. Subscriptions between councils are not interchangeable.

• What happens if my bin has been damaged or stolen?

  Please report any incidents of theft, loss or damage so that this issue can be resolved and a replacement bin and sticker can be delivered.

• Will I continue to receive an assisted collection?

  If you already receive an assisted collection for the green-lidded bin, then this will continue if you sign up to the garden waste service.

• I have a small (140-litre) green-lidded bin and want a larger (240-litre) bin, will you provide this?

  Smaller (140-litre) bins are in place where historically it has either been harder to gain access, there is no room for a larger bin, or where it has been specifically requested by the resident.

  The annual charge is for the collection service, not the size of the bin.

  We will assess each request on a case-by-case basis to determine if a green-lidded bin can be replaced with a larger size without causing issues for the collection crews. 

• Will this lead to an increase in fly-tipping of garden waste?

  Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of waste. Whether a single bag or a truck load of rubbish, it is a criminal offence punishable by an unlimited fine or imprisonment.

  The other district and borough councils in Hertfordshire that already charge for garden waste collections have reported no evidence of an increase in fly-tipping.

• A lot of my garden waste is made up of leaves that have fallen onto my property from Council-owned or neighbours’ trees. Can I get my green bin emptied free of charge?

  We are unable to offer exemptions to the Garden Waste Subscription Service. This includes leaves from neighbours’ or Council-owned trees falling onto your property. These leaves can make an excellent addition to a home composter or they can be taken to your local recycling centre.