Bin days
Missed bin collection: what to do and when to report it
Few things are more annoying than seeing the lorry drive away while your bin is still full. Before you report a missed collection, it is worth checking a few things, because councils will only send a crew back when the miss was their fault.
First, check it was actually missed
- Is it the right week? On alternating rotas it is easy to put out the wrong bin. Check your council’s bin day checker or your bin calendar.
- Is the round still running? Rounds often finish in the afternoon, and later after bank holidays or in bad weather. Most councils will not accept a report until the end of the collection day.
- Has the rest of the street been done? If every bin is still full, the round is probably just late or delayed.
- Was there a bank holiday? Collections often move by a day. See our bank holiday page.
- Did the council post an update? Councils publish disruptions on their website and social media, especially in snow or during strikes.
Common reasons crews leave a bin
Crews can refuse to empty a bin, and they usually leave a tag or sticker to explain why:
- Contamination. The wrong items in recycling, such as food, nappies or plastic bags, can spoil a whole lorry load. Remove them and put the bin out next time.
- Overfilled or lid open. Most councils only take bins with the lid closed. Extra bags beside the bin, called side waste, are often left.
- Too heavy. Bins packed with soil, rubble or wet garden waste can be too heavy for the lift.
- Not out in time or in the wrong place. Bins need to be at the kerb, or your agreed collection point, by the time the council says.
- Blocked access. Parked cars, roadworks or locked gates can stop the crew getting to you. The crew should record this.
- Garden waste subscription expired. If you have not renewed, the bin will not be emptied.
How to report a missed bin
- Go to your council’s website. Use our postcode lookup if you are not sure which council it is.
- Look for “Report a missed bin” or “Missed collection”. Many councils use the same page as the bin day checker.
- Choose your address and the bin type that was missed.
- Submit within the reporting window, usually one or two working days.
- Leave the bin out unless told otherwise.
Councils normally return within a few working days. If they cannot, they may ask you to keep the bin until your next collection and allow extra bags then. Keep a note of your reference number.
If it keeps happening
If your bin is missed again and again, report every miss so there is a record, then contact the council’s waste team or make a formal complaint. Repeated misses are often caused by access problems on the street, and the council may be able to change where or when your bins are picked up. If someone in your home cannot move the bin, ask about an assisted collection.
Missed garden or bulky waste
Garden waste is usually a paid service with its own reporting route. Bulky waste collections are booked appointments, so contact the council with your booking reference if the items were not taken.