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Disposal of tenant rubbish

Don't replace your rubbish with a fine. Always use a licensed waste carrier.

Letting property is considered a business and as a landlord you have a responsibility for ensuring that all rubbish left by students leaving your premises is disposed of properly and legally.

The council will collect domestic rubbish and recycling that is put out for collection. However many properties will have bulky items and building rubbish, such as old fixtures and fittings, that we won't collect. If you are using builders and cleaners to undertake work on your behalf then it is your responsibility to ensure that they do not put this waste out for collection, or you could be fined.

Waste from landlords is defined as

  • Waste generated as part of building improvements, repairs or alterations to rental properties carried out by the landlord
  • Where a tenant vacates a property and leaves waste that had been generated during their tenancy, this waste becomes the responsibility of the landlord to dispose of
  • Disposal of the fixtures and fittings that are supplied under the terms of the lease which later become waste

How to dispose of bulky waste

  • Use a registered waste disposal contractor (who must have a waste carrier's licence and provide you with a waste transfer note). It is also your responsibility to ensure you are aware of where the waste will be disposed
  • Contact our commercial waste team on to get a price for clearances
  • Get your tenants to use the council's bulky waste collection service

Duty of care

Everyone has a duty of care to ensure that when disposing of waste following building/refurbishment work or garden/landscaping etc that it is disposed of correctly and legally. Please be aware that if it is fly tipped and traced back to you, then you could be prosecuted by the Environment Agency.

Don't forget

  • Wheeled bins and glass collection boxes must be stored off the pavement
  • No black sacks or plastic bags should go in the blue lidded recycling bin
  • Southampton City Council has recently introduced an additional HMO (House in Multiple Occupation) licensing scheme
  • Landlords of HMOs (such as shared houses or bedsits) within the Bassett, Bargate, Bevois, Freemantle, Millbrook, Portswood, Shirley and Swaythling wards of the city must apply for an HMO licence
  • The penalties for not applying can be severe - a local landlord was recently convicted and fined £18,000