You’ve ordered the new washing machine. Then the next question lands. What happens to the old one?
It weighs a lot. It’s probably still connected to the water pipes. And it cannot go in the bin.
The short answer: book removal at the same time as you order the new appliance. The old one goes out on the van that brings the new one, and we send it for recycling. No council booking. No trip to the tip. And no fridge sitting on the drive for a week.
Here is how it works, what the other options cost in Hillingdon, and what actually happens to your old appliance once it leaves.
Your three options for getting rid of an old appliance
- Removal with your delivery. Booked when you order. Our team takes the old appliance from where it stands and loads it onto the van. It currently costs £25.
- A council bulky waste collection. Hillingdon charges £48 a collection for residents, £35 for over-65s and £85 for landlords. A fridge or freezer needs its own collection, with nothing else on it. Everything must be outside the front of the property, at ground level, by 6am on the day. If it’s not out in time, you still pay the fee.
- Taking it to the tip yourself. Hillingdon residents can take fridges, freezers and washing machines to the Harefield site on New Years Green Lane, or to Space Waye near Heathrow. Harefield needs a HillingdonFirst card if you come by car. Space Waye needs proof of address, and a booking at weekends. You will also need a vehicle big enough and someone to help you lift. Keep a fridge upright on the way, so you don’t damage the gas pipes.
Hillingdon Council’s own bulky waste page makes the same point: if you are buying a new appliance, ask the shop first, because many collect the old one when they deliver.
What the law says about your old appliance
Electrical waste cannot go in your household bin. Under the WEEE Regulations, shops that sell appliances must make sure you can recycle your old one free of charge when you buy a replacement of the same type. A washing machine for a washing machine. A fridge for a fridge. The brand does not matter, and neither does where you bought the old one.
Where a shop takes old appliances back in store, government guidance says that must be free, and you get at least 28 days to bring it in. Collection from your home is different. Shops can charge to cover the transport. So if removal shows up as a cost when you order, that is what it is paying for.
How removal works with your delivery
Removal is not automatic. It is a separate service, so mention it when you order. Then, on the day, the team disconnects and takes the old appliance away when they deliver the new one. The packaging from the new appliance goes with it, so nothing is left in the hallway.
A few things are worth knowing before you book:
- It is like for like. We collect a washing machine when we deliver one. If you have a second old appliance to go, ask when you order.
- Gas cookers. A Gas Safe registered engineer must disconnect them. You can book one with your order, so mention a gas appliance when you order and it is all planned for the same visit.
- Hardwired ovens and hobs need the power safely isolated before they come out. Again, say so when you order.
- Integrated appliances sit inside the kitchen units. Check whether taking the old one out of its housing is included, or whether it needs to be out before delivery.
- Removal comes with local delivery. Orders delivered outside the local area go by kerbside pallet service, which does not include removal.
For the full picture of what fitting includes and what it does not, read Everything You Need to Know About Appliance Installation — What’s Included and What Isn’t.
How to get your old appliance ready
A little preparation keeps the day simple.
- Fridges and freezers: empty them, switch them off and let them defrost the day before. Put towels down and mop up the water.
- Washing machines: take out any washing and leave the door open so it does not smell. There is often still water in the pump, so expect a little on the floor when the team disconnects it.
- Dishwashers: take out the racks of dishes and clear any standing water from the bottom.
- The route out: clear the hallway and move anything fragile.
Where your old appliance goes
Once a week, our team takes all the old appliances to an approved recycling centre. There, the site breaks them down. The metal, plastic and glass go back into manufacturing.
Fridges and freezers need extra care. They contain refrigerant gases and insulating foam that specialist plants have to remove, so they do not escape into the air. That is why a fridge left in a skip or by the road is a real problem, not just an eyesore.
The real cost of a new appliance
The price on the label is not the whole cost. Add delivery, fitting and getting rid of the old one, and a low headline price can end up being the more expensive option. Especially if the driver leaves the new appliance at the kerb and you have to deal with everything else.
For landlords, the sums are sharper. The council charges £85 a collection, against £25 for removal with the delivery, and someone still has to get the old appliance out to the front by 6am. Booking removal with the delivery means one visit, and the tenant only needs to let the team in.
Common questions
Do I have to pay to have my old appliance removed?
Shops must give you a free way to recycle your old appliance when you buy a like-for-like replacement. If the shop collects it from your home, it can charge for transport. Removal with a Ruislip Appliances delivery is currently £25.
Will you take an appliance I did not buy from you?
Yes. Like-for-like take-back covers any brand, wherever it came from.
Can I just leave it outside for the bin men?
No. Bin collections don’t take electrical items, and leaving one on the street can count as fly-tipping. Use a retailer, a booked council collection or a recycling centre.
Replacing an appliance in Ruislip or West London?
Order the new one and book the removal in the same conversation. We deliver 90% of in-stock orders within 48 hours, with AM or PM slots, and the old appliance goes back on the same van.
Call the showroom on 01895 633837, pop into Pembroke Road, or see the delivery, fitting and removal services on the Ruislip Appliances website.