Garden Waste Terms and Conditions
1. The Service
The garden waste service is a voluntary opt-in subscription service (referred to as 'the Service') for residents of the Lewes District Council area.
An application to join the Garden Waste Scheme must be made through the Council's telephone Customer Service Team or through the online application at the following website:
lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk/garden-waste
The Service is provided by Lewes District Council or any service provider it may choose to appoint (referred to as 'us', 'our', 'we' 'the council').
Our contract with you starts when your application is accepted and you have paid the fee in full. You agree to these terms and conditions by paying the fee for the Service.
2. Term
The Service runs from 1 April to 31 March of the following year. This period is referred to as "the Term". If you join after 1 April, this will not affect the end date of the Service. Collections are fortnightly but there are no collections over the Christmas and New Year period. During bad weather, we may cancel collection for safety reasons. You can find your collection days on our website and download them as a calendar or you can contact us on the telephone number in section 13 and request that we post a paper version to you.
3. Payment
The annual fees are payable up front for each bin. The fees for the Service are published on our website. You may apply for up to six bins per property. The fee for extra bins is half the price of the fee for the first bin. If there are special reasons why you need to have more than six bins, in very limited cases, we may let you have more but you will need to get in touch with us first to ask whether we will agree to this. You can contact us on the telephone number in section 13.
You must pay the full annual fees when you join and when you renew. There are no discounts or lower charges if you join part way through the Term. You can pay by credit card, debit card or cheque. Fees may change annually. You must arrange payment each year. There may be a charge for lost or stolen bins, details can be found on our website.
4. You agree to
Pay the annual fees for the collection of each bin. You agree to do this yearly if you wish to renew your subscription.
Place only garden waste in the garden waste bin provided. Present the bin for collection by 6am on your collection day and bring the bin back in after collection.
Only put loose organic material in the garden waste bin. A list of what is accepted can be found on our website.
Tell us if we miss your bin by the end of the next working day, if you still want us to collect it.
Make sure the bin lid is fully closed.
Not put out any side waste as it will not be collected.
Tell us as soon as possible if your bin is lost, damaged or stolen.
Not pack down the contents of your bin, making the bin difficult to empty. It is your responsibility to make sure waste will empty freely from the bin for the next collection.
5. We agree to
Supply a 240-litre green wheeled bin with a brown lid free of charge for every new collection paid for.
Deliver your garden waste bin within 10 working days after your application to join the Service or to have an additional bin has been accepted by the Council and you have paid the relevant fee.
Collect your garden waste as explained in section 2. If we miss your bin collection you must tell us by the end of the next working day, and we will collect within two working days.
Contact you 30 days before the end of your subscription to invite you to renew. If you have supplied your email address, we will contact you via this method.
6. Refunds
Except for cancellations under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation & Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, we will not refund, or part refund the fee. We will not refund for missed collections.
7. Cancellations
You have 14 days from the day you pay to change your mind about receiving the Service (referred to as the "cancellation period"). If you decide that you don't want the Service, you must let us know within the cancellation period. We will refund you within 14 days of receiving your notice of cancellation where you cancel within the cancellation period.
You can cancel the Service after the cancellation period but you will not receive a refund.
If you cancel your subscription within 12 weeks of signing up for the Service but after the cancellation period, you will be charged a cancellation fee.
If you cancel the Service, we will collect your bin(s). You must leave the garden waste bin in an easily accessible location for us to collect and it must be clean and empty of waste material. If there is any waste in the bin or the bin is damaged, or if the garden waste bin(s) are not available, we may charge you for collection of the waste or repair/replacement of the bin(s), as applicable.
To cancel, please email customerfirst@lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk. You can also write to: Lewes District Council, 6 High Street, Lewes, BN7 2AD.
Download model cancellation form
8. Assisted collections
If you currently receive an assisted waste collection, we will apply this to your garden waste. An assisted collection is available for qualifying households. You can apply for via our website (www.lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk/assisted-collection) or by calling 01273 471600.
9. Other conditions
When you want your garden waste bin to be emptied, you need to place it at a location where the boundary of your property meets the nearest public highway or at a collection point that has been approved by the Council. This should be done by 6am on the day of collection. The garden waste bin must be clearly visible and free to move by our crew, and it should not be left up or down any steps.
We reserve the right to change collection days and weeks.
We reserve the right to cancel collections without notice.
We will stop the Service if you misuse it or the bin. You will receive no refund.
If your bin is lost or stolen, we may charge for a replacement. The cost for this is on our website.
We will not collect bins that are contaminated with other waste. You must remove any contamination before collections continue. The bin must not be too heavy and we must be able to lift it.
The Service is person-based. If you move within the Lewes District Council area, you may be able to move your bin(s) to your new property. Please let us know of your new address before you move and don't forget to take your bin(s) with you. It may take up to ten working days to update the Service at your new property. You will need to check your new collection dates on our website.
All bins supplied to you remain the property of the council.
We will not be responsible for any delay or being unable to supply the Service if it is outside our control.
In cold weather, contents may freeze in the bin meaning it may not empty correctly. Please note, this will not be treated as a missed bin, and we will not return until your next regular collection date.
If your renewal payment is not received by 31 March each year, your service will end.
Your subscription is non-transferable.
The bins we provide for this Service may not be new, but they will be clean and ready to use.
All bins supplied are your responsibility and must be kept safely and securely on your property. Garden waste bins must not be stored on the highway. You are responsible for the safe use of the bins and the council will accept no liability for injury due to improper use.
The Council may change the usual collection day but will notify you in advance. To find out what day your garden waste bin is due for collection, visit our website: Lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk/Bins where you can download a copy of your collection calendar or see section 13 for other ways to contact us.
The Council will only return to recollect if collections are genuinely missed by the waste operatives.
10. Your rights
These terms and conditions do not affect your statutory rights.
11. Personal data
We will only use your details to contact you about garden waste or similar council services that may interest you. This could be by letter, phone, or email. We will only share information with our service provider to collect your garden waste. You may tell us at any time if you do not want to receive marketing information from us. Please do this in writing and include your full name and address. We may use information with all personal details removed to improve services making sure we follow all data protection laws.
12. Further information
Further information on waste collection services and charges can be found at lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk/garden-waste. We reserve the right to vary these terms and conditions without giving you notice but we will publish the latest version on our website at least 30 days before it applies.
13. Contacting the Council
You can contact the Council in relation to the Service in the following ways:
• by telephone by calling the Customer Contact Team on 01273 471600
• by writing to us at Lewes District Council, 6 High Street, Lewes, BN7 2AD or
• on the Council's website lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk/contact-us-form
