A junk removal team loading old furniture and bags into a van on a street in Edinburgh

Junk clearance / Edinburgh

The 5 best junk clearance companies in Edinburgh

Edinburgh's junk removal market benefits from the council's own Trusted Trader scheme, which several firms belong to. The top two are local firms with strong vetted reviews.

  • Checked 3 November 2026
  • 10 firms shortlisted
  • No paid placements

Edinburgh junk clearance / at a glance

PosCompanyOur scoreGoogle
1NuGen Recycling & EnvironmentalBroxburn, West Lothian
8.3
5.0 (200)
2Your JunkCity centre, Edinburgh
8.0
5.0 (141)
3Jettison ExpressGlasgow (covers Edinburgh)
7.9
4.9 (54)
4Joe JunkEdinburgh depot
7.8
5.0 (1,519)
5Moving ForceEdinburgh
7.6
4.7 (67)

Our score is out of 10. Google ratings and review counts as at 3 November 2026.

NuGen Recycling & Environmental

Broxburn, West Lothian

Our score 8.3 / 105.0 from 200 Google reviews

Why it ranks number 1

5.0 from 200 Google reviews and 5.0 from 30 on Edinburgh's Trusted Trader scheme, with its SEPA carrier licence and insurance listed on LoveJunk and low emission zone compliant vehicles.

Licence
Waste carrier WCR/R/1189423 (as listed on LoveJunk)
Services
Junk, garden, garage, attic and commercial clearance
Covers
Edinburgh and the Lothians
Worth knowingBased about 12 miles west of the city, and no company website found.

Website not listed. Search the company name to find contact details.

Your Junk

City centre, Edinburgh

Our score 8.0 / 105.0 from 141 Google reviews

Why it ranks number 2

A dedicated junk removal firm with 5.0 from 100 reviews on the council's Trusted Trader scheme and 5.0 from 141 on Google.

Licence
States it is SEPA registered
Services
Junk and rubbish removal for homes, trades and businesses
Covers
Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife
Worth knowingCarrier number not published.

Website not listed. Search the company name to find contact details.

Jettison Express

Glasgow (covers Edinburgh)

Our score 7.9 / 104.9 from 54 Google reviews

Why it ranks number 3

A Scotland-wide firm covering all of Edinburgh and the Lothians, with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certification, SafeContractor approval and 4.98 from 40 on TrustATrader.

Licence
SEPA registered upper tier waste carrier (number not published)
Recycling
Claims over 90% recycled; reusable items to local charities
Services
Rubbish removal, bulky uplifts, same and next day
Covers
Edinburgh, the Lothians and across Scotland
Worth knowingBased in Glasgow, so check lead times for Edinburgh jobs.
Visit website

Joe Junk

Edinburgh depot

Our score 7.8 / 105.0 from 1,519 Google reviews

Why it ranks number 4

5.0 from 319 reviews at its Edinburgh depot and more than 1,500 across Scotland, with same day collections.

Recycling
Claims around 85% recycled
Services
Junk, furniture, garden, loft and garage clearance, same day
Covers
Edinburgh and the Lothians
Worth knowingNo SEPA number or prices published, and some reviewers say the final price exceeded the quote.
Visit website

Moving Force

Edinburgh

Our score 7.6 / 104.7 from 67 Google reviews

Why it ranks number 5

A six-vehicle fleet including tippers, with its SEPA carrier number and insurance listed on LoveJunk and 96 five star LoveJunk collections in the past year.

Licence
Waste carrier WCR/R/3013664 (as listed on LoveJunk)
Services
Junk, builders and garden waste, clearances
Covers
Edinburgh and up to 60 miles around
Worth knowingWeekdays only, and a lower Google rating (4.7) than the firms above.

Website not listed. Search the company name to find contact details.

Council bulky uplifts and charity options in Edinburgh

The City of Edinburgh Council charges £5 per item for bulky uplifts, up to five items per booking, and the service is free for households on Council Tax Reduction. The Edinburgh Furniture Initiative, run by Four Square, accepts most undamaged donated furniture.

A council collection is often the cheapest way to get rid of one or two large items, but you usually wait days or weeks and must carry everything to the kerb yourself. A junk removal team comes inside, lifts and loads, and can often collect the same day or the next. See the details.

Before you book junk removal in Edinburgh

None of our Edinburgh top 5 publish a full price list, so ask for a written quote from photos.

  • Ask for the firm's waste carrier number and check it on the SEPA public register. If an unlicensed collector fly-tips your rubbish, you can be fined.
  • Send clear photos of everything and get a written price before the van arrives. Ask whether it is a fixed price or charged by volume on the day.
  • Check for extra charges on fridges, freezers, mattresses, sofas with fire labels, televisions, tyres and paint.
  • Ask whether the team will carry items down stairs and out of lofts or gardens, and whether that costs more.
  • Ask what happens to your items, and whether anything usable is donated or recycled.
  • Ask for a waste transfer note or receipt naming the company and its carrier number.

How we ranked / Edinburgh

We started with every business appearing in Google's local results for junk removal and rubbish clearance in Edinburgh, then checked each one's website, Companies House record, published licence numbers and review platforms such as Trustpilot, Checkatrade, Which? Trusted Traders and TrustATrader. We removed booking apps and brokers that pass your job to another firm, companies that are dissolved, and listings we could not tie to a real business. We may also leave out any company at our editorial discretion.

Each remaining firm was scored out of 10 using the same weighting in every city:

35%Customer reviewsRating and volume on Google, plus Trustpilot, Checkatrade, Which? and TrustATrader where available
25%Licensing and insurancePublished waste carrier number, insurance cover and real premises
15%Reuse and recyclingSorting, donation and stated recycling or landfill diversion
15%Service and transparencyPublished prices, same day or next day slots, single item collections, clear quotes
10%Track recordYears trading, company records and accreditations

Other Edinburgh firms we assessed

Recycling and reuse figures are the companies' own claims. Licence numbers are as published by each company or listed on review platforms; we have not checked every one against the regulator's register. Think we have missed a firm or got something wrong? Email hello@bestwastecompanies.co.uk.

Junk clearance in Edinburgh / FAQs

How much does junk removal cost in Edinburgh?

None of our Edinburgh top 5 publish a full price list, so ask for a written quote from photos. Most firms price by how much of the van you fill, with extra for heavy waste, stairs and items that need special handling. Always compare at least two written quotes.

What will a junk removal team take away?

Most household junk: furniture, sofas, beds, mattresses, white goods, electricals, garden waste, bagged rubbish and light building waste. Fridges, freezers, mattresses and upholstered furniture often carry an extra fee because they need separate recycling. Asbestos, gas bottles, chemicals and clinical waste need a specialist.

Is junk removal cheaper than a skip?

For a few bulky items or a single room, a junk removal team is usually cheaper and quicker, with no permit and no lifting. For a large renovation or mostly heavy rubble, a skip is usually better value. See our skip hire rankings for Edinburgh.

Can the council collect my junk instead?

The City of Edinburgh Council charges £5 per item for bulky uplifts, up to five items per booking, and the service is free for households on Council Tax Reduction. The Edinburgh Furniture Initiative, run by Four Square, accepts most undamaged donated furniture.

Who is the best junk clearance company in Edinburgh?

On our research, NuGen Recycling & Environmental ranks first in Edinburgh, followed by Your Junk and Jettison Express. The right choice also depends on where you are, how quickly you need the collection and what you need removed.

Junk clearance in other cities

LondonBirminghamManchesterGlasgowLeedsLiverpoolEdinburghBristolSheffieldCardiffNewcastle

Emptying a whole property? See the best house clearance companies in Edinburgh. Need a skip instead? See the best skip hire companies in Edinburgh.

Every waste service in Edinburgh

See our number 1 for every type of job, local prices, permits and free council options on one page: the best waste companies in Edinburgh.

Skip hire House clearance Office clearance Garage clearance

Useful guides: How Much Does Rubbish Removal Cost in the UK?, Can I Get Same Day Rubbish Removal?, How Do I Get Rid of an Old Mattress?.