How Long Can You Leave a Skip Outside Your House?

If you’re clearing out your garden, renovating your house or simply getting rid of some junk before Christmas, a skip is a convenient, stress-free way of managing your waste. Instead of allowing waste to pile up and having to take endless trips to the tip, hiring a skip allows you to easily get rid of all your rubbish in one go.

However, skips can take up a lot of space, so there are certain regulations you’ll have to keep in mind to avoid any potential fines or issues. So how long can you leave a skip outside your house for? The team here at SCS Waste is here to explain.

skip outside a house - SCS Waste

How long can you leave a skip outside your house?

You can usually leave a skip outside your house for between 7-14 days. However, this can vary depending on a number of factors, such as:

Location of the skip: Will it be positioned on private property or public land? We’ve covered some more specific scenarios below.

Local council regulations: Some councils have stricter regulations than others. This also depends on whether or not you need a skip permit.

Skip hire terms: What is the dedicated hire period that you’ve agreed with your skip company?

How long can you leave a skip on the road?

Any skip that will be positioned on a public path or road is legally required to have a permit. This is for the benefit of public safety and will ensure the skip isn’t excessively disrupting traffic flow and creating a hazard. It will usually take Highways England up to five working days to approve this permit.

Although the duration of a skip permit can vary, most councils, including our local council here in West Sussex, allow for a period of 14 days. If you find this isn’t enough time, you can apply for an extension; however, you must submit this at least three days before the end of the 14 day period. An extension will typically last for another 14 days. Here at SCS Waste, we can help you with all the admin and apply for skip permits on your behalf.

How long can you leave a skip in a parking bay?

If there’s a parking bay near your property that isn’t in frequent use, this can be a convenient place to store a skip. As we’ve covered above, if the parking bay is located on public land, then you will require a skip permit, which will typically last for 14 days.

You will likely also need to apply for a parking bay suspension from your local council; this will only be granted if the impact on local businesses and other road users is deemed to be minimal.

Parking bay suspensions must be applied for at least six working days before the proposed start time. However, the earlier you request this, the better, as notices detailing the closure will need to be displayed beforehand to warn other road users.

How long can you leave a skip on your drive?

If a skip will be located on private property, such as on your drive or front garden, then there are no restrictions imposed by the local council for how long it can stay there. Instead, you’re only limited by the agreement you have in place with your local skip hire company.

Here at SCS Waste, our standard skip hire period is two weeks. However, if you need more time, we’ll do what we can to extend this for as long as necessary. If you end up filling your skip quicker than you expected, simply give us a call and we can come and collect it for you.

If you’re looking to hire a skip in Arundel, Littlehampton, Bognor Regis or beyond, simply get in touch with the team at SCS Waste today. We can help arrange all the necessary permits for you and provide tailored skip hire terms to suit your needs – get in touch today for a free quote or order online now.