Clearing out the house or have rubbish you want to get rid of? Talk to Leaf it Out!

Whether you have a holiday home where it’s a nuisance to get rid of the rubbish, or you’re clearing out your house and you’re not sure how to dispose of the sofa, Leaf it Out is there to help you get rid of your rubbish responsibly and efficiently. Owner James explains…

Where did the idea for Leaf it Out come from?

We run a landscaping and property maintenance business, through that we realised there was a gap in the market for waste removal in Salcombe, Kingsbridge and the surround areas. People weren’t getting their bins removed in certain areas because they’re difficult to access and often with holiday homes the days and volumes of waste removal aren’t practical. As a result, people have been bringing in private solutions from Exeter and Plymouth, which seemed absurd.

So because of the business we were in, we already had a waste carriers license so we started Leaf it Out in the autumn this year and it’s quickly gained momentum, helping with everything from home clearances to weekly rubbish collections. Now we’re purchasing branded wheelie bins for every person who wants a flexible, friendly and worry free bin collection. The massive difference with our service is that you get a clean disinfected wheelie bin each time as we simply swap the bins over.

What does your other business do?

We run a business James AA Gordon, which does property maintenance and landscaping. We have been going in the South Hams for eight years so far.

How big is the team?

We have a team of five. I am the boss and then I have four landscapers within the James AA Gordon team. As Leaf it Out grows I will get more of the wider team involved with that as well, and eventually I would like to take on someone specifically to look after that.

What has feedback been like so far?

People have been very happy so far, because we’re clean, tidy and reliable. We had a client in the summer who has a property in Salcombe, and there’s a public footpath by her house where people often throw rubbish in her bin. Then the seagulls get hold of it as the bin collections are so infrequent, so when she arrives on holiday she finds the gulls have created a total mess and ends up spending the first few hours after travelling clearing up rubbish. I think that knowledge that the rubbish will be properly dealt with so she doesn’t arrive to that problem is what a lot of clients value.

How do you make sure you dispose of waste responsibly?

Importantly, in line with the concern of the general public about recycling, all waste is transferred to a local transfer station, where 85% of the waste is turned into energy. There is one bin for all rubbish and recycling (including glass) which means guests simply put all waste into bags (where possible) and put in the bin - all recycling and all household waste goes together which is then sorted through at the transfer station. A simple solution for all home owners or guests to use what appears to be as fool proof and user friendly as can possibly be devised which will eliminate missed collections, overfilled and smelling bins, an unwelcome arrival to guests and owners alike and a facility to vastly improve on the green credentials of the your properties.

There are other, less ethical companies, who say they dispose of waste, especially larger items like sofas, properly and just dump them. We know people who thought they got rid of furniture properly and are then surprised to find fly tipped in a beauty spot. Legislation is changing so that if those people are caught, the people that the waste belongs to can also be fined. So we have that information so owners can show their waste has been disposed of properly. We’re fully licensed, registered and insured.

What are you looking forward to with the business over the coming months?

We’ve had a really good start to the company and so now we’re looking to build on that and take on more customers both for weekly waste collection and also house clearances, and anything else that a client is looking to dispose of.

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