What is a waste transfer note?

A waste transfer note (WTN) is a legal document that records the transfer of waste from one party to another — in a house clearance, from you (or the estate or landlord) to the clearance company. It exists because of a principle in UK law called the duty of care: your waste remains your legal responsibility until it reaches a licensed disposal or recycling facility.

In practice, that means if an unlicensed operator takes waste from your property and fly-tips it, the fine can land on you — councils trace dumped waste back to its source, and "I paid someone to take it" is not a defence unless you can show you used a registered carrier. The waste transfer note is that evidence.

What a waste transfer note must include

A valid WTN records a description of the waste, its quantity, how it's contained, the date and place of transfer, the names and addresses of both parties, and — crucially — the transferring company's waste carrier registration number. Digital notes are fully valid and are what we issue at HouseClear; you receive yours by email on completion of every house clearance.

Landlords and letting agents should file WTNs with their property records: they're routinely requested during deposit disputes and by housing auditors after an end of tenancy clearance. Executors should keep them with the estate paperwork after a probate clearance.

How long should you keep it?

Two years is the legal minimum for household and commercial waste transfer notes. Digital copies make this easy — there's nothing to lose down the back of a drawer.

The simple rule

If a clearance or "man and van" quote doesn't mention a waste transfer note, ask. A legitimate operator will produce one without hesitation; a hesitant answer is the clearest warning sign there is. You can also verify any company's licence yourself in about a minute — our guide on checking a waste carrier licence shows you how.