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Advice for businesses on commercial waste and the law


Running a holiday let or business from home?

It's illegal for businesses to dispose of commercial waste using the Council's household waste services.

All businesses, no matter how small, must pay a licenced commercial waste collector.

The law applies to:

  • holiday lets
  • small businesses run from home
  • all types of commercial waste no matter how small the amount

You also need to follow these rules if you rent out

  • a room in your home as self-catering accommodation
  • your whole home, an annexe, caravan, shepherd’s hut and so on

as self-catering accommodation – either for a few weeks in the summer or all year round.

Even if you live at the same address, the law sees this as a mixed-use property. This means you must separate:

  • your own household waste
  • commercial waste from your guests or business

What You Need to Do

  • You must use a licensed commercial collection service
  • You still need to pay for this service, even if you already pay council tax on the property
  • Good news: if your property is council tax rated, you may be eligible for a discounted rate through Cornwall Council’s Commercial Waste Service

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