Rubbish, recycling and food scraps collections for apartments and units

If you live in a multi-unit development, such as a gated community, retirement village or an apartment building, there may not be enough space to put out individual bins. 

Food scraps, rubbish and recycling services for units and apartments 

Register for a site assessment 

To find out more about the services we provide to apartments and units, or if you think you are eligible for an exemption, property managers or body corporates can register with us for an assessment.

Email multiunitwaste@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz and provide the following information:

• address of the multi-unit development
• number of units
• contact name and position (for example, property manager, building manager or developer)
• phone number
• email address
• preferred contact method
• other information relevant to the property, such as your site resource consent.

We will contact you and arrange a site assessment.

Site assessment process 

During assessment we check:

• where there is enough room within the property boundary to store bins within easy access to each dwelling
• how much waste is being generated and how often it needs to be collected
• the site has enough space on the berm The grass area between the road and the footpath or property boundary. Also refers to grass area between water table/drain and fence/property boundary. Property owners are typically responsible for maintaining the berm in front of their property. Also known as the verge.  to set out individual bins (if it does, we will provide a standard kerbside bin service)
• how a collection vehicle can safely enter and exit the site if the development is on a private lane or driveway.

How we assess your property 

We assess sites for rubbish, recycling and food scraps services separately. If we agree to an exemption, properties will only receive a targeted rates exemption for the services we cannot provide.

Exemption eligibility 

• Large residential complexes with 10 or more units.
• Sites that do not pass a site assessment for a collection service. 
• Site assessment requests must be received before 30 June to be eligible for exemption in the next rating year. 
• The body corporate, property manager, building manager or developer has applied on behalf of the development.
• There is a resource consent condition for the development that says the site must receive rubbish and recycling services from a private waste collection contractor (this does not apply to the food scraps service).

A base rate will still be charged to cover regional waste, including inorganic collections.

If the application for exemption is approved, the rates charges will be removed from the following 1 July.