Junk Hunters
Junk Hunters is a UK licensed waste clearance company offering on-demand rubbish removal with two-man truck teams across all London boroughs and Birmingham, serving residential, commercial, and construction customers via its JunkApp booking platform and franchise network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Junk Hunters does
Junk Hunters is a UK-based licensed waste clearance company founded in 2009 by Harsha Rathnayake, operating a man-and-van rubbish removal service across all London boroughs and Birmingham. The company's core offering is on-demand waste collection priced per job by load size (quarter, half, or full 14 cubic-yard truck), with uniformed two-person teams dispatched to customer locations to confirm pricing on arrival, perform all loading and sweeping, and accept payment only upon completion. Services span residential junk removal, house clearance, office clearance (with WEEE-compliant IT disposal and data destruction), garden clearance, same-day rubbish removal, appliance and mattress disposal, and specialist probate/hoarder clearances. The company reports an 80%+ recycling rate (up to 90% via JunkApp) and is CHAS-accredited, issuing duty-of-care waste transfer notes that protect commercial customers from fly-tipping liability.
The company's technology layer centres on JunkApp, a mobile booking application launched in 2026 on iOS and Android, which provides instant quotes, live GPS tracking of collection crews, app-exclusive pricing (with £25 off the first booking), and same-day scheduling. The app complements a postcode-based website booking system, a toll-free phone line, and WhatsApp as additional booking channels. No public API, SDK, or third-party integrations are documented. Distribution combines direct-to-consumer self-serve (app and website), inside sales for enterprise/commercial accounts (with 30-day invoiced subscriptions), and a franchise programme that licenses the Junk Hunters brand, booking system, and operational playbook to independent operators across the UK. Marketing leans on earned-media campaigns around 'Fly Tipping Friday' that generate coverage in the Daily Mail, Guardian, Metro, Evening Standard, and 100+ regional outlets, alongside Trustpilot (5 stars, 1,000+ reviews) and Google review presence.
Junk Hunters is privately held and founder-controlled, with no institutional investment, parent company, or public listing evidenced. A third-party press source describes the business as 'million-pound-plus' in turnover. Revenue is generated through transactional per-job service fees plus franchise licensing royalties, with no recurring SaaS-style pricing; commercial accounts operate on monthly invoiced subscriptions. Customer segments are predominantly residential (homeowners, tenants, landlords, letting agents) with secondary commercial, builders/trades, and government work. The company is registered in England and Wales (company number 07924378) and headquartered at NDB House, Unit 31, Cygnus Business Centre, London NW10 2XA.
Junk Hunters firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Junk Hunters
- Legal name
- Junk Hunters
- Website
- https://junkhunters.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Junk Hunters is a UK licensed waste clearance company offering on-demand rubbish removal with two-man truck teams across all London boroughs and Birmingham, serving residential, commercial, and construction customers via its JunkApp booking platform and franchise network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Junk Hunters industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Waste Management Services
- NAICS
- Solid Waste Collection (562111), Waste Collection (5621), Other Waste Collection (562119)
- SIC
- Refuse Systems (4953)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Residential Junk Removal & Hauling (HSAKALAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Commercial Junk Removal & Hauling (HSAKALAB), Construction Debris Removal (C&D Hauling) (HSAKALAC), Junk Removal & Disposal Coordination (HSAFAFAH)
Keywords
Where Junk Hunters is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Junk Hunters business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- On-Demand Waste Collection Services: Transaction-based pricing charged per collection job. Price is determined by load size (quarter, half, or full lorry load) or cubic yard volume. Each lorry load is based on a 14 cubic yard storage truck. No payment collected until job completion and customer satisfaction. Additional fees apply for collections exceeding allocated time limits.
- Franchise Licensing: Junk Hunters generates additional revenue by franchising its brand, online booking system, and operational model to independent operators across the UK. Franchisees benefit from the existing network and brand recognition while paying for the right to operate under the Junk Hunters brand.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Quarter Lorry Load (up to 15 min collection time) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Half Lorry Load (up to 30 min collection time) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Full Lorry Load (up to 1 hour collection time) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | JunkApp App-Exclusive Rate |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual Item Collection |
| Subscription | Monthly | Commercial/Regular Collection Accounts |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
Junk Hunters product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Junk Hunters is a UK-based licensed waste clearance company that provides on-demand rubbish removal via uniformed two-man truck teams who confirm pricing on arrival, perform all loading and sweeping, and recycle over 80% of collected material. Services span residential, commercial, and construction customers across all London boroughs and Birmingham, with same/next-day collections priced by load size (cubic yard) and booked through the website or the proprietary JunkApp mobile platform.
Product overview
Junk Hunters is a professional waste clearance company operating primarily in London and Birmingham, UK. The core offering is a man-and-van rubbish removal service priced by load size, featuring two-person teams that confirm pricing on arrival, handle all loading and cleanup, and maintain an 80%+ recycling rate. The product portfolio includes the main JunkApp mobile application for instant booking, real-time tracking, and live pricing (iOS/Android), alongside specialized services for house clearance, office clearance, garden clearance, same-day removals, furniture clearance, appliance disposal, and mattress removal. The company also operates a franchise programme for nationwide expansion. All services are fully licensed and insured with duty-of-care documentation provided.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- JunkApp: Mobile booking app for instant waste clearance in London, offering same-day collections, live tracking, and app-exclusive rates with £25 off first booking.
Products and services
- Waste Clearance Services Professional rubbish removal and waste collection for residential, commercial, and construction clients across London and Birmingham. Two-man truck teams confirm price on arrival, perform all loading and sweeping, and only accept payment after job completion.
- JunkApp Mobile application for instant waste clearance booking, offering same-day collections, real-time GPS crew tracking, item-level or cubic-yard pricing, and app-exclusive rates. Available on iOS and Android to residential and commercial customers in London.
- House Clearance Service Fully licensed residential house clearance covering furniture, white goods, WEEE, mattresses, carpets and bagged waste. Includes specialist probate, hoarder, end-of-tenancy, and pre-sale turnovers, with duty-of-care waste transfer notes issued after every job.
- Office Clearance Service Professional office clearance for businesses of all sizes, including IT recycling, data destruction, furniture removal and recycling, relocation services, cleaning, and asset valuation, with WEEE-directive-compliant waste auditing and reporting.
- Garden Clearance Service Garden waste collection and clearance handling soil, green waste, and shed junk. Fully trained teams remove waste directly from the garden, performing all heavy lifting, with same-day service available 6 days a week.
- Same Day Rubbish Removal Same-day waste clearance for commercial and residential properties with flexible 2-hour arrival windows, two-man truck teams, and transparent upfront pricing covering bulky waste, domestic clutter, garden waste, commercial rubbish, and hazardous materials.
- Junk Hunters Franchise Programme Franchise offering for prospective business owners to operate independent Junk Hunters branches in new UK regions, with support from the existing network, the online booking system, and London head office infrastructure.
Quantifiable outcome
- 80%+ of all collected waste recycled (general); up to 90% via JunkApp
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Junk Hunters
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Junk Hunters technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Junk Hunters partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Junk Hunters competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Veolia UK: Large UK environmental services and waste management provider with municipal and commercial collections, recycling, and hazardous waste services. Broad incumbent against whom Junk Hunters competes for commercial accounts.
- Biffa plc: Major UK waste management company offering collections, recycling, and skip hire at national scale. Overlaps with Junk Hunters in commercial waste, recycling, and skip hire but with vastly broader portfolio and B2B focus.
- FCC Environment (UK): UK waste and recycling services provider operating treatment, transfer, and collection infrastructure. Competes with Junk Hunters' commercial and recycling positioning at much larger scale.
Direct peers
- AnyJunk: London-based on-demand junk removal platform offering similar pay-by-load pricing and online booking for residential and commercial waste clearance. Direct UK competitor with comparable model.
- Clearabee: UK on-demand bulky waste and rubbish removal service operating a 'man and van' model across multiple UK cities. Closest direct competitor to Junk Hunters in residential and commercial same-day clearance.
- 1-800-GOT-JUNK?: North American franchise-based junk removal brand with two-man truck crews, on-demand booking, and a flagship mobile app. Closest international analogue to Junk Hunters' franchise + app strategy.
- Rubbish Please: London-based on-demand rubbish removal and house clearance service operating with similar two-person crew, pay-by-load model. Direct neighbourhood competitor to Junk Hunters in the London residential market.
- Hippo Waste Services: UK skip-hire-alternative service providing wait-and-load and roll-on/roll-off container collection. Competes with Junk Hunters for builders/trades waste, though focused on skip alternatives rather than full-service loading.
Emerging players
- LoveJunk: UK digital marketplace connecting waste producers with licensed hauliers, including skip alternative services. Competes with Junk Hunters' instant-booking model via a platform approach.
Regional players
- Grabco Grab Hire: UK grab lorry and muck-away operator serving construction sites with on-demand haulage. Adjacent competitor in the construction-debris segment, though model is grab lorry rather than two-man loading.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Junk Hunters social profiles
Digital presenceJunk Hunters financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Junk Hunters leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Junk Hunters funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Junk Hunters M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Junk Hunters
What does Junk Hunters do?
Junk Hunters is a UK-based licensed waste clearance company that provides on-demand rubbish removal via uniformed two-man truck teams who confirm pricing on arrival, perform all loading and sweeping, and recycle over 80% of collected material. Services span residential, commercial, and construction customers across all London boroughs and Birmingham, with same/next-day collections priced by load size (cubic yard) and booked through the website or the proprietary JunkApp mobile platform.
Is Junk Hunters a public or private company?
Junk Hunters is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Junk Hunters founded?
Junk Hunters was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Junk Hunters based?
Junk Hunters is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Junk Hunters make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. On-Demand Waste Collection Services are the primary driver. The others are franchise Licensing.
Who are Junk Hunters's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Veolia UK, Biffa plc and FCC Environment (UK). Direct peers are AnyJunk, Clearabee, 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, Rubbish Please and Hippo Waste Services. LoveJunk is listed as an emerging player. Grabco Grab Hire is listed as a regional player.
Does Junk Hunters have an API?
No public API is recorded for Junk Hunters.
What industry is Junk Hunters in?
Junk Hunters's product category is Waste Management Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSAKALAA, Residential Junk Removal & Hauling, with a secondary code of HSAKALAB, Commercial Junk Removal & Hauling. Its NAICS code is 562111 and its SIC code is 4953.