A former City worker who swapped shipbroking for refuse collection has built a waste removal empire generating approximately £625,000 in annual revenue.
Will Ferguson, a-father-of three, operates The Junk Monkey from West London, providing private rubbish collection services to households frustrated with inadequate council provisions.
Mr Ferguson told the Sun: "I'm taking things away because the council services aren't up to speed. Items have to be left outside and people can be waiting for weeks, which isn't good enough."
His company, which has expanded over two decades, now runs a fleet of eight vehicles and charges a minimum of £75 plus VAT for callouts.
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A former City worker who swapped shipbroking for refuse collection has built a waste removal empire generating approximately £625,000 in annual revenue
|INSTAGRAM/Thejunkmonkey
The private waste collection sector has experienced remarkable expansion, with business data analyst IbisWorld reporting that approximately 1,300 independent firms now operate in this space, compared with just 760 in 2015.
Local authorities began abandoning weekly collections during the mid-1990s as part of efforts to promote recycling and reduce mounting costs.
London residents typically face fortnightly collections, with general waste and recycling alternating each week.
Mr Ferguson argues this schedule cannot cope with modern packaging volumes, particularly from online retailers like Amazon.
Some areas have reduced services even further, with Bury, Salford and Wigan offering pickups only once every three weeks.
Mr Ferguson told the publication: "Those that can afford it are paying to have it taken away."
Mr Ferguson's clientele includes residents of some of London's wealthiest postcodes, with regular jobs in Wandsworth, Fulham and Mayfair involving furniture, artwork, beds and tanning machines.
The work occasionally yields unexpected rewards.
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The Junk Monkey from West London provides private rubbish collection services to households frustrated with inadequate council provisions
|INSTAGRAM/Thejunkmonkey
"One man's rubbish is another man's treasure," he told the Sun, recounting how a billionaire client discarded a bathtub valued at roughly £40,000.
"Put it this way, I now have a rather regal bathtub at home that I very much enjoy."
Higher-value items are channelled through Chelsea's Lots Road Auctions, featured in the television programme The Auction House.
Mr Ferguson recently deposited an antique table, a chest of drawers, and a glass-shelved metal unit there, anticipating proceeds of around £1,000, with £600 going to his business.
The Junk Monkey company has expanded over two decades
|INSTAGRAM/Thejunkmonkey
Mr Ferguson maintains that refuse collectors deserve greater recognition and remuneration, pointing to the Birmingham bin strikes as an example where workers warranted better pay.
He told the tabloid: "There is no company in the world that takes the rough with the smooth like we do. We have to pay bin men properly. They're as important as the police for me."
His operation prioritises sustainability, with larger items diverted from landfill through charitable donations and upcycling.
Smaller hauls are sold to second-hand traders, including Jamal from Capital House Clearance in Battersea.
Mr Ferguson added: "We're going into very flashy houses. You want to know your heirlooms aren't going to get lifted. I'm more Lovejoy than Del Boy!"
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