Cheap toilet hire: why the cheapest quote isn’t always the cheapest
A cheap portaloo hire quote can turn into the most expensive option once delivery fees, extra charges and missed deliveries are added up. After 10 years in portable toilet hire, here is what to look out for, and the questions to ask before you book.
Is the cheapest portable toilet hire quote the best value? Often not. Very low prices usually come from new suppliers who run on thin margins and make up the difference with extra fees for delivery, collection, weekends, servicing and supplies. They also tend to have little back up if a van breaks down or the owner is ill. Compare the full delivered price, not the headline price per toilet.
Key points
- A headline price per toilet is not the price you pay. Always ask for the total, including delivery, collection and any servicing.
- Low introductory prices often do not last. Rates can go up for your next booking, or extras appear once you are committed.
- Underpriced quotes are often rebalanced with add on fees, which can push the final bill above a quote that looked dearer.
- When the business owner is also the only driver, one breakdown or sick day can mean no toilets on the day of your event.
- Cleanliness is usually the first thing to slip when a price is too low. Cleaning properly between hires takes time, water, chemicals and staff.
- Reliable delivery is worth more than a small saving. A wedding, festival or building site without toilets is far more costly than the difference between two quotes.
Whether you are booking event toilet hire for a wedding, portaloos for a building site or a luxury toilet trailer for a garden party, it is natural to start by looking for the lowest price. We have been arranging portable toilet hire for 10 years, and the same story comes up again and again: the cheapest quote on paper is not the cheapest hire in real life. This guide explains why, so you can book with confidence.
Why are some toilet hire quotes so cheap?
Portable toilet hire has become a crowded market. New suppliers can start with a van, a trailer and a small number of units, and the quickest way for them to win work is to be the lowest price on the page. There are three common reasons a quote comes in well below the rest.
1. Introductory prices to win new customers
A new supplier with an empty diary will often price below cost just to get started and build up reviews. That can look like a bargain, but introductory prices rarely last. The rate may go up when you book again, or the low headline price may only cover the toilet itself, with everything else charged on top.
Being new or small does not make a supplier bad. But a price that is far below everyone else’s is a sign that something has been left out, or that the business is not yet set up to deliver it reliably. That matters for the next two points.
2. The price does not cover the real cost of the job
Delivering, servicing and collecting a portable toilet costs money: fuel, driver time, waste disposal, chemicals, toilet roll, insurance and wear on the units. When a quote is below what the job really costs, the supplier either makes a loss or finds the money somewhere else. Usually it is somewhere else.
3. They are buying the booking, not pricing the job
Some low quotes are designed to win the enquiry first and sort out the details later. The headline number gets you to say yes, and the full picture only appears on the invoice or the day before delivery.
What hidden fees should you watch for?
These are the charges most often added on top of a low headline price. None of them are unusual on their own. The problem is when they are left out of the first quote, so you cannot compare like with like.
- Delivery and collection, charged separately, sometimes as two fees.
- Weekend, bank holiday or timed delivery surcharges, which hit most events.
- Servicing and emptying visits for longer hires or bigger crowds.
- Supplies such as toilet roll, hand sanitiser and the flush chemical.
- Cleaning or damage charges added after collection.
- Access, failed delivery or missed visit fees if the driver says they could not get in or nobody was home.
- Fuel, mileage or congestion charges for sites further away or inside London.
- Price rises between your quote and your invoice, or when you book again.
How a cheap quote can end up costing more
Here is an example for four standard portable toilets at a Saturday garden party. The figures are made up to show how the maths works, not taken from any real supplier.
| Cost | Quote A: “only £95 a toilet” | Quote B: all in price |
|---|---|---|
| 4 toilets | £380 | £560 |
| Delivery | + £60 | Included |
| Collection | + £60 | Included |
| Saturday delivery | + £45 | Included |
| Toilet roll and sanitiser | + £32 | Included |
| Total | £577 | £560 |
Illustration only. Quote A looked £180 cheaper but ended up £17 dearer, before any risk of a late or missed delivery.
Why do cheap suppliers often have unreliable delivery?
Delivery is where a toilet hire company earns its money, and it is the part that is hardest to do well on a tight budget. Reliable delivery needs proper systems: a booking diary that does not double book, route planning, enough vehicles, spare units and someone answering the phone. Very cheap suppliers often run all of this from a mobile phone and a notebook.
The warning signs are easy to spot once you know them:
- No written confirmation of your booking, or a confirmation with the wrong date or address.
- No delivery time window, just “sometime on Friday”.
- Slow replies to messages, or calls that always go to voicemail.
- Vague answers about what happens if something goes wrong.
- No clear terms covering cancellations, damage or extra servicing.
Think about the cost of failure, not just the cost of hire. If toilets do not arrive for a wedding, a festival or a building site, the knock on cost is far higher than any saving. Sites can be shut down for welfare breaches, and guests remember an event with no toilets.
What is the risk when the owner is also the driver?
Many of the cheapest suppliers are one person businesses where the owner takes the bookings, drives the van, services the units and handles the invoices. That keeps costs down, which is why the price is low. It also creates a single point of failure.
No back up
If the van breaks down or the owner is ill, there is nobody else to deliver your toilets.
Hard to reach
Someone driving all day cannot answer the phone, so questions and changes go unanswered.
Stretched too thin
On busy summer weekends one person cannot be in two places, so deliveries slip or servicing gets missed.
This does not mean every small business gives a bad service. Plenty of small operators are excellent. The point is to ask how they cover the job if something goes wrong, and to be wary if there is no answer.
Why are cheap portable toilets often less clean?
A clean toilet is the one thing every guest notices. It is also the easiest corner to cut when a price is too low. Properly cleaning a unit between hires means a full wash out, disinfecting every surface, fresh chemical, a restock of toilet roll and sanitiser and a final check. Each step costs time and money, and a supplier charging below cost has little of either.
The signs of corners being cut are easy to spot on the day:
- Units that smell before anyone has used them, or still have marks from the last hire.
- Old, worn or damaged units with broken locks, cracked seats or stained walls.
- No toilet roll, no hand sanitiser or an empty flush tank on arrival.
- Servicing visits that are skipped, late or rushed during a long event or site hire.
Just as important is what happens if a unit is not up to standard. A well run supplier will put it right straight away. A supplier working on the thinnest margins rarely has the stock, the staff or the money to do that, so you are left to live with it. You can read our approach in our Spotless Promise.
How do you compare toilet hire quotes properly?
Ask every supplier the same questions, in writing, so you can compare like with like.
- What is the total price, delivered and collected?Ask for one figure that includes everything for your dates.
- Will the price stay the same if I book again?A supplier who prices consistently is easier to plan around for repeat events and longer site hires.
- Are there any extra charges I could be asked to pay?Weekends, servicing, supplies, cleaning, access and mileage.
- What time will you deliver and collect?A clear time window is a good sign of a well run diary.
- What happens if your vehicle breaks down?Look for a real answer, such as other drivers or partner suppliers.
- How are the toilets cleaned between hires, and what if they arrive dirty?Ask what their cleaning process is and whether they will put it right on the day.
- How often are the toilets serviced?For events over a day and for building sites, this matters a lot.
- Can you send a written confirmation?It should show the date, address, number of units and total price.
- Can I see recent reviews?Look for reviews that mention delivery on time and clean units.
Why you won’t get this with Toilet Hire Near Me
Everything in this guide is the reason we run Toilet Hire Near Me the way we do. We have spent 10 years in portable toilet hire, and we have seen what happens when a booking is won on price and then let down on the day. So we built the opposite: clear prices, proper systems and suppliers who turn up.
What we do differently
Communication comes first
You can reach us 24/7, and we keep you updated from booking to collection. No chasing, no unanswered calls.
Proper systems
Every booking is confirmed in writing with your dates, address, units and total price, so nothing gets missed or double booked.
Suppliers with proven systems
We only work with established local suppliers who have the vehicles, staff and back up to deliver, even on the busiest summer weekends, and who keep their units properly clean.
Consistent pricing
We price consistently and do not change our rates after you book. The price you are quoted is the price you pay.
We don’t over promise
If we cannot do something, we tell you straight away. If we say it will be there, it will be there. And if something goes wrong that is not your fault, we put it right.
A 5 star track record
Our reviews talk about the same things again and again: on time, clean, and easy to deal with.
“Nobody was home.” They were.
On one hire, a driver arrived to service a customer’s toilet, did not knock on the door, and left. The supplier then said the customer had not been in, and insisted on charging a missed visit fee. Our customer had been at home the whole time.
Fees like this are common in toilet hire, and they are exactly the kind of extra charge that turns a good price into a bad experience. We did not argue with our customer or pass the bill on.
A cleanliness issue at a wedding, sorted on the spot
At one of our client’s weddings, there was an issue with how clean the toilets were. It is the last thing anyone wants on a wedding day. Our supplier did not argue, ask for photos or make the couple chase them. They refunded the client straight away.
That is the standard our high end suppliers work to, and it is a big reason we choose them. A supplier running on the cheapest possible price rarely has room to make that call.
That is what we mean when we say we are on your side. Things can occasionally go wrong in any hire. What matters is who sorts it out, and who pays when it is not your fault.
What our customers say
Do not just take our word for it. These are real reviews from our customers, the exact words they used.
“…amazed at how simple and easy they were to work with. … Delivery and take down was super smooth with no issues”
“Patrick was always available on phone … attentive throughout the booking process … the delivery was on time”
“The toilets and urinal unit provided were clean, delivered and collected as agreed. Service was smooth and hassle free”
“The customer service was excellent, from delivery on time, squeaky clean, soft loo roll provided”
“Efficient, good valuable, and a human, reliable service.”
“Great service and good price for a private event. Will hire again!”
“Reliable service, arrived ready for a party”
Notice what they mention: on time, clean, available on the phone, smooth and reliable. Not one of them talks about a surprise fee or a missed delivery. That is the difference a well run service makes, and it is why our customers book with us again. Read more on our testimonials page.
Clear prices before you book
Our instant quote shows a clear price for your dates before you commit, and our portaloo hire cost guide sets out what toilet hire costs across event toilet hire, construction toilet hire and luxury toilet trailer hire. You can also read about our Spotless Promise and why customers choose us.
Common questions
How much should portable toilet hire cost in the UK?
It depends on the type of toilet, how long you need it and where you are. As a guide, our event toilets are £140 each delivered, site toilets are £36 a week plus delivery, and luxury toilet trailers start from £780. See our portaloo hire cost guide for full prices.
Why do toilet hire prices vary so much between companies?
Prices vary because of company size, what is included, the type and quality of the units and how far the supplier has to travel. Some quotes leave out delivery, collection or servicing, and some are introductory prices that will not last. Comparing the total delivered price is the only fair way to compare.
Are cheap toilet hire companies always bad?
No. Plenty of small suppliers do a great job. The risk is a low price that is not backed by proper systems, back up vehicles and clear terms. Ask what is included, what happens if something goes wrong, and read recent reviews before you book.
What hidden costs come with cheap toilet hire?
The most common are separate delivery and collection fees, weekend surcharges, servicing visits, toilet roll and sanitiser, cleaning or damage charges, access fees and mileage. Ask for all of these to be included in one written total before you book.
How do I know if a toilet hire company is reliable?
Look for a written booking confirmation, a clear delivery time window, quick replies, recent reviews that mention punctual delivery, and a straight answer about what happens if a vehicle breaks down. A supplier who cannot answer that last question is a risk.
Does Toilet Hire Near Me add extra charges after booking?
No. We price consistently and do not change our rates after you book. Your quote shows the price for your dates, and that is the price you pay.
What if a supplier charges me a fee that isn’t my fault?
With Toilet Hire Near Me, you deal with us, not the supplier. If a fee comes up that is not your fault, such as a driver claiming nobody was home when you were, we deal with it. In one real case we paid a missed visit fee ourselves so our customer was not charged.
What happens if hired toilets are not clean?
A good supplier will put it right straight away, by cleaning or replacing the unit or by refunding you. With Toilet Hire Near Me, we use high end suppliers who take this seriously. When there was a cleanliness issue at one client’s wedding, our supplier refunded the client immediately. Very cheap suppliers rarely have the stock or margin to do the same.
Is it worth paying more for portable toilet hire?
Usually, yes, if the higher price includes everything and comes from a supplier with proper back up. The cost of toilets not turning up for an event or site is far greater than the difference between two quotes.
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