Developer API and agent resources

A free, read-only API for agents and integrators that need to answer UK skip hire questions: indicative prices for a town or postcode area, council skip permit rules, which skip size a job needs, and whether a town is covered.

It returns information only. There is no online checkout: booking is by phone to a vetted local operator, using the number the coverage endpoint returns for the town.

REST API

Base path https://www.rent-a-skip.co.uk/api/v1. Every endpoint is a GET that returns JSON, needs no authentication and allows cross-origin requests. Where an endpoint takes alternative parameters, send exactly one of them. Successful responses look like {"data": ..., "meta": ...}; errors look like {"error": {"code", "message", "hint"}}.

The OpenAPI 3.1 spec is at https://www.rent-a-skip.co.uk/openapi.json. It is the authority on response fields. The examples below are hand-written, truncated and illustrative, and any prices in them are indicative.

  • Skip hire prices

    GET /api/v1/prices
    Indicative skip hire price ranges for a town or postcode area, by skip size.

    • town (optional): A Rent-a-Skip town slug, for example manchester.
    • postcode_area (optional): UK postcode area letters, for example M.

    Example request (example values)

    GET https://www.rent-a-skip.co.uk/api/v1/prices?town=exampletown

    Example response, truncated (illustrative values; prices are indicative)

    {
  "data": {
    "area": { "postcodeArea": "XX", "town": "Exampletown", "townSlug": "exampletown" },
    "currency": "GBP",
    "prices": [
      { "size": "4-yard midi skip", "lowGbp": 100, "medianGbp": 120, "highGbp": 140 }
    ],
    "note": "Indicative price ranges. The firm price is confirmed on the booking call."
  },
  "meta": {
    "docs": "https://www.rent-a-skip.co.uk/developers",
    "openapi": "https://www.rent-a-skip.co.uk/openapi.json"
  }
}

  • Council skip permit rules

    GET /api/v1/permits
    The responsible council skip permit rules for a council or a town: fee, permit period, notice and application link.

    • council (optional): A highways authority name, for example Kent.
    • town (optional): A Rent-a-Skip town slug, for example manchester.

    Example request (example values)

    GET https://www.rent-a-skip.co.uk/api/v1/permits?town=exampletown

    Example response, truncated (illustrative values; prices are indicative)

    {
  "data": {
    "council": "Example Council",
    "town": "Exampletown",
    "permitFeeGbp": 30,
    "permitPeriodDays": 14,
    "noticeWorkingDays": 5,
    "privateLand": "A skip on a private driveway needs no council permit."
  },
  "meta": {
    "docs": "https://www.rent-a-skip.co.uk/developers",
    "openapi": "https://www.rent-a-skip.co.uk/openapi.json"
  }
}

  • Skip size recommendation

    GET /api/v1/skip-size-recommendation
    The recommended skip size for a job, with capacity and weight notes.

    • job_type (required): The kind of job, for example garden-clearance. Allowed values are in the OpenAPI spec.
    • waste_type (required): general or heavy. Heavy covers soil, rubble, brick and concrete.
    • scale (required): Job scale from 1 (smallest) to 5 (whole property).
    • placement (optional): Where the skip will sit: driveway or road. Changes the permit guidance, never the size.

    Example request (example values)

    GET https://www.rent-a-skip.co.uk/api/v1/skip-size-recommendation?job_type=garden-clearance&waste_type=general&scale=3&placement=driveway

    Example response, truncated (illustrative values; prices are indicative)

    {
  "data": {
    "input": { "jobType": "garden-clearance", "wasteType": "general", "scale": 3 },
    "recommended": { "slug": "builders-6-yard", "name": "6-yard builders skip" },
    "reason": "One-line reason for the recommended size.",
    "permit": "A skip on a private driveway needs no council permit."
  },
  "meta": {
    "docs": "https://www.rent-a-skip.co.uk/developers",
    "openapi": "https://www.rent-a-skip.co.uk/openapi.json"
  }
}

  • Town coverage

    GET /api/v1/coverage
    Whether a town is covered, with the local booking phone number when it is.

    • q (required): A town name or Rent-a-Skip town slug, for example Westbury or leigh-on-sea.

    Example request (example values)

    GET https://www.rent-a-skip.co.uk/api/v1/coverage?q=Exampletown

    Example response, truncated (illustrative values; prices are indicative)

    {
  "data": {
    "query": "Exampletown",
    "covered": true,
    "town": "Exampletown",
    "townSlug": "exampletown",
    "bookingPhone": "<local booking number>"
  },
  "meta": {
    "docs": "https://www.rent-a-skip.co.uk/developers",
    "openapi": "https://www.rent-a-skip.co.uk/openapi.json"
  }
}

MCP server

The same data is available to MCP clients as four read-only tools.

Machine-readable content

Every content page also has a plain-text form for agents that read documents rather than call an API.

Rate limits and fair use

60 requests per 5 minutes per IP address. Requests over the limit are refused until the window resets. Cache responses where you can, and send one request per question rather than crawling.

Data and accuracy

Prices are indicative ranges by postcode area, drawn from local operator research. The firm price is confirmed on the booking call with a vetted local operator, so please do not present an API figure as a quote. Nothing can be ordered or paid for through the API. Coverage is England, Scotland and Wales; Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man are not covered.