What is House Clearance?
What does house clearance include?
A house clearance is the removal of unwanted items from a property. It can involve a full clearance on everything in the home, removal of a few specific items, or removal of waste from a property. Generally speaking the term “house clearances” refers to the full removal of all items and waste from the property.
Do local councils do house clearance?
It depends on where you are. Some councils do offer house clearances, but it won't be free and could even cost more than hiring a professional house clearance company like Our House Clearance. In some cases, local councils will only offer to do a paid house clearance in certain circumstances.
Do house clearances take clothes?
House clearance companies generally do take clothes, we definitely do, we take them for free and we donate tons of clothes to charity each year. A lot of people will take the clothes to charity shops to save clearance costs or to assist the clearance company but it isn’t always necessary. Ask your clearance company if they remove clothes for free before making the effort to do it yourself.
Do you need a license to do house clearance UK?
Yes, any company that provides clearance services are required to register as waste carriers with the Environmental Agency. The goal of licensing is so clearance companies operate within the law, follow environmental regulations and provide proper waste and disposal mechanisms.
How to get rid of house clearance junk?
You can take all of the waste items to a local tip but you will likely need to hire a van or do a few car trips if there’s a substantial amount. Alternatively you can hire a skip or arrange additional waste collection services such as a house clearance company. You may find that hiring a house clearance company could save you time and in the long run, money, especially if you’re continuing to pay necessary bills on an empty property.
How do I prepare for house clearance?
Preparing for a house clearance with us is easy. Once we’ve agreed when we’re coming, all you need to do before then is to decide on, and remove any items you want to keep. If the items can’t be removed for any reason, label them as “do not take” so that we know to leave them where they are.
What does a house clearance involve?
The house clearance process is to remove all unwanted items in a property. This can range from a few selected items to a complete clearance of everything in the property. Once the house clearance company removes the items and/or waste from the property, it becomes their property and therefore their responsibility to dispose of responsibly or to redistribute as required.
How long should it take to clear a house?
The time it takes to complete a house clearance can depend on a few factors such as the size of the property, volume of contents and distance from storage and waste facilities. The majority of full house clearances that Our House Clearance complete have taken one full working day. For extreme clearances this can (and has) taken one week.
Who clears a house when someone dies?
The executor of the will is responsible for arranging for the the house to be cleared, whether this is done themselves or by employing a house clearance company.
What insurance do I need for house clearance?
Public liability insurance. Any reputable house clearance company (including Our House Clearance), needs to have public liability insurance, hold an Environmental Agency waste carriers licence and have all staff DBS checked and approved.
Will house clearance take paint?
Yes. They are classified as hazardous waste so you will need to ensure that the house clearance company you choose holds an upper tier waste carriers licence. Most house clearances companies will charge for the removal of paint as this will ultimately be charged for disposal.
Do you need a license to do house clearance UK?
House clearances in the UK must hold a waste carriers licence provided by the Environmental Agency. A waste carriers licence indicates that a business or an individual is registered to legally carry and transport waste. The goal of licensing is so clearance companies operate within the law, follow environmental regulations and provide proper waste and disposal mechanisms.
Do house clearance take mattresses?
House clearance companies should take mattresses, yes. At Our House Clearance we definitely do as it is very rare that a house that needs fully clearing doesn’t have at least one mattress. These can also be collected as a single item collection if you’re just looking to dispose of yours.
How do I arrange my house clearance?
The first thing to do is speak to a house clearance company before deciding to do it yourself. Once you have spoken to them you will have a better idea about what it would cost for them do to the whole thing for you and how long it will take them. You can then compare it against the cost and time of doing it yourself or doing part of it yourself.
If you are doing it yourself, separate all of the belongings into clear piles, KEEP, DONATE and BIN. By going through every single item and deciding what to keep, give to charity, or which items are only good for the bin, will help when arranging your items for their removal and reduce clutter. Be ruthless, this is the purpose of your clearance!
If Our House Clearance is doing it, preparing for a house clearance couldn’t be easier. Once we’ve agreed when we’re coming, all you need to do before then is to decide on, and remove any items you want to keep. If the items can’t be removed for any reason, label them as “do not take” so that we know to leave them where they are. We’ll do the rest.
Will house clearance take everything?
Yes. If you have asked a house clearance company to clear the house completely, then they will literally take away everything in the property for you.
How long does it take to clear out a house?
How long does it take to clear a house out? A medium-sized house with moderate belongings usually takes around one day for us to clear. This estimate allows for proper sorting, organizing, and disposal processes. However, additional time may be needed if there are valuable items for sale or if specialized handling is required.
How long does the council give you to clear a house after a death?
You usually have about 4 weeks to clear the property if the landlord gives a notice. Ask for more time or help from the landlord if you need it.
How long do you have to clear a house after someone dies ?
There is no set time for when a house needs to be cleared but whilst the property is not sold, you will still be liable for it’s bills and upkeep. All items should be removed from the property before the house completion of sale takes place and this is the responsibility of the executor to arrange. Once this is done, the house can be sold, with the proceeds then being distributed to all designated heirs.
How do house clearance companies work UK?
What is a house clearance? We clear items, furniture and household waste from the property, including sheds, garages and lofts. Depending on the condition of your items, we will either donate them to charity, sell them in our shops, recycle or dispose of them responsibly.
What are the benefits of house clearance?
There are many scenarios where house clearance services can be beneficial.
Hiring experts means a quicker cleanup with insurance protection in case of accidents or damage.
Good clearance companies recycle and donate items, helping to protect the environment.
After clearing your home, these firms make sure to tidy up any mess left behind.
Companies such as Our House Clearance show environmental responsibility by reducing waste.
Probate Clearances: Dealing with the belongings of a loved one who has passed away can be emotionally draining. Professional services such as house clearance can handle the process respectfully and efficiently, providing a sense of closure and peace of mind during a difficult time.
Moving into assisted living: A lot of the time this is into a smaller property which is already furnished so there are a lot of items that can’t be taken with you. As it may be difficult to say goodbye to all of the things you’ve been accumulating over the years, a clearance company can ease some of that burden.
Preparing for a Move: Clearing out unwanted items before you move house can save time and reduce moving costs. It also simplifies the packing and unpacking process, by only taking the items you truly want or need with you.
Downsizing: Moving to a smaller property requires letting go of items that won’t fit or aren’t needed in the new home. This process can help create a more organised living environment in your new space.
Decluttering: Sometimes, the items you accumulate over the years can lead to cluttered living spaces. A thorough clearout can improve your quality of life and make your home more comfortable as well as aesthetically pleasing.
End of Tenancy: Landlords don’t always have the time to clear houses when their tenants leave, especially if it has been left in a poor state. A house clearance company can efficiently empty the property ready for it to be rented to the next tenant.
Does a house need to be empty on completion?
Yes. When buying or selling a house, the term vacant possession simply means that the house you're buying or selling must be empty on the day of completion
Can you empty a house before probate?
Legally, you should wait until probate has been granted before emptying the contents of a property. Nothing in the home should be emptied before the details of the will are known.
What is the best way to clear a house when someone dies UK?
Consider hiring a house clearance company such as Our House Clearance. It can be surprising how cost effective it can be as an alternative to doing it yourself. A house clearance company will also help remove some of the stress that you’ll be feeling.
How do I arrange my house clearance?
Working out how quickly you want the clearance to be done.
Decide what to keep and what you want removed.
Call Our House Clearance.
Arrange for the house to be cleared.
And finally, don't forget…
Relax! We’ve got this!
