
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the house clearance process work?
It depends on the situation.
If you are sure that there is nothing in your property that can be resold, then we will simply empty the house or premises, charging you the labour for us to do so and the fees we incur at a local waste site.
If your house contains valuable items, like artwork, antiques or collections that could have a resale value, then we will estimate what those items might be worth, and deduct that amount from our clearance costs, or pay you money if we think the resale value will be higher than the costs of clearing the house.
Most of the items in a house clearance are non-antique furniture and general household items. What happens to them?
Our first priority, as it’s least impactful on the environment, is to make sure as much of the content as possible is reused, finding good homes for the contents through our relationships with charities and other non-profit organisations.
This option not only reduces landfill, but means that the costs we pass on to you are lower, as we’re spending less on waste processing facilities.
Do you take on extremely unsanitary and dirty properties?
Yes, we do. We understand that, for various reasons, the state of a property may have deteriorated dramatically. No situation is too extreme for us to tackle, even if it’s contaminated or infested.
After we have cleared the property, we can get the whole place deep cleaned top to bottom, so that it’s in a suitable condition to be rented or sold straightaway.
Our service also includes clearing and tidying neglected gardens and outside spaces.
Can you advise on what we should do with valuable items?
After our experts value the belongings in line with expected auction prices, one option you have is to sell everything to us in one job lot. Depending on the estimated value, we either offset that amount against the house clearance costs, or pay you the difference if the amount is higher.Alternatively, you could choose to sell your items privately or take them to auction.
How much do you charge to clear a house or commercial property?
Obviously, it completely depends on the size of the property and scale of the job but, to give you a rough idea, our fees start at around £650. We work as cost effectively as we can, by packing our own vehicles as efficiently as possible, rather than using costly skips or charging by the load.
What do you do with personal or confidential items?
Our team understands the sentimental value of personal possessions and is always keeping an eye out for items that might mean something to you. We keep personal letters and photos to one side, to pass on to you to look through and decide what you want to keep.
If we find documents that look confidential, we can keep them for you or, with your permission, shred them and give you written confirmation that they have been destroyed.
Do you provide extra services on top of house clearance?
Yes, if a property is likely to be left empty for a while after it has been cleared, it can be helpful for us to get the electricity and gas turned off, drain the central heating and/or turn the water off to avoid potential water damage.
We can also arrange for the property to be secured by a locksmith changing the locks, and provide ongoing security if necessary.
What do you do with items I would like to keep?
Just let us know what items you would like us to keep for you, and we will be happy to deliver them to wherever you need them.
I live abroad, is that a problem?
Not at all. You being in another country will not affect our service. We have all the processes in place to work with companies and individuals who are based overseas.
There is a car at the property that you are clearing for me. Can you take care of that too?
Certainly. It is quite common when we are working for executors that a vehicle will be part of the estate. Depending on its condition, we can arrange for it to be sold or disposed of.
What kind of service can I expect from House Clearance Direct?
We are honest and reliable. We will carry out the job you have hired us for on time, and on budget, and keep you updated throughout the process. When we are working in a deceased person’s property, we will treat the job with the utmost care and respect, and our communication with you will be conducted in the same manner.