Means something else in the trade · C
House clearance, and what we will not do
People use this phrase to mean everything from emptying a flat before a sale to disposing of a late relative's belongings. Some of that is removals work. Some of it is licensed waste carriage, which is a different regulated trade.
This entry exists mainly to say no clearly, which is more useful than a page pretending otherwise.
What we will and will not do
Why the licence matters
Carrying waste for disposal in England, Scotland and Wales requires registration as a waste carrier. It is not a formality — it exists so that fly-tipped material can be traced back to whoever carried it, and the liability sits with the householder as well as the carrier.
So when an unlicensed firm offers to take away whatever you do not want, you are being offered something they are not entitled to do, with a risk that partly attaches to you. We would rather tell you that than take the booking.
What usually solves it
A split. A licensed clearance or waste firm takes what is going to disposal; we move what is going somewhere — a buyer, a charity, a family member, a store. On most estate clearances that division is obvious once somebody names it.
The order matters too. It is far easier to decide what is worth keeping while it is still in the house than after it has been moved twice.
Probate and estate situations
These are slow, and that is appropriate rather than a problem. Where a house has to be emptied before decisions have been made, storing the contents with an inventory is frequently better than disposing of things nobody has looked at properly.
We will not advise on valuation, on probate, or on what anything is worth. Those are questions for a solicitor, an executor and a valuer, and treating a removals firm as a source of any of that is a mistake.
The word to search for instead
If what you want is disposal, search for a licensed waste carrier or a registered house-clearance firm and ask for their registration number. If what you want is things moved somewhere, that is a removal and this is the right place.
"House clearance"
Questions about "house clearance"
- Will you take things to the tip?
- No. Carrying waste for disposal requires a waste carrier licence which we do not hold, and the liability for improperly disposed waste partly attaches to the householder.
- Will you take furniture to a charity?
- Yes, gladly. That is transport rather than disposal, and for usable furniture it is frequently the best outcome.
- Can you empty a property before a sale?
- We can move everything out to wherever it is going. Anything destined for disposal needs a licensed firm, usually working alongside us on the same day.
- Can you help decide what to keep?
- No, and we would not want to. Valuation and probate decisions belong with an executor, a solicitor and a valuer, not with the people carrying the boxes.
- What about a probate situation with no decisions made?
- Storing the contents with a written inventory is frequently better than disposing of things nobody has properly looked at. It buys time without losing anything.
- Who should we search for instead?
- A licensed waste carrier or a registered house-clearance firm, and ask for their registration number. It is a reasonable question and any legitimate firm expects it.
Not sure which word describes your move?
Both addresses, roughly what is going, and how firm the dates are. If you are unsure which service you actually need, say so — it is the commonest note we get and the easiest to answer.