What's a fair price for a house clearance?

walwyn1978

Detail: an elderly (distant) relative has recently died. A long time ago she asked me to be the executor of her will. She lives in Herefordshire about 4 hours away from us. She lived alone in a smallish 2 bedroom semi. Dining room, kitchen, living room, attached single garage, shed, small garden. In the last few years of her life when she became widowed she started to 'save' things like carrier bags, and collect (cheap) crockery sets, so the house was liveable but messy.

None of the remaining family live close by. Those items that did have sentimental value for members of the family have already gone.

I basically know I need to empty the house then sell it as part of executing the will, but don't have the contacts/time to do that at 4 hrs plus travelling time any time soon, so it would seem a house clearance company would make sense.

How much roughly should I be looking to pay? I know the really cheap guys are often cowboys who flytip the rubbish - any guidance welcome. Many thanks

vansboy

Talk to local charities who sell furniture and larger items , try

http://www.st-michaels-hospice.org.uk/

They will make best use of the good stuff and dispose of the rest in the correct manner.
Price will dependent on many things, but at least you know someone will benefit from your aunts passing.

VB

EssexExile

We got the estate agent who was dealing with the sale to organise it. They did rentals so were used to having to clear properties between lets and knew all the right people.
I think it was a couple of hundred but that was in Essex, charities wanted a lot more & wouldn't take everything, which rather defeated the purpose of "house clearance".

trailingspouse

Local auction houses will also do it - I know ours will take the lot and then put the saleable stuff in to the auction.

Tom99

I paid £700 but that was for a three bed house with two sheds and a garage.

Whoever you get, make sure they are going to take everything including all the rubbish and sweep up after them.

VfM4meplse

I find house clearance services a bit confusing; presumably some of the finds are sold on? Are you 100% sure that nothing of value remains? Who should be paying whom?

I understand that being around isn!!!8217;t an option for you.

Biggles

What Tom paid probably isn't far out. I paid £500; they said that, when they came to sort the stuff and dispose of it, if they found anything of value the price would be passed on. There wasn't, but then I wasn't expecting there would be.

walwyn1978

Tom99 wrote: »

I paid £700 but that was for a three bed house with two sheds and a garage.

Whoever you get, make sure they are going to take everything including all the rubbish and sweep up after them.

Yes, thanks.

Essentially I want the place emptied and tidy, then I'll get it deep cleaned, then listed for sale.

walwyn1978

Biggles wrote: »

What Tom paid probably isn't far out. I paid £500; they said that, when they came to sort the stuff and dispose of it, if they found anything of value the price would be passed on. There wasn't, but then I wasn't expecting there would be.

So the deal was £500 up front and then if they found things of interest, all the profit went back to you, some of it? I know it didn't apply in this case but how would it have worked in pRinciple? Just in case one of the companies offers this kind of service...

Tom99

I would take with a pinch of salt any offer to share in valuable finds.

jhe

A local removal company will probably do house clearances .
or man and a van will probably be cheaper , just check they are registered waste carriers.
check yell.com , Thomson local or even facebook for local businesses to the area
regarding anything of value can you not visit the day of the clearance to check for valuables ?