When can I start clearing my mother's house?

[Deleted User]

Flugelhorn said:

I am sorry to hear of your loss - as others have said you can't ever be sure that it is the last will - my mother wittered about redoing hers (and leaving it to the grandkids / cats' home) but was actually very superstitious and hated all discussion of death and ultimately the will was found sealed in the same envelope as it was placed in in 1987. 

I was only child / exec / sole beneficiary like you - unless there is genuinely likely to be a challenge then you can start getting on with stuff. House contents were listed as £500 (cost me at least £200 to get rid). 
Don't underestimate the amount of work in house clearing - I would suggest doing the first and second pass and keep things you want, after that look at house clearance - doing it all yourself is very wearing.

You really on need the probate when you come to sell the house / access some higher balance bank funds / premium bonds etc 

I'm thinking of getting a massive skip, and after that contacting a company that will take the furniture.  E.g. a charity, paying them if I need. There are also lots of tools and gardening equipment.  What a lot of work this will be.

Flugelhorn

Skips are expensive so maybe worth including all that stuff in the house clearance quote . 

We did lots of trips to the tip as wanted to get the house "saleable" but still with limited furniture in it, in retrospect I wish I had left cupboards and wardrobes full and left it it to the house clearance as would have been simpler

There is a bit of a secondhand market in tools so get the house clearance to look at those too.

Yes lots of work so find others to do as much as poss - worth it in the end

kipsterno1

Sorry for your loss. 

If you are just after clearing things from the house you might consider the local freecycle group. I had stuff I thought was only fit for landfill  but was suprised what others needed. For example three bags of, very, old towels went to a guy who did dog walking and used them to dry the dogs.

[Deleted User]

Well I just got to her house and it's overwhelming. There is rabbit and cat feces everywhere, and what appears to be either a shopping addiction, hoarding, or both. Fortunately one bedroom is fit for purpose so i can stay here. I have ordered a 16 yard skip for tomorrow I gonna look for some black bags and start separating rubbish from not rubbish. I hate to do it but i think I'll have to put a lot of not rubbish in the skip. I understand the plant they take it to separates it for recycling. I don't have the time or help required to try and sell or free cycle stuff. 

There's also a lot of flies. So perhaps I'll also need to hire some professional cleaners who deal with these situations.

Flugelhorn

oh @[Deleted User] I am sorry - having done this myself (and it wasn;t anything like that) can be nice to shut the door and head for a hotel at the end of the day - even if just for a couple of nights.

Sounds like you need to find essential paperwork and then get the house clearance in pronto - might cost but any other route is going to be exhausting 

getmore4less

Be aware that if you stay there you lose the class F council tax exemption.

Class F for is for upto 6 months after you obtain the grant.

Freecycle type options  are a good idea to get stuff collected but best to not let on the circumstances.

There may be a local group that helps people that would be interested in the tools.

Ms_Chocaholic

If you use Facebook join a local group (search via the town/village name) and add photos on there, there'll always be takers, your skip will fill up quickly presumably so you could do with other ways of getting rid of stuff.

[Deleted User]

getmore4less said:

Be aware that if you stay there you lose the class F council tax exemption.

Class F for is for upto 6 months after you obtain the grant.

Freecycle type options  are a good idea to get stuff collected but best to not let on the circumstances.

There may be a local group that helps people that would be interested in the tools.

OK, it's also quite cold in the house. Only 10C. I'll stay here tonight as I can't make other arrangements now. Hopefully the skip arrives tomorrow morning and I can get the clearing started then find somewhere else to stay. I was only planning on staying until the house is cleared and the funeral is done. Then I think I'll come back at Easter to prepare for sale.

Flugelhorn

Good Luck with it all today - sounds like the exercise will be needed to warm up! I spent a week preparing house for sale - cleaning carpets / more clearing / seeing agents / getting photos  done / handing over keys / producing my ID etc - during that time I stayed in a local self catering holiday place, good to get there at the end of the day and also place to take stuff I was keeping etc.

Just a word - house insurance - this needs sorting - most of the time the companies who covered it before will continue to do so until you sell / probate HOWEVER  they often want the place checked once a week - we were 120 miles away so 
not an option - there was wonderful neighbour who was well aware of this requirement (he was already keeping an eye on another place) so he checked it once weekly and all was well. 

Can be a problem to find someone - I asked one of the estate agents and I think they would have done it if pushed....

[Deleted User]

Flugelhorn said:

Good Luck with it all today - sounds like the exercise will be needed to warm up! I spent a week preparing house for sale - cleaning carpets / more clearing / seeing agents / getting photos  done / handing over keys / producing my ID etc - during that time I stayed in a local self catering holiday place, good to get there at the end of the day and also place to take stuff I was keeping etc.

Just a word - house insurance - this needs sorting - most of the time the companies who covered it before will continue to do so until you sell / probate HOWEVER  they often want the place checked once a week - we were 120 miles away so 
not an option - there was wonderful neighbour who was well aware of this requirement (he was already keeping an eye on another place) so he checked it once weekly and all was well. 

Can be a problem to find someone - I asked one of the estate agents and I think they would have done it if pushed....

Yes I actually stayed in a holiday Inn around the corner and I'm glad I did. I had a shower and a decent sleep in a warm room.

My mum's neighbour was the one who actually found my mum, so it has been very traumatic for her. But she has also said she can keep an eye on the house while we deal with everything. She also offered to help clear and take things to charity shops. And she ensued the pets were fed. I'm very fortunate.

Calling the home insurer is quite high on my ever increasing list. Actually I think I'll do it right now.  I also need to get the pets rehoused today