Probate house clearance
Clearing a parent’s or relative’s home, handled carefully and without a running commentary. We set aside anything personal, photograph as we go and work to your solicitor’s timetable, not ours.
This is not a normal clearance and we do not treat it like one
Emptying a house after somebody has died is the one job where speed is not the point. You are usually doing it while dealing with a solicitor, a estate agent, siblings who all want different things, and the fact that everything in the house reminds you of somebody.
So we go slowly, we ask before we take anything questionable, and we do not chat about it while you are standing there.
How we work a probate job
- We walk it with you first, in person or over video call if you are not local, and agree what is staying, what is going and what you are not sure about yet.
- Anything uncertain gets boxed, not binned. Left in one room for you to go through in your own time.
- Paperwork and photographs are set aside automatically. Bank statements, deeds, insurance documents, pension paperwork, letters, photo albums. We do not need to be told.
- We photograph as we go and send them through, so executors managing this from elsewhere can see what happened.
- Charity items are routed separately if you want them to be, rather than everything going the same way.
- You get a waste transfer note for the estate file.
Get a valuation before anybody clears anything
We do not value contents and we do not buy them, and you should be wary of any clearance firm that offers to do both. It is a straight conflict of interest: the person telling you what it is worth is the same person who wants to buy it.
If there is any chance of something valuable in the house, get an independent probate valuation first. We will work around the valuer's timetable quite happily. A fortnight's wait costs you nothing. Clearing a house before it is valued can cost the estate a great deal.
Executors dealing with this from a distance
A large share of the probate work we do in Birmingham is for families who live somewhere else entirely. Sutton Coldfield and the older suburbs in particular have a lot of long standing family homes whose executors are now in London, Manchester or abroad.
That works fine. We arrange access with the agent, a neighbour or a keysafe, agree the price and the exclusions in writing beforehand, and send photographs at the start, during and at the end. You do not need to fly back for it.
What it costs
- One bedroom flat, from £220
- Two to three bedroom house, from £380
- Four bedroom or heavily loaded, from £600
- Garage, loft or shed on top, from £150
Quoted from photographs or a walk round, fixed before we start. Full price list.
Probate clearance questions
Can we clear the house before probate is granted?
This is one for the solicitor rather than us, and the answer depends on the estate. Executors often can deal with personal effects before the grant, but if the property is being sold or there is any dispute between beneficiaries, get it confirmed in writing first. What we can do is wait, and we would far rather wait a fortnight than clear something that should have stayed.
Do you value anything?
No, and be careful of anyone who offers to. A house clearance firm valuing the contents and then buying them is a conflict of interest. If you think there may be anything of real value, get an independent probate valuation done before anybody clears anything. We will happily work around a valuer's timetable.
What do you do with paperwork and photographs?
Set them aside rather than bin them. Bank statements, deeds, insurance documents, pension paperwork, photographs, letters and anything that looks personal gets boxed up and left for you, not loaded. If you are not there we photograph it and ask.
We live at the other end of the country. Can you do it without us?
Yes, and a lot of our probate work is exactly that. We arrange access with the agent or a neighbour, agree the price and the exclusions in advance in writing, then photograph as we go and send them through. You get before and after photos and the waste transfer note.
Can items go to charity rather than the tip?
Yes, and we would encourage it. Furniture in good condition with fire labels intact, books, kitchenware and clothing can go to a local charity or reuse shop instead. Tell us that is what you want and we will route it that way.
How long does a probate clearance take?
A one bedroom flat is usually half a day. A three bedroom family home with a loft, a garage and a shed is a full day and sometimes two. Properties owned by the same family for forty years take longer than people expect, because nothing has ever been thrown away.
Have a look at these too
Go on then.
Feed the monster.
One message and it is somebody else’s problem. Free quote, fixed price, and it could be gone today.