Clearing a house of its contents may become necessary for several reasons. The first of these may be the occupants or owners have decided to relocate, and the space must be cleared for the next tenants. The second, sadder reason could be the person living there has passed away, and their possessions must be disposed of. We discuss how to do a legal house clearance, so there’s no infringement of the law in the process.
Why the Need to Do a Legal House Clearance?
Well, in the first instance of course the average UK home harbours a number of toxic materials. Dumping these in a garbage container is an offence, and you will be prosecuted if law enforcement finds you out. Moreover, fly tipping has become a scourge on our landscape. And we would not want to be part of that.
Here are a few examples of what the average UK home may be harbouring:
- Pesticides, medicines, cleaning chemicals, oils, paints and solvents.
- Discarded kitchen appliances, broken home computers, mobile phones.
- Mattresses, upholstered furniture, other items containing foam rubber.
- Disused car batteries, small cell batteries, old car tyres, electrical items.
The complete list is actually longer than that. We just mentioned a few typical items, to illustrate what a legal house clearance may involve.
Why Stay on the Right Side of the Law?
Dumped household waste from house clearances rises the ire of English residents. Offences invite written warnings, and prosecutions. County and town councils even have the right to confiscate a vehicle used in the commission of an offence.
Moreover, and here’s the rub, “you could be fined if you give your household waste to someone who is not legally allowed to take it” according to the official UK Government website. This inadvertently happened to an Avery Associate when they accepted a waste contractor’s word in Beckenham.
Since then, we tightened up our controls considerably from our corporate base in Mitcham, Merton. You may rest assured a legal house clearance by Avery and Associates will be done strictly according to the law, and to highest standards possible that have made us a household word in the South of England.
What Counts as Household Waste in England?
Household waste must be disposed of properly according to the law, to meet the requirements for a legal house clearance. We attempted a definition of this earlier. The following items come closer to making that a complete list, although they may not apply to every English home.
- Garden waste, septic tank sludge.
- Scrap metal such as old car parts.
- DIY rubble including timber or bricks.
Considerations for a Legal House Clearance
Most of the smaller items of common household rubbish can go in the regular bins your Council provides, according to type. However, these are limited in size and special measures are necessary for larger items. You may be able to take larger waste to your local recycling depot. Sheer laziness about this is the driver behind much of the fly tipping in England today.
The following legal requirements apply to the English householder personally, whether they do their house clearance themselves or hire a licenced contractor.
- LARGE ITEMS AND GARDEN WASTE. Contact your local council and ask them to collect tree cuttings, old furniture and appliances etc.
- OLD ELECTRICAL ITEMS. Hand your old fridge, oven etc. to your supplier when purchasing a similar item from them.
- REUSABLE ITEMS. An item you no longer need or want, may still have value. Give it to a charity shop or second hand dealer.
- WHOLE HOUSE CLEARANCES. Appoint a house clearance service, to sell any valuables on your behalf before clearing the home.
About Jeffrey Avery and Avery Associates
Jeffrey Avery and his team in Mitcham are qualified valuers of collectible items in the South of England. They specialise in providing detailed reports for probate purposes, and inheritance tax submissions too.
Quite frequently bereaved families ask them to review the homes of recently deceased friends and family. Avery Associates provides an add-on service to clear these homes, and prepare them for re-tenanting or sale.
Items We Discovered in a Garage Avery Associates©
Avery Associates Review
Hi Jeffrey. Thank you very much for carrying out the valuation at my mother’s property and the subsequent house clearance in St Albans. On both occasions we were delighted with your level of service. In particular Shaun and Steve were excellent workers and took very great care of our possessions and there were no breakages or damages. The whole team were professional and friendly and I would have no hesitation in recommending your firm to future clients. Kind regards. L Naunton
