Hoarding can seem confusing and frustrating to armchair observers, who may not understand what it’s like to be a compulsive hoarder. Friends or family members may walk into a cluttered home and wonder, why don’t they just throw this stuff away? For a person living … [Read more...]
How to Value Fixed Property in England
You could get an estimated value of a UK home quite easily, by tapping into readily available information. However, this will not stand up to the test for inheritance tax, or probate if you are an executor. Here’s how to value fixed property in England yourself, if you … [Read more...]
How To Live With A Compulsive Hoarder
Figuring out how to live with a compulsive hoarder can be a challenge for both family members and life-partners. Because hoarding is more than untidiness or poor housekeeping. It is a recognised mental health condition, in which a person struggles to discard … [Read more...]
Selling Your Property at Auction in England
Selling your property at auction in England can be a smart move, if you want speed, certainty, and a clean break with the past. But auctions are not magic solutions. You need a practical guide like this one, to prepare properly and think like a buyer. Why Auction Your … [Read more...]
The Truth About Chattels In England
The word ‘chattel’ comes down to us from the harsh economics of everyday life in mediaeval England, many hundreds of years ago. The truth about chattels in England in those days, was that most wealth did not sit in bank accounts or property portfolios. Instead, it … [Read more...]
Determining the Value of Property Fairly
Determining the value of property fairly, is an essential step in distributing the assets in a deceased estate. A building and the land on which it stands, is likely to be the most valuable possession the deceased left behind. We share the factors determining how much a … [Read more...]
Clearing a Hoarder’s House Yourself
Clearing a hoarder’s house yourself can put your health at risk. You need to take this fact seriously from the start. Many neglected homes contain hidden dangers that can harm you. You could face dust, mould, pests, and contaminated waste. You may also find sharp … [Read more...]
Inescapable Importance of Accurate Valuations
We wrote this article about the inescapable importance of accurate valuations, because they matter more than many people realize. Value affects how much tax we pay, what we can claim from insurance, and how fairly we share our assets upon death. Put simply, if values … [Read more...]
Are There Cures for Compulsive Hoarding?
Today we mull over the endless question, are there cures for compulsive hoarding? The short answer is that while there is no quick cure, real improvements and recovery do happen. Many hoarders learn to manage their behaviour, and maintain safer, calmer homes. This … [Read more...]
Compulsive Hoarding v Compulsive Shopping
Compulsive hoarding versus compulsive shopping is more than a simple ‘which comes first’ type of question. Both behaviours are human impulses. This means their relationships are far more complex than we might imagine. Perhaps we should begin with a pair of … [Read more...]
