UK National Housing Association published a landmark report into best practices for clearing hoarded homes in supported housing situations. They were concerned that enforced de-cluttering and deep-cleaning may ‘reinforce the situation’ and investigated other alternatives.
Housing Associations Clear More Hoarded Homes
General need, and supported-living managers report that hoarding is an increasing challenge. They find themselves spending more time and money on litigation, health, and safety management. Hoarded homes may only represent 6% of their remit, but they say this is behind 25% of fire-related deaths.
The team at National Housing Association cautions there may be social, even legal implications when clearing hoarded homes, and caring for compulsive hoarders including arranging suitable mental health assessments. The organization supports the following classification of hoarding syndrome:
- Persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions, regardless of their monetary value.
- This difficulty is due to a perceived need to save the items, and distress associated with discarding them.
- This difficulty with discarding possessions leads to congestion and cluttering of active living areas.
- Hoarding causes clinically significant distress, or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of life.
- However, hoarding is not attributable to another medical condition or mental disorder, they say.
Focus Points When Clearing Hoarded Homes
There is a porous division between hoarding and collecting. Both involve accumulating items in the belief that they have future value. This value is often in the eye of the beholder though. Collecting, and especially hoarding can reach a point where they threaten the lifestyle and health of neighbours, and some form of intervention becomes necessary.
A Realistic Approach to Living With Hoarding
There is more to clearing hoarded homes – or collections for that matter – than putting everything in a container for someone else to take away. That’s because this action could, if anything, increase the urge to collect or accumulate, and we could soon face the same challenge again.
Therefore, assuming the person is of sound mind, it is more a matter of finding a way for them to live successfully with their condition. After all, as long as the syndrome does not harm or risk others, do we have the problem, or are we obsessed with tidiness?
However, and perhaps this is the ‘big however’ to take away, we probably should do something if the outward signs of hoarding threaten the hoarder or someone else. If the person’s mental health is suffering, then it may be time to get help from someone experienced in clearing hoarded homes.
Attic Surrendered to a Collection ©Avery Associates)
What To Do With Clutter from Hoarded Homes
Compulsive hoarders do not deliberately let rubbish pile up. They believe their accumulations are worth something, at least through their eyes, and will find a useful purpose in future. Meanwhile the stuff accumulates, and can become a nuisance to near-neighbours especially in compact housing associations.
Those in a hoarder’s inner circle may however be able to make some progress by suggesting useful roles for their clutter:
- Family heirlooms no longer in regular use could pass to the next generation, who may appreciate, renovate and treasure these mementos.
- Unwanted value like jewellery, silverware, and paintings could find new owners through antique dealers with the talent to spot real value and convert it to cash.
- Charity shops and charitable associations are often able to collect unwanted household items, and sell them to benefit worthy causes.
- Almost every item remaining should find a useful second-life at a council recycling depot, where they recover their materials .
A compulsive hoarder’s mind should rest easier when they know their collection passed on to appreciative new owners!
When Clearing Hoarded Homes Is Unavoidable
National Housing Association believes that the side-effects of hoarding sometimes make home clearances unavoidable. Their report we referred to earlier lists the following situations where there is little choice:
- Compulsive hoarders whose safety is threatened, but are unable to help themselves.
- Fire, health, and other safety considerations that impinge on the lifestyles of neighbours.
- A duty to help protect vulnerable and older people who are unable to look after themselves.
Get Help With Clearing a Hoarder’s House
There is no need to face clearing a hoarder’s home on your own, anywhere in London and the south-east of England. Avery Associates are here to do the heavy-lifting, and we bring decades of experience to bear. Follow this link to view a few samples of what our hundreds of customers say.
We are also expert valuers in good standing with leading London auction houses. We won’t chuck everything in the skip just to get the job done fast. We will sift through everything carefully, and if we uncover real value then you should be the first to know!
An Avery Clearance in Progress©
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Preview Image: An Avery Clearance in Progress©
