Knowledge Base

How does probate house clearance work?

Probate house clearance means emptying a home after someone has died. The work runs in stages: survey, valuation, sorting, removal, and paperwork.

  • Waste taken to licensed transfer stations
  • Careful, discreet crews
  • Itemised inventory for probate
  • Free no-obligation assessment
  • London-wide, 7 days by arrangement

Get in touch

Visits by appointment only. Please call ahead so we can meet you properly.

Stage 1: Survey

We visit the property and look at every room, plus the loft, garage, and garden.

We are checking:

  • How much there is to remove
  • How heavy it is
  • Parking and access
  • Any hazardous items, such as old fridges, paint, or asbestos sheeting

You then get a written quote. We do not price a probate clearance over the phone.

Stage 2: Papers and valuables first

Before anything is removed, we look for what the estate needs:

  • Deeds, policies, and share certificates
  • Bank statements and tax papers
  • Jewellery, cash, and collectibles
  • Photographs and personal records

These are set aside for the executor.

Stage 3: Valuation

HMRC needs the open market value of the contents at the date of death.

  • Everyday household goods can usually be estimated.
  • Antiques, art, silver, and jewellery normally need a RICS surveyor or auctioneer.

Value items while they are still in the house. It is simpler and safer.

Stage 4: Sorting

Once the executor approves, contents are split into four routes:

  • Keep - family items and anything named in the will
  • Sell - auction or dealer, with proceeds back to the estate
  • Donate - clean, working goods to local charities
  • Recycle or dispose - everything else, through licensed sites

Nothing is thrown away until the executor confirms it can go.

Stage 5: Removal

The team clears room by room. Typical timings:

  • A one-bed flat: often a single day
  • A three-bed house: usually one to two days
  • A heavily filled property: longer, and quoted separately

We protect floors and doorways, and we leave the property swept.

Stage 6: Paperwork

At the end you receive:

  • Waste transfer notes
  • An itemised invoice for the estate accounts
  • A list of items set aside or sent for valuation

Who instructs us

Usually the executor or administrator. Sometimes the solicitor acts for them.

Either way, we take instructions from one named person. That avoids confusion when several family members are involved.

Talk to us

We survey the property, then send a written quote. No fixed price is given before we see the contents.

Call 0794 455 7700 or email info@houseandofficeclearance.co.uk.

Not sure where to start?

We'll walk the property with you, explain what happens to each category of contents, and put it in writing.

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  • Managing the practicalities of a property after a bereavement is a significant responsibility.

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    Probate House Clearance and Auctions represent a specialized approach to this task, combining the physical clearing of a home with the professional assessment and sale of items that hold financial value.

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  • When a person passes away in the United Kingdom without leaving a valid legal document outlining their wishes, they are said to have died "intestate".

    In these circumstances, the distribution of their estate—including their home, personal possessions, and financial assets—is governed by a set of strict legal criteria known as the Rules of Intestacy.

Next step

Speak to someone who has handled probate clearance

Free, no-obligation assessment across Greater London and the M25. At Probate Clearance London, we work to your timescale and to the executor's requirements.

Learn more about probate house clearance