How we search
We work room by room, and we check the places people forget:
- Lofts, cellars, garages, and sheds
- The back of wardrobes and cupboards
- Under beds and floorboards
- Inside books, tins, and boxes
- Coat pockets and handbags
This happens before anything is loaded.
What counts as valuable
- Jewellery, watches, and loose stones
- Silver, gold, and coins
- Antique and mid-century furniture
- Fine art, prints, and sculpture
- Rare books, stamps, and militaria
- Cameras, instruments, and quality tools
- Cash and financial documents
Items with sentimental value are treated the same way, even if they are worth little.
What we do next
- Photograph the item where it was found.
- Log it with a short description and the room.
- Move it to a secure place, or leave it on site if you prefer.
- Tell the executor the same day.
- Wait for written instructions before anything else happens.
The executor decides
The clearance team does not decide what happens to an asset. The executor does.
The options are usually:
- Keep it for a beneficiary
- Sell it and return the money to the estate
- Get it valued first
- Store it until the estate is settled
Executors have a duty to act in the beneficiaries' interests, so a valuation is often the safest first step.
For anything that may be significant, use:
- A RICS-qualified surveyor, or
- A reputable auction house specialist
They give an open market value at the date of death. That is the figure HMRC wants.
Value items in the property where possible. It reduces the risk of damage and disputes.
Keeping things secure
If valuables must stay on site:
- Change the locks
- Keep items out of sight of windows
- Tell the insurer the property is empty
- Photograph everything
Empty probate properties are a known target.
No incentive to undervalue
We charge for labour, transport, and disposal. Our fee does not depend on what is in the house.
That keeps the sorting decision honest.
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.