Clearing a loved one's home, with care
Bereavement and probate house clearance across Greater Manchester — unhurried, respectful, and handled properly.
When you're ready, tell us about the propertyA bereavement house clearance is the careful clearing of a home after someone has died. We work at the family's pace, set aside anything you want to keep — documents, photographs, jewellery, keepsakes — and treat the property and everything in it with respect. Executors and family can arrange it all remotely, and we work around probate timelines rather than rushing you.
How does a bereavement house clearance work?
Gently, and at your pace. There is no clock running and no pressure to decide anything on the spot. We start by understanding what matters to you: rooms to leave until last, items the family wants kept, and anything that needs to stay put until probate is settled.
On the day, a small, respectful crew works through the property carefully. Keepsakes, documents and anything of value are set aside for you first. The rest is sorted for reuse, recycling or proper disposal, and the property is left swept and tidy. It is our full house clearance service, carried out with extra care and time.
- Unhurried — we plan around the family and around probate, never the other way round
- Whatever the family wants kept is set aside before anything else moves
- Handled respectfully, room by room, by a small crew who have done this many times
- Everything documented, with before and after photos and a waste transfer note
What happens to the belongings?
Reuse comes first, always. Usable furniture, clothing and household goods go to reuse and charity partners before anything is recycled, and only what genuinely cannot be reused is disposed of at licensed facilities. Nothing is treated as rubbish that does not need to be.
- Anything valuable — jewellery, cash, watches, keepsakes — is set aside and returned to the family or executor
- Documents and photographs are never binned; we set them aside for you to sort in your own time and nothing goes without your sign-off
- Good, usable items are passed to reuse and charity partners for a second life
- Only genuine waste is disposed of, and always with a waste transfer note
If there is a charity that mattered to your loved one, tell us and we will do our best to direct suitable items their way.
How much does a bereavement clearance cost?
A bereavement clearance is priced the same way as any house clearance — by the size of the property and how much is in it, never by the hour. As market guidance, full house clearances across Greater Manchester typically run £300–£1,200, with a typical 3-bed sitting somewhere around £400–£750. A single room, a garage or a part clearance costs less. Those are market ranges to set expectations; we send one fixed price, checked at the door before anything is lifted.
We can invoice the estate directly and address the paperwork to the executor, so nothing needs to come out of your own pocket. In many estates, reasonable clearance costs are treated as an allowable expense of administering the estate and can reduce the value assessed for Inheritance Tax — worth confirming with the solicitor or accountant handling probate, as every estate is different.
If you are acting as executor, our probate house clearance checklist walks through what to do before booking, in the order most executors follow.
When should we book?
Whenever the family is ready — there is no pressure to decide quickly. Some families want the home cleared soon; others need to wait for probate, for relatives to visit, or simply for a little time. All of that is fine. Tell us roughly when suits and we will hold a date for you.
Access is easy to arrange: we can collect keys, work with a key safe, or coordinate with the solicitor or estate agent, so no one has to travel or be present unless they want to be. We handle bereavement clearances across Greater Manchester, from Stockport to Bolton.
Bereavement clearance questions
Do we need to wait for probate before clearing the house?
There is no rush, and often it is sensible to wait. Valuables usually need a value for the estate before they leave the property, and many families prefer to hold off until the grant of probate is through. We work around your timeline, not against it — book a date whenever the family and the solicitor are ready. Our probate house clearance checklist explains the order most executors follow.
What happens if you find something valuable?
Anything of value — jewellery, cash, documents, items that look like they should be kept or valued — is set aside and returned to the family or executor. Nothing of value leaves the property without your say-so. If you have asked for particular items to be kept, we note them before we start and check as we go.
Can usable items go to charity?
Yes. Reuse comes first: usable furniture, clothing and household goods go to reuse and charity partners before anything is recycled or disposed of. If there is a charity that mattered to your loved one, tell us and we will do our best to send suitable items their way.
Can you provide paperwork for the estate?
We can invoice the estate directly and address the paperwork to the executor, and every clearance comes with a waste transfer note showing the contents were disposed of properly. That gives you a clear record for the estate accounts. Reasonable clearance costs are often an allowable expense of the estate — worth confirming with the solicitor handling probate.
Do we have to be at the property?
No. Many bereavement clearances are arranged entirely remotely. We can collect keys, work with a key safe, or coordinate with the solicitor or estate agent holding access. When the work is done we send before and after photos and your waste transfer note, so you have full proof of what was cleared without needing to travel.
How long does a bereavement clearance take?
It depends on the size of the home and how much is in it. A small flat can be a few hours; a full family home is usually most of a day, and a very full property may need more than one visit. There is no rush from us — we plan the day around the family, and we would rather take the time to do it carefully than hurry.
Can you help if the property is very full or hard to sort?
Yes, and it is more common than people expect. Homes that have held a lifetime of belongings, or that have become difficult to manage, are handled with the same care and without judgement. We take it room by room, set aside anything the family wants kept, and work at a pace that feels right for you.
Handled properly, priced fairly
When you're ready, tell us about the property and we'll take care of the rest.
Tell us about the property