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Article Synopsis
This article looks at the problems of hoarding house clearances, which can be difficult for both the hoarder and their immediate family.
In many ways, the issue of clearing out the hoarder’s house is best left to a professional clearance company, like ASAP Clearances, as although they will have no immediate emotional attachment to the people involved, they will always be sympathetic to the needs of the individual and can save everyone time while fulfilling any legal requirements.
There’s also a brief summary of the other clearance services offered by ASAP Clearances, who operate across Hertfordshire and many parts of London.
This article is three-to four-minute read
Hoarding house clearances are delicate problems for both the hoarder, and their immediate family. It can be difficult for the hoarder to recognise they have a problem. Equally, it can place a considerable strain on friends or family who may have to help their loved one deal with the situation.
Hoarding House Clearance Services in London from ASAP Clearances
At ASAP Clearances, we are highly experienced in dealing with hoarding situations. You can rely on us for quick, efficient and compassionate house clearing in all cases where there has been a build-up of items over a period of time. Here we look at why ASAP Clearances, along with other professional clearance companies, are best placed to declutter a home which has been – or is being – occupied by a hoarder.
They Lessen the Emotional Strain
It can be difficult enough for friends or family to convince a loved one that they have a problem (in fact failure to recognise it is one of the symptoms of hoarding). For advice on how to approach the problem, check out our blog post here.
Having to take a lead role in disposing of the unwanted clutter just adds further to the strain. It is therefore much better to get help from a professional company who will be experienced in knowing what to do. At ASAP, although we don’t have the personal involvement, we will always be sympathetic to the situation, and confidentiality is guaranteed as we recognise that hoarding can still have a social stigma.
They Can Deal with any Problem Possessions
While many of the items can easily be disposed of (particularly paperwork, books, CDs and other small possessions), sometimes the nature of the hoarding can be a problem. For instance, foodstuffs can be collected, way past their ‘best before’ or ‘use by’ dates. In such cases, they need to be moved immediately.
And sometimes hazardous materials such as cleaning products, paints, pesticides, batteries, and mercury-containing items like thermometers and fluorescent bulbs can also form part of the hoarding - all of these can pose risks of fire, toxicity, and environmental contamination.
Professional waste clearance companies (including ASAP) usually have a Waste Carriers’ Licence so will know what to do with these items, and they will be allowed to dispose of them as there may be legal constraints on doing so for members of the public.
They Save You Time
Often the sheer volume of items which have been hoarded make it a much bigger logistical challenge – one which professional companies are much better equipped to carry out. And if there are any hazardous materials in the house, it’s essential they are removed as quickly as possible.
Sometimes the hoarder may wish to carry on living in the property. At ASAP Clearances, we live up to our name when it comes to clearing properties – but this is never at the expense of the people involved. We will always work around people ensuring that they have the space they need to eat, sleep, and work.
In other cases, the property may need to be sold, and time can again be an important factor. You (as a loved one) will appreciate the time savings as well because you have your own lives to lead.
They Offer Environmental Benefits
There are plenty of environmental benefits to employing a professional clearance company (and not just because you are disposing of potentially hazardous waste). Clearance companies, including ourselves, generally have access to a good network of contacts – charity shops, private individuals – who they can rely on when it comes to recycling possessions.
This will ensure that as little as possible ends up in landfill, and again, will save you time when it comes to finding a new home for any of the possessions.
House Clearances in Barnet and across North London
Our hoarding house clearance services, which we offer in many parts of London and Hertfordshire, are just one aspect of our work. We also offer more 'standard' house clearances, as well as probate clearances, garden waste clearances and block management clearances.
There's a commercial side to our work as well – we are equally experienced in carrying out office clearances, even where the premises need to be effectively stripped bare for a new occupant. If you'd like to know more about any aspects of our work, follow this link and fill in the online form or call us on 020 3475 0508.
FAQs
What is hoarding?
The NHS describes hoarding as something which occurs 'where someone acquires an excessive number of items and stores them in a chaotic manner, usually resulting in unmanageable amounts of clutter'. This clutter can take the form of books, clothes, bills and receipts (even if they have been paid) and other possessions which often have little actual value but which the hoarder can’t bear to throw away.
For more information on the condition, check out our previous blog post here.
How many people suffer from hoarding in the UK
It’s been estimated (by ITV News and Hoarding Disorders UK) that at least 1.4million people in the UK are affected by the condition, with figures ranging from 2% to 5% of the population.
How long does a hoarding house clearance take?
There's no set answer about how long a hoarding house clearance can take. If plenty of preparation has been done beforehand (such as identifying what needs to be cleared and what can be kept), then it should only take a day or two. However, if there are a large number of possessions to deal with then it could take considerably longer.