Yes, some councils offer a house clearance service in certain circumstances, but it is (in most cases) not a free service and can cost much more than hiring a specialist house clearance company.
The best thing you can do is to contact your local council, explain your situation, and see whether they can help you… and how much they charge if you’re going to have to pay!
How Much Do Councils Charge For A House Clearances?
If your council does offer a house clearance service then your best bet is to contact them and ask for a quote, as prices vary quite considerably between them.
Council property clearance charges can be up to around £2000 depending on how much there is to remove, which is considerably more, for example, than we charge.
Often councils will have a pricing system where there is a charge per item, a lower cost (which could be £10) for smaller items, up to £100’s for larger items, plus fees for fridges, freezers, etc.
These kinds of costs also apply to garden and garage, etc clearances.
As you can imagine these costs can soon rack up leaving you with a very large bill.
Our prices are far more affordable and reasonable, as you can see in the table below:
The average UK house clearance cost is £805 PLUS VAT - Our prices are lower and INCLUDE VAT - saving you £271 on a standard house clearance!
| Item | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard House Clearance | £695 | Including VAT! |
| Larger House Clearance | £695+ (contact for exact quote) | Including VAT! |
| Hoarder House Clearance | £Dependent on scale of job | Please contact for quote |
| Other Clearances | £Dependent on scale of job | Please contact for quote |
If you’d like to get a quote before you contact your local council so that you have something to compare against, then please feel free to contact us for a free, no-obligation quote.
Who Pays For A House Clearance If It’s A Council Property (Council House)?
Often a council house will need to be cleared after the bereavement of the tenant, or perhaps the occupant has moved into care.
In either case, it is very stressful, and while some local authorities and councils may be understanding and compassionate, others can be very abrupt and come across as quite cold-hearted.
If you are lucky they will allow you some time to clear and clean the property (usually a maximum of 4 weeks), while others give very little time and even demand extra rent if the property is not cleared before the next rent period is due.
Sometimes, if the tenant has moved into care, the council may undertake the clearance themselves, but they may still charge for this service.
Usually, this charge would be passed onto the tenant, and if they are financially unable to pay the council will probably agree to a nominal fee of £1 per week or similar.
Since all councils have different ways of operating, it is best if you speak to them to find out what the circumstances will be in your area, and then make your decisions from there.
In some cases, the council will expect a total clearance, including removing carpets, underlay or other floorings before you hand over the keys.
If the property isn’t cleared to their specifications then they may well send you a bill for the cost of their own contractors.
At Keke we work with councils, tenants, and their families all over the UK so we know what is expected and can help you to clear a council property.
Please feel free to contact us or call us on 07752 346252 for advice or a no-obligation quote.
