What to do with personal belongings after a death?
After the death of a loved one, the heirs often have to take care of a great many things in a very short amount of time. One of those matters
Emptying house after death: info and costs
Clearing out a home after a death is often a difficult task, both emotionally and practically. You have a lot to deal with in such a situation, and it can be overwhelming. That’s why it can be a relief to leave the task of clearing out a deceased person’s home to a professional.
We are regularly called upon for this service. We take care of the practical work and ensure that the property is cleared out carefully and as agreed.
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- 100% completion guarantee
- Very quick handling
- Known in the region
- Environmentally friendly waste disposal
- Charitable donations
Clearing Out a Home After a Death: A Brief Overview
Does a home need to be cleared out after a death? If so, there are often a number of things you’ll want to clarify right away.
Costs: These depend heavily on the size of the home, the amount of household goods, and any additional work required. You can find average prices here.
Quote: After a no-obligation viewing, we will send you a quote with a fixed price shortly.
Household goods: You decide which items should be kept. For the household goods that can be disposed of, we explore options such as reuse, sale, donation, or responsible waste disposal.
Urgent: Does a property need to be vacated soon? Please contact us by phone; we’ll always try to schedule this at short notice.
Handover: In addition to removing belongings, we can, among other things, remove flooring, perform minor repairs, and hand over the property swept clean and ready for rental or sale.
What does a house clearance after death cost?
The cost of a house clearance after death depends on several factors. Consider, for example, the size of the home, the amount of contents to be removed, and any additional services such as cleaning, floor removal, or minor repairs.
Below is a price table with estimates by type of home. The cost of clearing out a senior’s room ranges on average from €350 to €650. The average cost of clearing out a small home with 1 to 2 rooms ranges from €500 to €1,000. Clearing out single-family homes costs an average of €950 to €2,300, and for large homes (with more than 3 bedrooms), the clearance costs average between €1,000 and €2,500.
| Type woning | Gemiddelde kosten woningontruiming |
|---|---|
| Senioren kamer | €350 tot €650 |
| Kleine woning (1 tot 2 kamers) | €500 tot €1000 |
| Eengezinswoning | €950 tot €2300 |
| Grote woning (meer dan 3 slaapkamers) | €1000 tot €2500 |
Please note: these are estimates. Actual costs may vary by home. We like to be transparent about our prices upfront so you won’t face any surprises later. Would you like a more specific estimate? Request one here: tailor-made offer Please contact us. We will then schedule a no-obligation viewing to determine the actual price.
Would you like to learn more about the factors that influence these costs and how you can save money on them? Then read our blog post: How much does it cost to clear out a home after a death?
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Free house clearance after passing
You may have heard that clearing out a home after a death can sometimes be done for free. Unfortunately, this is not often possible in practice.
This is because there are often costs associated with cleaning and any necessary repairs. In addition, there are personnel costs for the employees who do the heavy lifting. That is why a completely free house cleanup is rare.
It is not uncommon for some of the costs to be covered by the sale of valuable items.
Clearing Out a House in Exchange for Household Goods
If you think there is still furniture, collections, or other items in your home that might have some resale value, please let us know. We’ll take a look at these items during the on-site inspection and see if we can offset their value against the cost of the cleanup.
Would you like to know more about this? Then read our page on clearing out a home in exchange for household goods.
Our tip: By selling your own valuables, you can often cover part—or sometimes even all—of the clearance costs.
Urgent house clearance after death
We often arrange an emergency clearance within 24 hours. Especially when the deceased person in question lives in a nursing or care center, the house clearance must be done on short notice. Whatever the circumstances, we at JHC House Clearance understand exactly what needs to be done.
Who is responsible for a house clearance after death?
When a loved one passes away, the responsibility for clearing out the home and covering any additional costs generally falls on the heirs. The will specifies who the heir is. If no will has been drawn up, the law of succession determines who the heir is.
If you haven’t yet accepted the inheritance, be careful about dividing up, selling, or getting rid of any of the items. Would you like to learn more about this? Then read our article: Emptying house after death – Who is responsible?
Clearing out house after death? We are happy to help. Please contact Joey.
Clearing a house after death is quite a challenge. Hiring help can be desirable. We, from JHC House Clearance know how to handle this professionally.
Would you like to know what we can do for you? Feel free to contact Joey for a no-obligation quote.
Saving tips for clearing a house after death
You can sometimes save a little on the cost of house clearance by doing some preliminary work in advance. Here are some things you can already do yourself:
- Pre-sort – Pre-sort your belongings by what should be kept, donated or discarded. This saves time during the clearance process.
- Remove small items yourself – If necessary, see if you can already dispose of some smaller items yourself, this in turn saves the house de-clutterers time.
- Sell or donate: Consider selling or donating furniture or other items. Not only does this reduce the amount of household contents to be removed, but it can also offset some of the cost (consider the Salvation Army, for example; we often work with this as well).
- Recycling and waste disposal – By taking responsibility for separating and disposing of recyclable material or waste yourself, you can save on waste disposal costs.
How does the application process for clearing a house after death?
Although the work and time available for house clearance can vary, we have a set procedure for requesting house clearance. This way, you know exactly what to expect. By following 4 simple steps, we can guarantee that the house clearance will be smooth and hassle-free.
Get in touch - Talk directly to Joey
First, we will answer all your questions and schedule an appointment to view the property.
We visit your property
The home visit is completely non-binding and allows us to discuss with you what the options are.
Within 24 hours you will receive a fixed price quote
Based on the agreements made during the visit. We always work with a fixed price, so you will not be faced with unpleasant surprises afterwards.
We are ready for all your questions
Only when you are completely reassured about what to expect will you give your approval on the quote and we will start the house clearance.
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How does a house clearance after death take place?
Thanks to our experience in these situations, we strive to make the entire process as simple and clear as possible for you. Any death of an acquaintance or family member is a profound event, and in these situations it is valuable to be able to rely on someone with experience and knowledge.
Step 1 – Inventory of contents.
First, we will visit with you to look at the size of the contents and discuss what needs to be done. Often large items are already divided by inheritance and we will only look at remaining items. You will indicate to us what should be kept and what may be done with the remaining items.
After this conversation, we determine what it will cost to vacate the home. Are you satisfied with the quote? Then we will get to work as soon as possible!
Step 2 – Sorting the household contents.
Before we get started with the eviction, we sort through the contents. These items are divided into the following categories:
- Retain – items you want to keep or store think admin pieces, heirlooms or other valuable possessions
Sell – possessions in good condition can be sold - Donate – consider donating inbedo that you do not want to keep, but is still in nice condition, to the thrift store, for example
- Discarding – anything you do not retain, donate or discard will be thrown away
Step 3 – Clearing the house
After we have determined the destinations for the contents, it is time for the actual house clearance. We take the belongings to the agreed upon locations, such as purchasing, landfill, storage or other agreed upon locations
If floor covering, carpets or mattresses can no longer be cleaned, we will remove them from the home.
Step 4 – Completion of the property
In addition, we can completely vacate the property and deliver it broom clean to the landlord or real estate agent who wants to sell the house. Thanks to our experience in these situations, we strive to make the whole process as simple and clear as possible for you.
See more tips
Emptying house after death: who is responsible?
After the death of a loved one, you often have a lot to deal with. While you’re trying to cope with your grief, there are also practical matters that need
Selling parental home before passing
Selling the parental home before the occupant’s passing can be both financially and practically beneficial. One advantage, for example, is that you can save on taxes. At the same time,
Frequently asked questions about clearing a house after death
What happens to contents after death?
The heirs are responsible for the household contents. Often the valuable pieces are divided between them and part is taken away. You can also, for example, sell a portion and have us pick up the rest. We can give items a second life, recycle them or dispose of them responsibly.
What does a house clearance after death cost?
The cost of emptying a house after a death depends on the size of the house and the size of the contents. On average, d he cost of clearing senior living rooms between €250 and €450. For clearing a small home with 1 to 2 rooms, the cost averages between €250 and €650. Single-family homes clearance costs average between €700 and €1600 and for large homes (with more than 3 bedrooms) clearance costs average between €850 and €2000.
We recommend getting in touch via our contact form, so we can send an estimate of the cost.
What is the best time to sell a house after a death?
After death, the heirs usually have an 8-month period to sell the house. After these 8 months, you will receive a tax assessment for the property. If the tax amount is low enough, you can consider deferring payment for 1 year.
If you need more time to make an informed decision, it may be wise to rent out the house. This provides the flexibility to make a final decision later.
How can you deliver the deceased's rental property?
If your loved one has died and was living in a rental property, it is important not to wait too long to take action. This is because the rent of this property will continue until you, the heir, terminate it. This, of course, is a waste of additional expenses.
Handing over a rental property consists of several stages: the termination of the lease, the pre-inspection and the final inspection. You can read how best to handle all of these in our article: How should I deliver my rental property?