specialist
Hoarder and extreme cleaning
Hoarder cleaning costs £500 to £3,000 for most properties, with day rates of £180 to £300 an operative and skips at £250 to £450 each on top. The quote turns on volume rather than floor area, because a three-bedroom house with every room full takes far longer than a larger property with little in it.
What this covers
What it costs. Hoarder cleaning costs £500 to £3,000 for most properties. Full cost breakdown.
What the job covers
- Sorting and clearing a property room by room, with the occupant
- Separating what is kept, what is donated and what is disposed of
- Waste removal by a registered waste carrier
- Cleaning and sanitising once the volume is out
- Working alongside family, social services or a landlord
What is involved
The sorting is the job and the cleaning is what happens afterwards. Very little here is cleared in bulk, because the possessions that matter are mixed through everything else, and a careful team works through each room so that nothing irreplaceable is lost. Paperwork, photographs, cash and medication regularly turn up.
That is why the occupant is normally there. Hoarding disorder is a recognised mental health condition rather than a matter of housekeeping, and a clearance done with the person, rather than around them, is far more likely to last. Companies that do this well work at the pace of the person, agree the categories in advance, and stop when they are asked to.
The waste side is regulated. Anything taken away has to go with a registered waste carrier and travel on a transfer note, and where there is contamination, sharps or food waste in quantity, some of it is not general waste at all. A clear quote shows disposal as its own line, so you can see it has been counted.
Choosing someone for the job
Ask whether the occupant sets the pace and what happens when they want to stop. A good company lets the occupant lead and pauses when asked.
Ask for the waste carrier registration number and check it on the public register. Everything leaving the property travels under that registration, so checking it protects you too.
Ask how items to be kept are handled. Agreeing the categories before the first day means decisions are not rushed later on.
Common questions
How long does it take?
A day for a single room, three to ten days for a whole house. The variable is how much sorting is wanted rather than how much there is to move.
Is the person supposed to be there?
Usually, and it works better when they are. Clearance done with the occupant takes longer on the day and tends to last far better over the following year.
Where hoarder cleaning is listed
Towns with a cleaner on this site who takes it on, and how many.