Frequently Asked Questions

There is no flat rate, because no two clearances are the same. We price on two things: how much there is (volume and weight) and how easy it is to remove. A few bags from a hallway is a world away from a loft packed to the rafters. The good news is that the more we clear in one visit, the cheaper it gets per item, because we only pay for the van, fuel, labour and tipping once. The quickest way to a firm price is a quick phone call or a photo — call us on 01202 001594 for a free, no-obligation quote.

It depends on the item. Sofas vary enormously — some are light and reusable, others are heavy, awkward corner units that take two people and a lot of effort. We price on weight, how many items there are and whether anything can be reused or resold to offset the cost. If you are clearing more than one item at the same time, the price per item drops because we spread the fuel and labour across the whole job. Tell us what you have on 01202 001594 and we will give you a straight answer.

Because it genuinely costs money to dispose of waste legally. Tips and recycling centres are free for households but not for businesses carrying waste. If a quote looks too cheap to be true, it often is — the saving usually means the waste is being fly-tipped, and under UK law that can be traced back to you and lead to a heavy fine even though you did not dump it. We are fully licensed and insured, so everything we take is documented and disposed of properly.

Yes. We carry £1 million public liability insurance and hold a full Waste Carriers Licence issued by the Environment Agency. Everything we remove is handled above board and disposed of responsibly.

Booking is as easy as 1-2-3: call us, tell us roughly what you need cleared, and we will arrange a time that suits you — often the same or next day for local jobs. We work seven days a week, 8am to 7:30pm.

We accept cash, BACS bank transfer, Visa, Mastercard and PayPal, so you can pay whichever way is easiest for you.

Under Section 34(2A) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, you have a strict legal responsibility to ensure that your household waste is only transferred to an authorised person or business. If you hire an unlicenced contractor who fly-tips your items, and those items are later traced back to you via letters or documents, you could be issued a Fixed Penalty Notice of up to £600, or face prosecution with unlimited fines in court. This is why we issue a fully compliant Waste Transfer Note on every collection, providing complete legal protection for you.

You can check any business's status by searching their trade name or Waste Carrier Licence registration number directly on the official Environment Agency public register online. A professional provider will always display or easily provide their CBDU registration number. Our team holds an active upper-tier Waste Carriers Licence, and we are always happy to share our certificate or registration details before any work begins on your property.

Since 2009, Environment Agency rules state that gypsum-based materials must be kept separate from general biodegradable or household waste in landfills. When gypsum becomes wet and breaks down alongside organic materials, it releases toxic, foul-smelling hydrogen sulphide gas. Because plasterboard cannot be thrown into a standard general waste skip or general municipal tip run, it requires completely separate sorting, transport, and dedicated commercial recycling processes, which carries specific commercial handling fees.

We aim to keep our pricing simple, fair, and transparent. However, physical challenges such as carrying heavy furniture down several flights of stairs in high-rise flats without a lift, long carrying distances of over 50 metres to our high-capacity vans, or difficult parking restrictions in central Bournemouth or Poole require significantly more labour and time. While we do not use hidden fees, we factor these conditions into our initial quote to ensure it remains fair and binding. For a custom quote based on your layout, call us on 01202 001594.

Both. We can clear an entire property from top to bottom, or just the rooms or items you point us to. It is entirely up to you.

Yes, and we do so with care and discretion. We understand that clearing a loved one is difficult. We will work at your pace, set aside anything you want to keep, and treat the home and its contents with respect throughout.

Not necessarily. Many landlords, agents and executors give us access and let us get on with it. We will keep you updated and can send confirmation once the property is cleared.

As much as possible is reused, donated to local charities or recycled. Only what genuinely cannot be saved goes to licensed disposal — keeping items out of landfill wherever we can.

We handle hoarded or heavily cluttered homes with absolute compassion, patience, and discretion. Our team works systematically to help families or advocates sort through accumulated belongings. We understand that sentimental items, missing financial records, or cash may be buried in the clutter. We work closely with you to recover these valuables before responsibly clearing the remainder of the property at a manageable and comfortable pace.

Yes, we do. If a property is being prepared for sale, probate, or refurbishment, we can completely strip it back. This includes lifting and removing old carpets, underlay, grippers, and tack strips, as well as carefully dismantling built-in wardrobes, fitted kitchen units, and shelving. We can leave the property swept and ready for builders or decorators.

Yes, this is a service we regularly provide for estate executors, solicitors, and out-of-area landlords. We can arrange to collect the keys directly from your local estate agent, solicitor, or a trusted neighbour in Christchurch, Bournemouth, or Poole. Once the clearance is complete and the property is swept clean, we will email you a complete set of before-and-after photographs so you can verify the results.

Yes, we frequently clear properties affected by heavy smoking or pet occupancy. While our core service is removing the physical furniture, rubbish, and clutter, we also provide a thorough sweep-clean afterwards. We can advise on the removal of contaminated carpets or soft furnishings which often hold these deep-seated odours, helping you prepare the property for deep cleaning and decoration.

If we uncover structural issues, active leaks, or severe rising damp while moving large furniture or clearing hidden areas, we will immediately stop and notify you or your representative. We do not cover structural repairs, but our team can help document the issue with photographs so you can quickly coordinate with local surveyors or builders to address the problem.

Yes, we regularly work in complex legal and personal situations, including tenant abandonments, landlord-tenant disputes, and matrimonial splits. We operate strictly under the written instructions of the legal instructor (whether that is the landlord, solicitor, or court-appointed executor), maintaining absolute neutrality, professionalism, and strict confidentiality throughout the entire process.

Every clearance we undertake includes a complimentary visual sweep and tidy-up with brooms to leave the floors clear of loose debris. While we do not offer specialized clinical deep cleaning, carpet steam-cleaning, or property sanitization ourselves, we can recommend highly trusted local Dorset and Hampshire professional cleaning companies to step in once the property is completely empty.

We calculate full house clearances based on the physical space the items occupy inside our high-capacity Luton-style clearance vans (measured in cubic yards or van fractions) combined with the physical weight of heavy materials that incur higher tipping charges at commercial recycling centres. To get an accurate estimate of your property's volume and weight, we recommend calling us on 01202 001594 to arrange a brief assessment.

Household clutter, furniture, white goods and appliances, general waste and bagged rubbish, plus commercial and business waste. If you are unsure whether we can take something, just ask — the answer is almost always yes.

Very often, yes. With a skip you pay for the skip, a permit if it is on the road, and you do all the loading yourself. We turn up, do the lifting and only charge for what we actually take away — no permit, no waiting, no heavy lifting for you.

Yes. Fridges, freezers, washing machines, cookers and the like are all handled and recycled correctly under WEEE rules.

A Waste Transfer Note is a legal document required under the UK's Waste Regulations 2011. It records the details of the waste being transferred, who produced it, and who is taking it away, including their Waste Carrier Licence number. We issue a completed Waste Transfer Note on every collection we make. This acts as your official legal proof that your rubbish has been handed to a registered carrier, keeping you fully compliant with UK waste laws.

Domestic refrigeration units must be handled with care due to ozone-depleting substances and greenhouse gases contained within their cooling circuits and insulation foam. Under UK and environmental directives, we transport all fridges and freezers to accredited WEEE treatment facilities. Here, specialized machinery safely extracts and neutralizes the refrigerants and oils in a controlled environment to prevent air and soil pollution.

We do not have a volume limit. Since we run high-capacity vans and employ experienced teams, we can clear anything from a few bags of trade rubbish to multiple full van loads of shop fit-out or renovation waste. For major commercial or site clearances across the BCP region and the New Forest, we can coordinate multiple vehicles and staff to get the job done quickly.

In the UK, local municipal recycling centres (tips) are funded by council tax and are strictly reserved for residents disposing of their own household waste. It is illegal for commercial businesses to use these domestic facilities. As a commercial clearance firm, we must pay commercial tipping fees based on weight and material classification at fully licenced private transfer stations, which is why business-backed clearance services carry professional charges.

Under the Animal By-Products Regulations and general UK commercial food waste laws, we cannot transport bulk commercial food waste or catering refuse in our standard dry-clearance vans. We specialize in dry waste, packaging, shop fittings, and general commercial rubbish. For regular food waste collections, you will need to instruct a specialized food-grade environmental contractor.

We do not handle clinical waste, hazardous biological materials, active medical sharps, or chemically contaminated medical packaging, as these require specialized hazardous waste documentation and containment systems under UK health regulations. If you have non-clinical cardboard packaging, office paper, or general reception furniture, we can clear those elements with ease.

For large quantities of cardboard, paper, and protective transit plastics, we segregate these materials on our vehicles during the clearance. They are then delivered directly to local commercial recycling merchants in Dorset where they are baled, pulped, and processed back into raw manufacturing materials, aligning with our commitment to divert as much waste from landfill as possible.

Green waste, hedge and tree cuttings, garden rubbish, old furniture, pots, decking offcuts, black bags and general clutter. Small courtyard or large overgrown plot, we will clear it.

Most are. We send a team of at least two and put more people on bigger jobs, so the majority of garden clearances are completed in a single visit.

Yes — we load it and take it away for proper composting or recycling. You are not left with a pile of bags to deal with.

Yes, we can clear heavy, inert materials such as broken masonry, old paving slabs, concrete fence posts, soil, and turf. Please note that inert materials are very heavy and commercial tipping facilities charge us strictly by weight. Because of the heavy physical lifting and tipping fees involved, we price these jobs carefully. To get an accurate quote for removing heavy materials, please call us on 01202 001594.

Under UK environmental law, Japanese Knotweed is a highly invasive species and is classified as controlled waste. It cannot be mixed with standard green waste or transport in general clearance vans as it can easily spread. We are legally prohibited from collecting or transporting Japanese Knotweed. If you suspect you have Knotweed on your property, it must be dealt with by a certified specialist eradication company.

We operate a strict recycle-first policy for all organic matter. Every load of green waste, tree limbs, hedge trimmings, and brambles we clear is taken to a fully licensed local commercial composting site. There, it is shredded and composted in large scale open windrows, turning into nutrient-rich, peat-free compost for agricultural and landscaping use across Dorset and Hampshire.

We are clearance and waste removal specialists rather than professional arborists or landscapers. We do not offer tree felling, active hedge pruning, or garden design services. However, if you or a professional tree surgeon have already cut down trees, pruned hedges, or dug up garden beds, we are the perfect choice to lift, load, and responsibly dispose of all the resulting green waste and timber.

Yes, we can clear all types of outdoor leisure equipment. We can safely dismantle and remove old wooden climbing frames, rusted swing sets, rotted garden benches, plastic sandpits, and large trampolines (which we will safely de-tension and dismantle on-site to fit into our vans). All metal and plastic components are separated for recycling.

Overgrown gardens often have deep layers of rotten compost, leaf mould, and decayed timber. Our teams are fully equipped with heavy-duty rakes, shovels, and bulk waste bags to dig up and clear these heavily decayed layers. This organic material is transported to local commercial composting sites to be turned back into useful agricultural soil improvers.

We cannot legally transport Japanese Knotweed, raw asbestos sheets (often found on old lean-to structures or coal bunkers), or soil that has been chemically contaminated by fuel spills or commercial weedkillers. If your garden waste is clean and organic, or consists of standard household rubbish and timber, we can remove it without any issues.

Yes, we offer a same-day service for tenants and private landlords whenever we can. Call early and we will do our best to fit you in.

No. There is no minimum and no cap. Whether it is a few boxes or a garage crammed wall to wall, we will clear the lot.

Absolutely. If you cannot describe the contents, we can arrange a free on-site assessment so we can see it and give you an accurate price.

We can certainly clear car parts, scrap metal, and tyres (tyres carry a small additional commercial recycling fee due to local tipping rules, while batteries are sent to specialized recycling processors). However, due to strict environmental rules regarding liquid hazardous waste, we cannot transport bulk containers of old engine oil, fuel, or paints. We are happy to advise you on how to safely dispose of these through local council services.

Yes, as long as the asbestos roof sheets are intact and not damaged or crumbling. Under the UK's Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, non-friable asbestos cement is stable unless disturbed. Our team can safely enter the garage to clear all household rubbish and stored items. However, we are not licensed to dismantle, break, or remove the actual asbestos roof sheets ourselves, as this requires specialist hazardous waste handling.

Since we are based in Christchurch and run high-capacity vans throughout Bournemouth, Poole, and the surrounding areas daily, we can often carry out a garage clearance within 24 to 48 hours of your call. To check our team's current availability or to get a competitive, no-obligation quote, please reach out to us on 01202 001594.

Yes, we can clear lawnmowers, petrol strimmers, and other garden machinery. However, due to strict environmental safety and transit laws regarding flammable liquids, we ask that you drain all petrol and diesel from the engines before our arrival. If the machinery is completely empty of fuel, we can safely load and transport it for scrap metal recycling.

If the garage door is completely jammed shut and cannot be opened safely without structural risk, we cannot gain entry due to health and safety concerns. If the door can be partially opened, or if there is side-door access, we can assess whether it is safe for our team to enter. We highly recommend having a specialist garage door technician inspect or release the door before we arrive to ensure a smooth clearance.

In line with our eco-first commitment, we do not throw old tools and hardware straight into commercial waste bins. Heavy steel workbenches and iron tools are separated for scrap metal recycling. Where old hand tools, garden implements, or vintage hardware are still in safe, usable condition, we clean them and donate them to local charities or community woodshops.

We do not clear out whole car bodies, abandoned vehicles, or rolling chassis, as these require specialist vehicle recovery transport and end-of-life vehicle (ELV) environmental paperwork. We can, however, clear all loose garage rubbish, spare vehicle parts, old panels, tyres, and loose workshop waste surrounding the vehicle.

Either. We can simply clear out the contents, or we can dismantle the whole shed and take away the timber, windows, felt and fixings to free up your garden.

Yes. We handle timber sheds, greenhouses and playhouses — clearing the contents and dismantling the structure if you want it gone.

Timber and other materials are sorted for recycling or responsible disposal wherever possible, rather than going straight to landfill.

We specialize in dismantling and removing traditional timber structures, playhouses, and greenhouses. We can also dismantle metal garden sheds. For brick, block, or pre-cast concrete panel sheds, we can empty the entire contents, and in some cases assist with dismantling concrete panel structures depending on site access and safety.

Glass is highly recyclable but dangerous to handle when broken. We carefully remove glass panes from greenhouse frames and shed windows before dismantling the structure. The glass is packed securely in our vans and transported to commercial recycling facilities where it is processed and melted down for reuse, ensuring it does not end up in landfill.

This is very common for outdoor buildings that have suffered from roof leaks. Our team is fully equipped with personal protective equipment (PPE), including dust masks and heavy-duty gloves, to safely clear damp, rotten, or mouldy wood and contents. You will not need to handle any unpleasant or potentially hazardous mould spores yourself.

Yes, we can dismantle the shed structure itself and, if requested, we can also dismantle and remove the supporting timber decking and joists beneath it. Timber decks are prone to wet rot over time, and we will safely break down the rotted timber and clear the entire footprint down to the bare ground or concrete pad.

Yes, we regularly work on allotments and private garden plots across Dorset and Hampshire. We can clear out rotted timber sheds, plastic potting structures, and old aluminium greenhouse frames. We just ask that there is a clear, safe walking path from our high-capacity vans to the allotment plot so our teams can safely transport the dismantled materials.

A standard 8ft x 6ft timber shed can typically be completely emptied, safely dismantled, and loaded into our vans in about 2 to 3 hours by a two-man team. This timeline can vary slightly depending on how packed the shed is and the walking distance to our vehicle.

Our teams use professional hand tools, battery-powered reciprocating saws, and deconstruction bars to safely and quietly take down garden buildings panel-by-panel. We work extremely carefully, taking great care to avoid damaging nearby flowerbeds, prize shrubs, overhanging trees, or boundary fences.

Yes. We carry the access equipment to work safely in unboarded storage lofts and lofts without fixed ladders, as well as fully converted habitable loft rooms.

Of course. As we empty the loft we will pass down anything you want to keep so you can sort it as we go.

Old boxes and books, Christmas decorations, suitcases, old computers and electricals, furniture and general stored clutter. Usable items are donated or recycled where we can.

Safety is our absolute priority. Our teams use specialist crawl boards (or loft boards) which span the ceiling joists, spreading our weight evenly to prevent any risk of slipping or breaking through the plasterboard ceiling. We also use bright, battery-powered LED floodlights to illuminate dark spaces, allowing us to clear your loft safely and meticulously.

Yes, we can bag and remove old rolls of fiberglass insulation. Our team wears specialized dust-proof suits, high-filtration respirators, and eye protection to handle these materials safely. Please note that if your loft contains loose-fill vermiculite insulation that may pre-date the mid-1980s, it must be professionally tested for asbestos before we can disturb it.

Under the UK's Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, bats and nesting wild birds are strictly protected, and it is a criminal offence to disturb them. If we discover bats or active nests, we must pause work in that area until the nesting season ends or a licensed ecologist advises us. For active wasps' nests, we will ask you to have a pest control specialist treat the nest before we safely enter to complete the clearance.

If a loft has active rodent infestations, heavy wasp activity, or severe bird nesting, we cannot enter until the space has been professionally treated by a pest control specialist. If there is historical, inactive pest damage, heavy dust, or old cobwebs, our team can safely carry out the clearance wearing full protective suits and specialized particulate masks.

Yes, we can remove redundant plastic header tanks, old galvanized steel tanks, copper cylinders, and loose pipework from your loft space, provided they have been completely disconnected and drained by a qualified plumber. Copper and brass are highly sought-after metals, and we ensure they are sent directly to licenced scrap metal processors for recycling.

Yes. We do not require active mains power or lighting inside your loft. Our teams carry high-power portable LED lighting systems and headtorches to fully illuminate even the darkest and deepest corners of your loft space, ensuring we work safely and leave absolutely nothing behind.

Safety is our highest priority. If there are exceptionally heavy items stored in the loft—such as heavy old furniture, stone weights, or solid iron frames— we will carefully assess whether they can be safely maneuvered down the loft hatch without risking injury to our team or damage to your ceilings. If an item is too heavy to extract safely, we will discuss alternative safe extraction methods with you.

Clearance. We remove and dispose of unwanted office furniture, equipment and waste — we do not relocate a working office. If you are moving and want the old space cleared once you are out, that is exactly what we do.

Yes. We can work evenings and weekends so your staff and customers are not disrupted during the working day.

Let us know in advance and we will handle confidential paperwork and data-bearing IT appropriately, so your business stays compliant with GDPR. Nothing sensitive is simply tipped.

Yes. We will strip the unit back to an empty, broom-swept condition to help you meet your dilapidations obligations and protect your deposit.

We take data security and the Data Protection Act 2018 (GDPR) extremely seriously. If we clear offices with sensitive customer files, staff records, or old invoices, we can organize secure, off-site shredding. Files are placed in locked security bags, transported directly to an accredited high-security shredding facility, and completely destroyed. We then supply an official Certificate of Destruction for your business records.

Yes. Our teams are equipped with heavy-duty sack trucks, ramps, and high-capacity vans to handle heavy office items, including steel filing cabinets, large desks, server racks, and network cabling. All redundant IT hardware is handled under WEEE rules to ensure ecological compliance and secure material recovery.

Yes, we offer light commercial strip-out services to assist businesses and landlords at the end of a tenancy. We can dismantle and remove plasterboard partition walls, suspended ceiling tiles, carpet tiles, and temporary partition dividers, leaving the premises clean, completely empty, and ready for handover back to the landlord.

Yes, as part of our comprehensive office strip-out and lease-end clearance services, we can uplift commercial carpet tiles, strip vinyl flooring, and remove suspended ceiling tiles and metal grids. This is highly useful for businesses preparing to return a commercial space to their landlord in a clean, "shell" condition to secure their deposit.

Yes, we can clear entire office breakrooms and canteen spaces. We remove commercial fridges, dishwashers, microwaves, fitted cupboards, and countertops. We also clear retail display units, shop shelving, clothing racks, and checkout counters for local businesses across Bournemouth, Poole, and Christchurch.

We can clear entire archiving rooms filled with cardboard lever-arch files, suspension files, and plastic storage crates. If the documents do not contain sensitive personal data, they are loaded and sent for standard commercial paper recycling. If they contain confidential client or financial records, we recommend our secure, GDPR-compliant document shredding service where we provide a formal Certificate of Destruction.

A probate valuation (or chattel valuation) is an official assessment of the deceased's personal belongings (known as goods and chattels) at their "Open Market Value" on the date of death. Under Section 160 of the Inheritance Tax Act 1984, executors have a legal duty to make a full and accurate declaration to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). An accurate, professionally prepared valuation is crucial to calculate Inheritance Tax (IHT) liability and avoid severe penalties from HMRC for under-declaring the estate's value.

Yes, absolutely. We provide official, HMRC-compliant written valuation reports prepared strictly in accordance with Section 160 of the Inheritance Tax Act 1984. Our reports are presented on professional letter-headed paper, detailing all individual items or collections estimated to be worth £500 or more, which is the standard threshold HMRC scrutinizes. These legal documents are ready to be submitted directly to your solicitor, executor, or HMRC.

Yes, Priory House Clearance is a trading company of a fully UK VAT-registered company, this is provided to you in our quotations as standard. This is highly important for solicitors, professional executors, and estate administrators. We provide comprehensive, itemised VAT invoices, Waste Transfer Notes, and official receipt documents for every clearance. This ensures your estate accounts are transparent, fully compliant, and audit-ready for probate court or HMRC inspection.

To make the process as straightforward as possible for executors, we can offer a direct offset system. If the estate contains marketable antique furniture, collectables, quality retro items, or high-value household goods, we can assess their resale value and deduct this amount directly from the physical cost of the clearance. For highly valuable chattels, we can also advise on professional auction placement to ensure the estate recovers maximum value.

Yes, we act as a trusted local partner for numerous solicitors, executors, and estate administrators across Dorset and Hampshire. We understand the legal and administrative complexities of estate winding-up. We can handle everything remotely, from key collection via estate agents or law offices, to providing comprehensive photo-confirmation upon completion, and sending all invoices and legal paperwork directly to the acting firm.

This is a core part of our professional service. During a probate clearance, our team is trained to search meticulously for critical documents that may have been misplaced, such as wills, share certificates, property deeds, bank statements, premium bonds, or life insurance policies. Any such documents, along with personal cash, jewellery, or sentimental family photographs, are immediately secured and safely handed over to the executor or solicitor.

The cost of a clearance is a legitimate estate administration expense and is typically paid directly from the deceased's estate funds. Because no two properties are identical, the final cost depends on the volume of items, local commercial tipping rates, and any valuable offsets. We provide clear, transparent, and binding written quotes before any work begins. To discuss your requirements or schedule an assessment, please call our specialist probate team on 01202 001594.

An estate agent's verbal or written appraisal is typically an informal market estimate aimed at listing a property for sale. A Section 160 Probate Valuation is a formal legal assessment of the deceased's personal belongings (chattels) prepared strictly in line with the Inheritance Tax Act 1984. It must reflect the realistic price the items would fetch if sold in the open market (such as a public auction) on the date of death. HMRC rejects insurance replacement valuations because they reflect retail replacement costs rather than open market value, which can artificially inflate an estate's Inheritance Tax liability.

When administering an estate that is subject to Inheritance Tax, executors must complete HMRC Form IHT400 and the supplementary Schedule IHT407, which is specifically for reporting household goods, personal items, jewellery, and vehicles. HMRC requires that any individual item worth £500 or more, as well as antiques or collectors' items, be listed separately. Our professional, RICS-aligned valuation reports are structured specifically to correspond with these forms, allowing your solicitor to submit them directly to HMRC without delays.

For typical household items, our experienced valuers can establish an accurate open market value based on current auction database records. If an estate contains highly specialist collections, fine art, antique jewellery, or rare militaria, we consult with leading independent RICS-registered specialists and specialist auction houses across Dorset and Hampshire. This ensures that every item of significant historical or artistic value receives an authoritative valuation that will stand up to HMRC scrutiny.

Under HMRC guidelines, the costs incurred to obtain professional probate valuations and carry out the physical clearance of a deceased person's property are classified as estate administration expenses. While they are not directly deducted from the gross value of the estate for initial Inheritance Tax (IHT) calculations, these fees are highly important as they can often be deducted from the overall estate accounts and offset against Capital Gains Tax (CGT) if estate assets are sold later. Your acting solicitor can confirm how these rules apply to your specific estate accounts.

Using an unlicenced or unestablished clearance company presents significant legal risks for executors and solicitors. Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, executors remain personally liable for the estate's waste until it is legally disposed of. If an unlicenced provider fly-tips the contents, the executor can face heavy environmental fines and criminal prosecution. Furthermore, if valuable estate items are sold below market value without a proper Section 160 valuation, beneficiaries can hold the executor personally and financially liable for the loss to the estate. Instructing a fully licenced, insured, and VAT-registered firm like ours eliminates these legal risks completely.

If a personal chattel (such as an antique, painting, or piece of jewellery) is valued on the date of death for probate, that Section 160 valuation establishes its "acquisition value" or cost basis for the beneficiaries. If the item is later sold for more than its probate valuation, the estate or the beneficiary may be liable for Capital Gains Tax (CGT) on the gain. Obtaining an accurate, professional open market valuation at the outset protects the estate from unexpected CGT audits or overpayments.

Yes, we offer a highly flexible, compassionate service. If there are specific items of sentimental value, family heirlooms, or furniture that have been bequeathed to specific family members or beneficiaries, we can coordinate to deliver those items safely to local addresses across Dorset and Hampshire before we carry out the physical clearance of the remaining items.

If an estate is insolvent (where the debts exceed the assets), the estate must be wound up following strict legal priorities under the Administration of Insolvent Estates of Deceased Persons Order 1986. Reasonable funeral and estate administration expenses—including our professional probate valuation and clearance fees—are legally classified as a high priority and are typically paid from the remaining assets before general creditors. We provide clear, detailed invoices to help administrators present compliant accounts to the court or creditors.