Bereavement Clearance Cardiff

What is Bereavement Clearance?

Bereavement clearance is a specialist house clearance service that removes contents from a property after someone has passed away. Unlike standard house clearances, we handle these jobs with extra sensitivity because we're often working with families during a difficult time, and many items have sentimental value or legal implications.

The service typically includes:

• Identifying items mentioned in the will or requested by family members
• Sorting belongings into different categories – what goes to auction, charity, family, or disposal
• Removing all contents from the property, either completely or partially based on your requirements
• Coordinating multiple destinations for items, including storage facilities, auction houses, charity shops, and recycling centres
• Preparing the property for its next stage, whether that's cleaning, renovation, or sale
• Working around probate timelines and legal requirements when executors are managing estates

We can handle everything from a single room clearance where most items are staying with family, through to a complete property clearance where every item needs removing. Each job's different, and we adapt our approach based on what you need and how involved you want to be in the process.

Why Professional Bereavement Clearance Matters

There's a reason families across Cardiff choose professional bereavement clearance rather than trying to handle it themselves with mates and a borrowed van. We've seen what happens when people underestimate the job – three weekends in, they're exhausted, the property's still half-full, and nobody's spoken about anything except house clearance for a month.

One family we worked with in Whitchurch had initially planned to sort through their dad's bungalow themselves. After two days, they'd managed one bedroom and the emotional toll was massive. Every drawer opened brought memories flooding back, and decisions about what to keep became overwhelming. They called us on the Monday, and by that Friday, the property was cleared, items were distributed exactly as specified in the will, and they could focus on remembering their dad rather than shifting his belongings.

The practical reality is that bereavement clearances involve:

Volume and logistics – A typical three-bedroom house contains roughly 300 to 400 cubic feet of belongings. That's not three van loads, that's more like eight or nine, and you need to know how to load efficiently so items don't get damaged in transit.

Multiple destinations – Unlike a standard house move where everything goes to one place, bereavement clearances often involve four or five different drop-offs. Certain furniture to auction, clothing to charity, family heirlooms to relatives, garden equipment to recycling centres. Coordinating that whilst you're grieving adds unnecessary stress.

Legal considerations – Executors managing probate need proper documentation of what's been removed and where it's gone. We photograph items, provide detailed manifests, and can accommodate solicitors' requirements for estate management.

Physical demands – Clearing a house isn't just about carrying boxes. There's furniture that needs dismantling, loft spaces to access, garden sheds packed with decades of tools. We've got the equipment, the team, and frankly the back strength that most people don't have after a week of this sort of work.

Emotional distance – Sometimes having someone outside the family handle the physical clearance lets you preserve your energy for the decisions that actually matter. You shouldn't have to spend your bereavement leave hauling bin bags.

We're not saying you can't clear a house yourself. We're saying you don't have to, and there's no medal for making grief harder than it needs to be.

We've refined our approach over years of working with Cardiff families, and we've learnt that clear communication from the start makes everything run smoother. Here's how a typical bereavement clearance works with us.

Initial contact and assessment

Most people reach out by phone or through our website, often sending photos of the property. This isn't us being lazy about site visits – it's actually faster for everyone involved. You can take photos on your phone right now, send them through, and we'll have a quote back to you within a few hours rather than waiting days to coordinate diaries for a visit. We can see from photos what volume we're dealing with, what access looks like, and whether there's anything unusual that needs planning for.

That said, if you'd prefer we visit the property first, that's absolutely fine. Some executors want us to walk through with them, particularly if there's uncertainty about what's staying and what's going. We cover Cardiff and surrounding areas, so getting to you isn't an issue.



Planning the clearance

Once you've accepted the quote, we'll arrange a date that works around your schedule and any probate timelines. We ask specific questions at this stage: Are family members taking items before we arrive? Is anything being donated to particular charities? Are there items for auction? Do you need us to coordinate with a storage company?

For properties where items are being distributed to multiple destinations, we'll create an inventory list. This becomes particularly valuable for executors who need documentation for estate management. We photograph items going to auction or storage so there's a clear record of condition and what's been moved where.

On the day

Our team arrives at the agreed time – usually early morning so we can make the most of daylight hours. If you've asked to be present, we'll walk through the property with you first, confirming what's being removed and what's staying. Some family members want to do a final check of drawers and cupboards, and we build time in for that.

The actual clearance itself is systematic. We work room by room, loading items carefully based on their destination. Furniture that's being donated gets wrapped and protected. Items for disposal go in separately from things heading to auction. It's like a puzzle – getting the van loaded in the right order so we're not unloading and reloading at each stop.

After clearance

Once everything's out, we'll do a final sweep of the property. We check lofts, under stairs, garden sheds – anywhere items might've been forgotten. We've found everything from valuable jewellery tucked in coat pockets to war medals in toolboxes over the years. Better we find it than the next occupant.

If you've requested it, we'll provide photos of the cleared property and receipts from auction houses, charities, or recycling centres. Executors particularly appreciate having this documentation for probate records.

The whole process for a standard three-bedroom house typically takes one to two days, depending on volume and how many destinations items are going to. Larger properties or those with extensive contents obviously take longer, but we'll have given you that timeline upfront when we quoted.

Looking for a Bereavement House Clearance Company?

To speed up the process of quotations we deploy a quick remote process where you can simply send through images of the office items you want cleared. This way we can see the amount of waste, type of waste and what will be involved in removing it and subsequently provide you with a quote. This saves time for all involved, not waiting around for a site visit and we all have a record of what needs to be removed, and as a result you can quickly decide to get your items removed. Much less hassle than trying to organise a skip!

If you are managing probate and are left with overgrown gardens following estate settlements then we can take the hassle from of the outdoor issues too.

Complete vs Partial Bereavement Clearance

Not every bereavement clearance looks the same, and we've handled enough of them across Cardiff to know that what works for one family doesn't work for another. The two main approaches are complete clearances and partial clearances, and which one you need usually depends on the will, family circumstances, and what's happening with the property.

Complete property clearance

This is where we remove everything from the property – furniture, personal belongings, kitchen contents, clothing, garden equipment, the lot. The property's left empty and ready for whatever comes next, whether that's professional cleaning, renovation work, or preparing it for sale.

We see complete clearances most often when an executor's managing probate from a distance. Last month we cleared a property in Llanishen for a client based in Manchester. Her aunt's will didn't specify any gifted items, and none of the family wanted the furniture. She sent us the keys, gave us clear instructions about what should go to charity and what should be disposed of, and we handled everything remotely. She got photos throughout the day showing progress, and by the evening the property was empty.

Complete clearances also happen when families have already taken what they want before we arrive. They've been through, collected photo albums and personal items with sentimental value, and everything remaining needs clearing. It's actually easier this way sometimes – fewer decisions to make on the day, and we can work faster.

Partial clearance

This is where specific items are being kept, either because they're mentioned in the will, because family members are collecting them, or because they're being moved to storage while probate's sorted. Partial clearances need more coordination and clearer communication upfront.

We worked with a family in Cathays Park last year where three siblings were dividing their mother's belongings. They'd made lists of who was having what, but they were all arriving on different days to collect. We cleared everything except the items on those lists, which we moved to one room and photographed individually so there was no confusion about what was being held back. Two weeks later, once everyone had collected their items, we came back and cleared that final room.

The challenge with partial clearances is identification. If you're keeping "the antique bureau in the front bedroom," we need to be certain we're not accidentally taking the antique bureau that looks very similar in the back bedroom. We photograph items being retained and items being removed if there's any potential for confusion.



Working with executors and probate

Executors have specific responsibilities around estate management, and we've learnt what documentation they typically need. We can provide:

• Itemised lists of what's been removed and where it's gone
• Photographs of items sent to auction (useful for valuation purposes)
• Receipts from auction houses, charities, and disposal sites
• Condition reports for valuable items
• Confirmation of property clearance for solicitors

The timing often matters with probate. Sometimes executors need the property cleared quickly because it's being sold as part of the estate. Other times, they're waiting for grant of probate before they can instruct us. We're flexible either way – we've handled jobs with three days' notice, and we've handled jobs where we've given quotes months in advance and waited for the legal side to complete.

One solicitor we work with regularly in Cardiff always sends us the same instruction: "Clear everything, photograph anything that looks valuable, itemise everything going to auction." After working together on multiple estates, she knows we'll handle it properly and provide the documentation her office needs.

What Happens to Items We Collect

This is one of the first questions people ask, and it's a fair one. You're trusting us with a lifetime's worth of belongings, and you want to know they're being handled responsibly rather than just dumped in a skip somewhere.

Charity donations

A lot of what comes out of Cardiff homes during bereavement clearances is in perfectly good condition – it's just not wanted by the family. Clothing, kitchenware, books, small furniture, bedding. We work with several local charities across Cardiff who are always grateful for donations.

The main charities we use are the big national ones with local branches – British Heart Foundation, Age UK, local hospice shops. They've got the infrastructure to process donations quickly, and they're usually happy to collect larger furniture items directly if we coordinate with them. We've also worked with smaller community charities in specific Cardiff areas who focus on helping families furnish homes after they've been rehoused.

We can't donate everything, though. Charities have standards they need to meet, and they won't take items that are damaged, heavily worn, or don't meet safety regulations. Upholstered furniture needs fire safety labels, electrical items need to be PAT tested. If charities can't take something, we look at other options before resorting to disposal.

Auction houses

Antiques, collectables, quality furniture, jewellery – items with genuine value get sent to auction rather than charity. We've got relationships with auction houses in and around Cardiff who specialise in house clearance lots and estate sales.

The process usually involves photographing items first, getting a rough valuation, and then delivering them to the auction house on behalf of the estate. If you're managing probate, the auction house provides documentation of what they've received and what it sold for, which goes towards the estate valuation.

We've seen some surprising results at auction over the years. One property in Pontcanna had what looked like ordinary china in the sideboard – turned out to be Clarice Cliff pottery worth a few thousand pounds. Another house in Rhiwbina had a collection of old tools in the garage that a specialist buyer paid good money for. You genuinely never know what's valuable until someone who knows what they're looking at sees it.

Recycling and scrap

Metal, wood, certain plastics, garden waste, electronic equipment – there's a lot from house clearances that can be recycled rather than sent to landfill. We use Cardiff's recycling centres and specialist facilities for different material types.

Scrap metal dealers take old appliances, bed frames, garden furniture, tools. Wood that's not suitable for reuse gets sent for chipping and recycling. Electronics go to WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) recycling centres where they're dismantled responsibly rather than dumped.

Being realistic, recycling takes more time than just throwing everything in the back of the van and driving to the tip. But it's the right thing to do, and most families appreciate knowing their relative's belongings have been handled responsibly.



Disposal as a last resort

Some things genuinely can't be donated, sold, or recycled. Damaged furniture, heavily soiled items, things that are just worn out beyond use. These go to licensed waste facilities where they're disposed of properly.

We keep disposal to a minimum because it's wasteful and it costs more in disposal fees. But sometimes it's the only option, and we make sure it's done through proper channels with licensed waste carriers.

How Much Does Bereavement Clearance Cost in Cardiff?

Nobody wants to talk about money when they're arranging a bereavement clearance, but you need to budget for it, and you deserve a straight answer about what affects the cost. There's no standard price because no two houses are the same, but I can tell you what we consider when we're quoting.

Volume of items

The obvious one – more stuff means more work, more van loads, more time. A one-bedroom flat with minimal contents might only need a single trip. A four-bedroom house that's been lived in for forty years and still has three generations' worth of belongings in the loft? That's several days of work.

We've cleared studio flats in Cardiff Bay that took three hours, and we've cleared detached houses in Lisvane that took three days. The difference isn't just the size of the property – it's what's in it. Some people are minimalists. Others keep everything.

Access and logistics

A ground floor flat with parking outside is straightforward. A third floor flat with no lift and permit parking only is a different proposition. We've done clearances where we're carrying furniture down three flights of narrow Victorian stairs, and we've done clearances where we've reversed the van right up to the back door.

Distance from vehicle to property matters. So does whether items need dismantling before they'll fit through doorways. We cleared a house in Radyr last year where the previous owner had built wardrobes in place – we had to dismantle them completely before we could remove them. That takes time, and time affects cost.

Destinations for items

A straightforward disposal job where everything goes to one recycling centre is simpler than a job where we're making five different stops. Auction houses in one direction, charity shop in another, family member collection in a third location, then recycling centre, then back for a second load.

Some families want detailed itemisation of where everything's gone, which means photographing items, creating manifests, getting receipts from every destination. That level of documentation is absolutely fine – executors often need it for probate – but it adds administrative time to the job.

Sorting and segregation

If you need us to sort through items and separate what's valuable from what's not, that takes longer than loading everything into the van and disposing of it. Same applies if there's specific items we need to identify and set aside because they're mentioned in the will.

We had a clearance in Llandaff North where the daughter wanted us to check every book in the house because her dad had a habit of using banknotes as bookmarks. We found three hundred quid over the course of going through about two thousand books. Worth doing, but it took time.

Potential revenue from auction items

Here's where it gets interesting. If there's items going to auction that sell well, the revenue from those sales can offset some of the clearance cost. We'll discuss this upfront if we spot valuable items in photos or during initial assessment.

An estate we handled in Pontcanna had mid-century furniture that the family didn't want. Sent to auction, it made enough to cover about half the clearance cost. Not every job works out that way, but when there's genuine value in the items, it's worth considering auction rather than disposal.

Typical price ranges

Without seeing your specific situation, rough guides for Cardiff properties:

• Studio or one-bedroom flat (minimal contents): £300-£600
• Two-bedroom house (average contents): £600-£1,200
• Three-bedroom house (average contents): £1,200-£2,000
• Four-bedroom house (full contents): £2,000-£3,500+

Those aren't quotes – they're just to give you a realistic idea of scale. The actual price depends on all the factors I've mentioned above. Send us photos and we'll give you an accurate quote based on what we can see.



How payment works

We typically invoice after the work's completed, though for larger jobs we might request a deposit upfront. If you're an executor managing probate, payment usually comes from the estate once assets are realised, but we need someone named as responsible for the invoice.

Most executors pay initially and reclaim it through probate. If you're a family member arranging clearance for a property you've inherited, you'd typically pay directly. Solicitors handling estates sometimes pay us directly and add it to their costs being reclaimed from the estate.

Timing Your Bereavement Clearance

There's no right time to clear a property after someone's passed away. Some families want it done quickly because the emotional weight of walking into that house is too much. Others need time before they're ready to let go of the space. We've worked with both, and everything in between.

Waiting for probate

If probate's required, you might think you need to wait until it's granted before clearing the house. That's not always the case. Executors can usually instruct house clearance before probate's granted, particularly if the property needs clearing for sale or to stop paying unnecessary bills on an empty house.

What matters is having legal authority to instruct the clearance. If you're the executor named in the will, you've got that authority even before probate's granted. If you're not the executor, you'll need their permission. Solicitors handling estates can confirm what's allowed in your specific situation.

We've done plenty of clearances where probate's still being processed. The executor gives us instructions, we clear the property, we provide documentation of where items went, and that documentation becomes part of the estate records. Nothing about that process conflicts with probate requirements.

Property sale considerations

If the house is being sold as part of the estate, timing depends on whether it's being sold with contents or empty. Most properties sell better empty – buyers can visualise the space more easily, and there's no negotiation about what stays and what goes.

Estate agents will usually advise clearing the property before photos are taken and viewings start. That means arranging clearance fairly quickly after the decision to sell is made. We can usually accommodate tight timescales – we've cleared properties within a week of being contacted when sales are being progressed quickly.

Rental properties and tenancy considerations

If the person who's passed away was renting, there's often a deadline for clearing the property written into the tenancy agreement. Landlords typically give a reasonable period after death, but they're not going to let a property sit empty indefinitely while rent's not being paid.

We've helped families in situations where they've got two weeks to clear a rental property. It's stressful enough dealing with bereavement without tenancy deadlines adding pressure, but we can work to tight schedules when needed.

Family coordination

Sometimes the delay in arranging clearance isn't about probate or property sales – it's about getting family members coordinated about who's taking what. Three siblings need to agree what's happening to furniture. Someone's travelling from abroad and wants to see the house one last time. Another relative wants specific items but won't be in Cardiff for another month.

Our advice? Make those decisions first, then call us. We can work around family members collecting items, but it's easier if you've already agreed amongst yourselves what's happening rather than trying to decide on the day while we're standing there with a van.

If coordination is proving difficult, one option is for us to clear everything except disputed items, which we move to one room and lock. Family sorts that room out on their own time, then we come back for a final clearance. Not ideal, but it works when families can't agree.

Emotional readiness

Some people want the house cleared within days because leaving it full feels wrong. Others need months before they're ready to let go. Neither approach is right or wrong – grief doesn't follow a schedule.

What we'd say is don't let other people's expectations push you into clearing a property before you're ready. If you need time, take it. But equally, don't avoid it forever because the task feels overwhelming. We're here to handle the overwhelming bit.

A client in Radyr told us she'd been putting off clearing her mother's bungalow for eight months because she couldn't face it. Once she finally called us and we got it done, she said she wished she'd done it sooner – the anticipation was worse than the actual clearance.



Our availability

We work seven days a week, and we can usually fit jobs in within a few days of being contacted. If you need something done urgently, we'll do our best to accommodate. If you need to book something weeks in advance because of family schedules or property sale timelines, that's fine too.

The only thing we'd suggest is don't leave it until the last possible day before a property sale completes or a tenancy ends. Give yourself a buffer in case the job takes longer than expected or weather causes delays.

Finding and Protecting What Matters

One of the questions families ask is whether we'll spot valuable items that might otherwise get missed. The honest answer is we've got a good eye for things that look like they might be worth something, but we're not valuers or antiques experts. What we are good at is being thorough and checking places where people commonly hide or store valuable items.

Where people keep valuables

Over the years, we've learnt the hiding spots. It's not that people are deliberately hiding things from family – it's that older generations grew up in times when keeping cash and valuables at home was normal, and they often forgot they'd put things away.

We've found jewellery taped inside kitchen canisters. Cash rolled up in socks at the back of drawers. Premium bonds tucked inside book covers. War medals in toolboxes in the shed. Documents in biscuit tins. Savings books stuffed down the side of armchairs. One house in Cyncoed had two thousand pounds in an envelope behind a loose skirting board.

When we're doing a clearance, we check properly. That means opening every drawer, checking pockets in clothing before it's bagged, looking inside books before they're boxed, checking under mattresses, looking in attic spaces properly rather than just glancing up. We've developed a systematic approach because we've seen what gets missed when people rush.

Documents and personal papers

Birth certificates, marriage certificates, property deeds, insurance policies, share certificates, pension documents – these aren't valuable in themselves but they're extremely important for executors managing estates. They're also the sort of thing that can accidentally end up in a bin bag if nobody's paying attention.

We separate all documents we find and hand them to whoever's managing the clearance. If you're not on site, we'll photograph them and message you to confirm what should happen to them. Most executors want everything, even if it looks irrelevant – you can sort through paperwork later and bin what's not needed, but you can't retrieve documents once they've been disposed of.

Bank statements and utility bills from the last few months are particularly valuable for executors closing accounts and finalising estate affairs. Keep everything until you're certain you won't need it.

Sentimental items

Photographs, letters, children's artwork, handwritten recipes, diaries – items that have no monetary value but massive emotional value to family members. These are the things families regret losing most if they accidentally get cleared.

If you're not present during the clearance, tell us specifically what you want protected. "All photographs" is clear. "Any handwritten documents" is clear. "Anything that looks personal" is a bit vague because everything in someone's house is technically personal.

We'll set aside anything that looks like it might have sentimental value, but we need guidance from you about what matters. One family's treasured holiday photos are another family's box of duplicates they don't want. We can't read minds, but we can follow clear instructions.

Disputed items

Sometimes there's items that multiple family members want, or items where there's disagreement about value or who should have them. We stay well out of family disputes – that's not our job, and frankly we're not qualified to mediate those situations.

What we can do is photograph disputed items, secure them separately, and leave them for the family to resolve. We've had jobs where we've cleared ninety percent of a house but left one room locked with specific items inside while inheritance disputes got sorted. Once that's resolved, we come back and handle whatever's decided.

If you tell us something's disputed or potentially contentious, we'll photograph it from multiple angles, document its condition, and make sure there's a clear record of what happened to it. Transparency helps avoid accusations later about items going missing or being damaged.



Insurance and liability

We're fully insured for the work we do, but insurance doesn't cover situations where items weren't identified upfront. If you tell us a sideboard contains valuable china and needs careful handling, we'll treat it accordingly. If you tell us to clear everything and it turns out there was valuable china in that sideboard, that's a different situation.

The best protection is communication. Tell us what's valuable, what's sentimental, what needs extra care. Show us photos if you're not going to be present. Give us clear instructions about what should be set aside rather than cleared. That way everyone knows where they stand.

Why Cardiff Families Choose Us for Bereavement Clearance

We've been handling bereavement clearances across Cardiff for years, and what we've learnt is that this type of work requires a different approach than standard house clearances. You're not just moving stuff – you're helping families through a difficult process while respecting someone's lifetime of possessions.

Local knowledge matters

Being based in Cardiff means we know the area properly. We know which auction houses specialise in what, which charities will collect furniture and which won't, where the recycling centres are and what they accept. We're not spending half the day driving around trying to find places to take items – we've got established relationships and we know exactly where everything needs to go.

We also understand Cardiff properties. Victorian terraces with narrow stairs in Roath. Post-war semis in Whitchurch with awkward access. Modern flats in Cardiff Bay with restricted parking. Every property type has its challenges, and we've cleared enough of them to know what we're dealing with before we arrive.

Respectful and professional

This isn't the time for rushed work or careless handling. We treat every clearance with the care it deserves, and we understand that for many families this is one of the harder things they'll need to arrange. Our team knows how to communicate sensitively, when to give people space, and how to handle difficult conversations when they arise.

We've had family members break down during clearances because opening a cupboard brought back memories. We've had situations where relatives have disagreed about items on the day. We've worked with elderly executors who found the whole process overwhelming. Whatever the situation, we handle it professionally and with empathy.

Fully licensed and insured

We're registered waste carriers, which means we're legally allowed to transport and dispose of household waste. We're fully insured for the work we do. We dispose of items through proper channels using licensed facilities. You're not going to get a call six months later saying your relative's belongings were fly-tipped somewhere because we cut corners.



Available when you need us

Bereavement doesn't happen on a convenient schedule. We work seven days a week, and we can accommodate urgent clearances when needed. Whether you need something done this week or you're planning months ahead around probate timelines, we'll work to your schedule.

Frequently Asked Bereavement Clearance Questions

If you're facing the task of clearing a property after losing someone, we can take that burden off your shoulders. Send us photos through our website for a quick quote, or call us on 029 2271 5222 to discuss your situation. We're available seven days a week, and we'll answer your questions honestly about what's involved, how long it'll take, and what it'll cost.

Bereavement clearance isn't something anyone looks forward to arranging, but with the right help it doesn't have to add to an already difficult time. Let us handle the practical side whilst you focus on what matters.

Call 029 2271 5222 or request a quote online – we're here when you need us.