Frequently Asked Questions - House Clearance, Antiques and Fine Art Valuations
where do I start with a house clearance?
Seek professional advice in good time.
What’s the best way to organise a house clearance?
Seek professional advice from the outset before disposing of anything, don’t order a skip straight away.
What risks are there when clearing a house?
Untrustworthy people might take away items of value with no financial return to you, leaving you with low value items and rubbish. They may dispose of rubbish fraudulently or damage the property, causing upset at a stressful time.
What’s the best process for sorting a house clearance?
Find a regulated professional valuer with experience of managing house clearances. This will ensure efficient project management of the whole process from the removal and sale of valuable/saleable items and oversee the removal and safe disposal of rubbish or charity stock.
Do I need to consult a professional valuer for house clearance advice?
Yes, it’s always advisable to get a professional to assess all the contents as there may be items of value that aren’t obvious. Avoid the temptation to look items up online and make a judgement about the value. This can often give a false perspective of what is valuable.
Is it best to seek professional advice to clear my house before I start sorting things?
Yes, always find a suitable trustworthy person who will guide you through the process and ensure that you receive the appropriate value for the contents.
Why can’t I just get a ‘man and van’ to clear my house?6
While there are some good operatives who will take everything, they probably won’t have any specialist knowledge. Some providers are known to be fraudulent and will charge you to ‘dispose’ of saleable items.
What sort of items sell in an auction?
Most items, even if they seem insignificant will have a value. It’s best not to dismiss anything until checking with a specialist.
Do I need specialist advice to clear my relative’s house?
Yes, its’s always best to check with an experienced professional. A fee may be charged if the property is some distance away or for some reason you are unlikely to proceed to sale with the contents, but often it’s a free service with no obligation.
Do I need to get a probate valuation before I start to clear things from my parent’s house?
Check with your legal or financial advisor first, but if a formal valuation is required then it’s important not to remove anything from the property. I can provide suitable valuations for this purpose.
Is it best to clear rubbish from my house before getting house clearers in?
It may be ok if it’s obvious landfill rubbish, but overall, hold back until somebody has assessed things professionally. You have nothing to lose and it may be highly beneficial.
Do I need to unpack everything so a valuer can assess what is of value?
No, not necessarily - it’s often the case that somebody with a trained experienced eye can make a judgement based on what else is visible. It’s generally best to leave things as they are and certainly not start packing things or doing runs to the charity shops.
Specific Questions - Richard Plant Valuations
Are you a member of a professional body?
Yes, I’m a member of the National Association of Valuers and Auctions, who regulate what I do and provide up to date guidance.
Are you insured?
I have professional indemnity insurance which covers you during the process. The auctioneers will also provide indemnity insurance.
Do you make calls to value single items?
Yes, I can assess a small range of items and provide a verbal valuation, or take them away for sale by auction, providing a suitable receipt. There may be a call out fee or costs for delivery to the auctioneers.
Where will my items be sold?
I work for (as a consultant) and in conjunction with a leading Midlands based firm of Auctioneers. They are highly regulated and experienced having regular sales of a general and specialist nature, including country house sales. All sales are online with two selling platforms.
What are their terms?
These may be subject to change, but the basic current rate of commission is 15% of the hammer price. There is a £2 lotting fee per lot. There is a 1.5% charge for loss or damage cover. There are other additional fees depending on the nature of the consignment, but this would all be made transparent before proceeding to sale. VAT is also applicable.
How long would it take for me to get my proceeds and what about paperwork?
Usually 21-28 days under normal circumstances. All transactions are supported with relevant paperwork pre and post auction, which is ideal for administrators or executors who need to provide other interested parties with necessary details.
What is the process for clearing my property?
This would normally happen in a phased procedure. After the initial assessment by me, I would organise suitable transport, if necessary, for the safe removal of saleable and valuable items. The residual contents would then be re-assessed and items then sorted into charity donations (if desired) or items to be disposed of to landfill.
We have a massive amount of stuff in the house such as books, records and toys, etc, can you deal with this?
Yes, large collections, although challenging sometimes, can be tackled sympathetically.
Will you supervise the clearance?
Usually yes, I will project-manage the process, although I’m not normally in attendance for the removal of rubbish. My sympathetic hands-on approach means that I will coordinate things in a sensitive way.
Is there a charge for that?
The usual terms at £30 per hour on site plus travelling costs. This helps to ensure that no items are missed or discarded inappropriately and that everything is well coordinated. This is helpful when clients live some distance away, or don’t have time available.
When is your invoice due for payment?
After the work is completed to your satisfaction, post clearance.
We only want to sell a few things before the property is sold, can you help us ‘dress’ the house?
Yes, I can provide this service which has become popular and can certainly help with selling the property.
Do you work with other operatives and are they trustworthy?
Yes, aside from the auction house I work alongside a team of general house clearers who will be handling non-valuable items. They are experienced and trustworthy and work frequently with other agencies such as solicitors and estate agents.
What are the fees for the clearance of the rubbish?
These are variable depending on what this includes, such as white goods and electrical items, mattresses, etc. I will always try to balance fees against saleable effects and find a way forward for managing the costings.
Do you sell cars and vehicles as well?
Yes, I can act as an agent for the sale of all manner of items including cars, motor bikes, guns, garden effects, workshop sales, etc.
Should I be embarrassed about asking the value of things?
No, certainly not, many items would appear to have little value but can bring surprising results at auction in a worldwide open market. It’s always best to check if in doubt and there is never any embarrassment in doing so.
