What Can House Clearance Companies Take?
A professional house clearance can remove a very wide range of household contents, but “everything” should never be taken literally. Normal furniture and household rubbish are very different from asbestos, chemicals, gas cylinders or clinical waste. Some items can be collected but need a separate disposal route or surcharge; other materials need a specialist contractor.
The safest rule is simple: show unusual items before the quote. Do not hide them in black bags or assume a clearance crew can take an unidentified container just because it came from a house.
Common Items We Can Quote For
Furniture
Beds, wardrobes, tables, chairs, cabinets, shelving and other household furniture.
General Household Contents
Clothing, books, toys, kitchenware, ornaments, boxes and ordinary loose household items.
Bagged Waste
General non-hazardous household rubbish that has been correctly described and is safe to handle.
Appliances
Many household electrical items, with fridges/freezers and other specialist appliances identified separately.
Loft & Garage Contents
Stored boxes, old furniture and general contents, subject to the actual waste types present.
Garden Items
Furniture, pots and suitable garden waste where included in the agreed clearance.
Items That Usually Need To Be Declared Separately
| Item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Sofas and upholstered seating | Waste upholstered domestic seating may need separate handling because of persistent organic pollutant (POPs) rules. |
| Mattresses | Bulky disposal item and normally charged separately. |
| Fridges and freezers | Require an appropriate specialist disposal/recycling route. |
| Gas bottles | Pressurised containers must be declared and handled separately. |
| Tyres | Not treated as ordinary mixed household waste and normally surcharged. |
| Paint, oils and liquids | Contents and condition need to be identified before collection. |
| Batteries | Should not be hidden inside mixed waste because they can create fire and handling risks. |
| Electrical items | WEEE should follow an appropriate recycling/disposal route. |
Waste That Is Not A Normal House Clearance Item
Suspected asbestos, clinical waste, sharps, unknown chemicals, hazardous industrial material and other controlled substances are not something to mix into a normal household clearance. They may need specialist identification, packaging, transport or disposal.
Sofas, Armchairs And Upholstered Seating
Upholstered seating deserves its own mention because the waste rules have changed in recent years. Certain waste upholstered domestic seating containing persistent organic pollutants must be managed separately rather than being casually mixed into general waste. That is one reason a sofa or armchair may have a separate charge even when there is spare room in the van.
If you have several sofas, armchairs or upholstered dining chairs, show them clearly in the quote video.
Fridges, Freezers And Electrical Appliances
Large appliances take up space and some require specific recycling routes. Fridges and freezers in particular should be declared in advance. Smaller electrical items should also be visible in the quote because electrical waste is better separated for appropriate treatment than hidden inside general black bags.
Paint, Chemicals And Unidentified Containers
Old garages and sheds can contain tins of paint, solvents, oils, weed killers, fuels and unlabelled containers. These are exactly the items that should be shown before attendance. A sealed tub with an unknown liquid is not equivalent to a bag of clothing.
If you do not know what a substance is, say so. That is safer than guessing or pouring it away.
Gas Bottles, Batteries And Tyres
Gas cylinders and batteries can create significant safety risks if hidden in mixed loads, while tyres follow their own disposal route. London Waste Van already treats gas bottles and tyres as surcharge items. Declare the number and type before booking so the quote reflects the actual job.
What About Personal Documents And Valuables?
They are not “prohibited waste”, but they should normally be removed from the clearance stream. Passports, birth certificates, deeds, bank papers, photographs, jewellery, cash and sentimental items should be separated before loading begins. This is especially important on probate and bereavement jobs.
How To Show Questionable Items For A Quote
- Photograph the item clearly from more than one angle.
- Show any label, hazard symbol or product name.
- Say whether a container is full, partly full or empty.
- Do not open or disturb something you think may be hazardous.
- Keep batteries, cylinders and chemicals separate from ordinary bags.
- Wait for confirmation before assuming it is included.
Send a photo before booking. We can tell you whether it belongs in the normal house-clearance quote, needs a surcharge, or requires another specialist route.
Send Photos For A QuoteUseful Related Guides
See What Does House Clearance Include? for the full service scope, What Happens To House Clearance Items? for reuse and disposal routes, and Furniture & Sofa Removal During House Clearance for bulky furniture details.
