How To Spot (And Avoid) A Dodgy Home Clearance Company

You’d be forgiven for thinking that choosing a company to help with home rubbish clearance in London would technically be as easy as choosing the first brand that comes along with an attractive low price. And indeed this is one option on the cards, but at the same time it’s worth remembering that there are enormous differences in terms of service quality and value for money from one provider to the next.

It’s not something that most people are aware of, but as far as local councils up and down the United Kingdom are concerned, your rubbish and your old household items are 100% your responsibility when it comes to ensuring they are disposed of responsibly. Shocking as it may be, it’s not uncommon for lacklustre and irresponsible home clearance companies to take the waste products of their clients and simply dump them illegally in any given location. But what might come as an even bigger shock to some is that when and where this happens, the rubbish is often traced back to its original owners and it is they themselves who are held responsible.

Needless to say therefore, the importance of avoiding dodgy home clearance companies is pretty evident to say the least, but how can you be sure you yourself do not fall foul of an irresponsible operator?

1 – Licensing

Well, first of all in order for any business such as these to legally carry your rubbish in any way, shape or form, they need to have a waste carrier’s license provided by the environment agency. This is a fundamental legal requirement for anyone working in the industry, which in turn means that those without such licensing are breaking the law in a pretty serious way. Of course, it’s a subject that those who play by the rules are in no way afraid to discuss and chances are you’ll find all the evidence you need of their licensing on their website. If on the other hand you have even the slightest shred of doubt, ask them directly.

2 – No Fixed Address

One of the simplest and most effective checks of all to carry out prior to deciding which companies go with is that of their contact details. The reason being that now more than ever, it’s possible and incredibly easy for anyone with a car or van to build a basic website and advertise themselves as home clearance specialists. Of course they are nothing of the sort and are just looking to make a bit of extra money on the side, with a business that’s both irresponsible and illegal. These are usually easy to spot as when and where a removals business is indeed a fully legitimate and registered business, it will have its own business address, landline telephone number, dedicated e-mail addresses and so on. By contrast, to come across of clearly a residential address, a mobile telephone number and a Gmail address should set alarm bells ringing.

3 – Vague Answers

It’s never a bad idea to put a perspective clearance company on the spot and to ask them outright what exactly they plan to do with your items. In the instance of a company that is 100% above board and proud of how it operates, chances are they’ll revel in the opportunity to tell you just how responsible the disposal and recycling methods they use are. By contrast, if they don’t seem to be able to give you an immediate, detailed and comprehensive explanation as to what it is they do with your stuff, there’s a good chance this is because they would rather you not know the truth.

4 – Suspiciously Low Prices

Never forget that there are plenty of expenses that must be met by house clearance companies in order to get the job done. From the specialist equipment they use to the vehicles they purchase to the fuel they consume throughout the day and right through to the costs of using specialist tipping sites, it can be a pretty expensive process to say the least. As such, when and where you come across a clearance company that seems to be offering its services for prices that appear far too good to be true, chances are they aren’t following the rules.

5 – Vague Estimates

Last but not least, it’s relatively rare these days to come across a home clearance company which doesn’t provide 100% guaranteed quotes the likes of which will never be affected by hidden charges or extras. Nevertheless, there will always be those businesses on the rather grey end of the spectrum that continue to offer nothing more than vague estimates as a means by which to jack up the price unnecessarily later on.