3 VERY important reasons you should use a licensed house clearance company

We’ve all heard of the phrase ‘doing something by the book’. It means doing something properly, the way it should be done. No short cuts. When investing in a product or service, another commonly used phrase is ‘you get what you pay for’. This is typically true in our business.

We work on various types of projects, from general house clearance, to nursing home clearance to probate and deceased estates. We have a large knowledge base for every specialty of house clearance that we cater for. This has been picked up from years in the business and genuinely caring about our clients and their needs.

Sometimes people tell us they’ve found someone cheaper to see if we can match their price. Every single time we’ve had this happen, it’s been down to one thing. The ‘competitor’ they’ve found with the cheaper fee is completely unlicensed.

This immediately returns a question of ‘what does that mean?’. So we’re here to tell you what it means exactly and why you should stay clear of unlicensed house removal companies.

1. Fly Tipping

If the company you’re using is unlicensed then what they’re doing will be classed as ‘fly-tipping’. Your belongings could be dumped on a corner or down a country lane and then it’s then the council’s duty to clear this up.

If they find any documentation that points to where the dumped items came from, you could face a fine of up to £50,000 or 12 months’ imprisonment. It’s a criminal offence.

These unlicensed ‘companies’ have earnt the name ‘Facebook Fly-tippers’. This is because they have been known to advertise to remove belongings for cheap, then dumping them in the countryside. It’s actually now an offence to not check whether your removal company is licensed.

At House Clearance Local, we have excellent relationships with scrapyards, charities, furniture upcyclers, paper recyclers etc. So your goods will always be disposed of properly.

2. Public Liability Insurance

A professional, licensed house clearance company like ourselves will have public liability insurance. If the company is unlicensed, it’s unlikely they will have this.

It’s to cover us (and you) against incident, accidents or damage in the process of undertaking the house clearance.

It’s not essential to have public liability insurance as a house removal company, but every professional firm should have it.

Imagine part of your property got badly damaged by the team during the house clearance. Who would cover that cost? Exactly. If the firm is insured, then their insurance will cover it.

3. Piece of mind

If you’re thinking of going down the cheap (and illegal) route of using one a company that is unlicensed, you should be aware of the risks. You should know what to expect if there is an accident or your waste is fly-tipped. We’re sure this will make you feel uneasy and stressed during this period.

Using a professional, fully-licensed house clearance firm gives you reassurance from the start that things will go smoothly. And if, for some reason, that they don’t; both you and the company will be covered by insurance.

So many people aren’t unaware of the implications that using an unlicensed house clearance company can bring. We’re always doing what we can to warn people not to fall for the cheap prices. It goes back to the saying, ‘you get what you pay for’. If something is too cheap to be true, it probably is.

For a free, no-obligation estimate quote or some advice, please give us a call on 07909 846679 or 01452 290086.