Frequently Asked Questions

Pricing is based on three factors: volume of waste leaving the property, access difficulty (top-floor tenement with no lift versus ground-floor with driveway), and time on site. We do not charge by the hour — every quote is a fixed all-in price agreed in writing before any work begins. The price covers labour, vehicle, fuel, all disposal and recycling fees, and your waste transfer note.

No. Survey visits and written quotes are free, with no obligation. We come out across Edinburgh and the surrounding counties at no charge, and we will give you a fixed-price quote in writing before any work begins.

Yes. Edinburgh Clearance is a registered waste carrier with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). Our registration is the legal minimum for anyone moving waste in Scotland, and we provide a waste transfer note for every job — important documentation if you are an executor, landlord, or business.

£5 million public liability insurance, plus employers' liability cover for our team, and goods-in-transit cover for items being moved. Certificates are available on request.

Never. Every clearance is carried out by Edinburgh Clearance employees, in Edinburgh Clearance vehicles, working to Edinburgh Clearance standards. We do not pass jobs to third parties.

We cannot take asbestos (this requires a licensed asbestos removal contractor), clinical waste (sharps, dressings, etc., which need clinical waste disposal), live ammunition or explosives, gas cylinders that haven't been certified empty, and high-volume hazardous chemicals beyond domestic quantities. For all of these, we can recommend the right specialist contractor.

Items in usable condition are routed to charity for resale or reuse — primarily Bethany Christian Trust, Edinburgh Cyrenians, Shelter Scotland and the Salvation Army. Recyclables (metals, electricals, textiles, wood, glass, paper) go to licensed recycling facilities. Only material that genuinely cannot be reused or recycled — usually a small minority — goes for energy recovery or to landfill.

Either is fine. Many customers prefer to be there, particularly for the first hour, to identify items they want kept or to point out anything special. Equally, many bereavement and probate clearances are done with the executor giving us keys and instructions in advance, and we work alone — returning keys at the end. Our body-cam policy means the work is fully recorded either way.

We hold spare capacity for urgent work and can often respond same-week, sometimes next-day. If you are working to a tight deadline (sale completion, lease handover, executry timetable), call us and we will tell you honestly what we can fit in.

If you would rather they didn't, we work discreetly. Unmarked vehicles on request, plain clothing without prominent branding, and a quiet professional manner. Many of our clearances — particularly bereavement work — happen without neighbours realising what is going on.

Set aside immediately, never thrown out. Cash, jewellery, deeds and personal papers, photographs, military memorabilia — anything that looks personal, sentimental or potentially valuable is bagged and labelled for your review at the end of the day. This is standard practice and is in our terms.

Yes, with full sensitivity. We have a dedicated hoarder clearance service with appropriate biohazard equipment, training, and a non-judgemental approach. We work alongside social services, family members and the person affected, at the pace that suits them.

In domestic quantities, yes. We are licensed to transport hazardous household waste, and it is taken to appropriate licensed disposal facilities. Tell us roughly what is there at the quote stage. We cannot take industrial-scale hazardous materials — those require specialist contractors.

Yes — single-item collection is a service we offer. There is a fair fixed collection fee that reflects vehicle, fuel and disposal costs, and we usually book within the same week. See our furniture removal page for details.

Regularly. Many of our clearances are commissioned by Edinburgh solicitors handling probate, and by estate agents preparing properties for sale. We can liaise directly, provide quotes formatted for estate accounting, and handle key collection and return.

Bank transfer, debit card and credit card. We invoice on the day of completion for residential customers, and on standard 30-day terms for business and solicitor clients with established accounts.