Flat Clearance Edinburgh | Tenement & Apartment Clearance

Edinburgh is a city of flats. From the soaring Victorian tenements of Marchmont and Bruntsfield to the elegant Georgian townhouses of the New Town, the four-in-a-block cottages of Craigentinny, and the modern dockside apartments of Leith, the city's housing stock is heavily skewed towards stair-access properties. Clearing them well is a particular skill — one we have been refining for over a decade.

The Tenement Challenge

Edinburgh's tenements present clearance challenges that simply do not exist in suburban houses. Communal stairs shared with neighbours mean we cannot leave items lying around. Tight stairwells make manoeuvring large furniture genuinely difficult — wardrobes and sofas often have to come apart before they will fit round the half-landings. Many top-floor flats have four or five flights between the front door and the street. Parking on most tenement streets is restricted, often to residents only, and unloading in front of a communal close requires careful planning. We use stair-runners to protect shared walls and stone treads, we move quietly between flats early in the day, and we make sure the close is left as we found it.

Lift Access and the Modern Stock

Newer developments at Quartermile, Western Harbour, Quartermile, McDonald Road and elsewhere typically have lift access but bring their own complications: residents' parking schemes, time-restricted loading, concierge or factor approval required for moving large items, lift weight limits, protection of newly-finished communal corridors. We coordinate with factors and concierges as a matter of course, and our team carries lift protection materials as standard.

Estate Agent and Landlord Work

Many of our flat clearances are commissioned by Edinburgh estate agents preparing properties for sale, or by landlords turning around rental flats between tenants. We work to short deadlines when needed — a tenant moving out on Friday means a deep-cleared, ready-to-let flat by Monday is achievable. We coordinate with cleaning teams, decorators and locksmiths so the whole turnaround happens in sequence.

What Tenants and New Owners Often Leave Behind

A surprising amount. We routinely clear flats that look largely empty on first inspection but contain attic boxes from the previous owner, cellar storage that hasn't been opened in years, awkward heavy items the previous tenant could not move, and built-in furniture that needs careful dismantling. Our flat clearance quote covers all of this — there are no surprise items for which we charge extra on the day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you clear a top-floor flat with no lift?

Absolutely — that is most of what we do. There is no surcharge for stairs in tenement flats. The cost is the same whether you are on the ground floor or the fourth floor.

Do you provide a stair carpet or wall protection?

Yes. We carry runners and corner protectors as standard, and we leave the communal stair as clean as we found it. Tenement neighbours and stair factors are uniformly happy with how we work.

What about parking permits?

Edinburgh's central parking zones can be tricky. We are familiar with the city's permit scheme and can arrange short-term loading permits where required. We will discuss parking at the survey stage.

Can you work to a same-day or next-day deadline?

Often, yes — depending on schedule. We carry capacity for urgent estate agent and landlord work. Phone us and we will tell you immediately what we can do.

Do you handle student let clearances?

Yes. End-of-summer student turnaround is a regular fixture for us across Marchmont, Newington, Tollcross and the city's other student areas.