FAQs
If you have any questions or queries regarding our business, services and practices please take a few moments to look through our frequently asked questions where we hope to answer your questions and queries in plain english. If you can’t find an answer to your question, give us a call on our free phone service on 0800 0352653 or drop us an e-mail and we’ll gladly help you out.
Note you must tell us the following:
Is the property cluttered or verminous?
Apart from the house is there a garage, loft, shed or out-building to be cleared?
Is there good access to the property for our vans to load?
What size vehicle do you require?
(See vehicle options at the bottom of this page: Most customers opt for option 2)
Why should you choose us?
Our Promise To You!
Questions to ask other companies
What do you clear?
Is your company insured against accidents or injury?
Are you a registered waste carrier?
What does a house or office clearance usually entail?
Do you have a standard rate?
Do you buy items?
Do you ever clear houses for free?
Why are your prices lower than other house/office clearance companies?
Where does all the rubbish go?
What areas do you cover?
What days and times do you work?
Can you clean the property once it has been cleared?
Do I need to live near to the property for you to do the job?
Do you disconnect all appliances?
What happens to any personal items like paperwork etc?
What happens if you find something valuable in a house?
Can I pop out while you’re doing the job?
What type of vans do you use?
What happens if there is excess waste left over?
When can you do the job?
If you want a property cleared correctly and professionally then you need to phone Abacus. To demonstrate just how efficient we are, take a look at these house clearance photos or these office clearance photos. However, don’t take our word for it, read these genuine letters sent in by our customers. (We have a very good reputation to maintain!)
We will not turn up late
We will not let you down
We will recycle as much as we possibly can
(we strive to recycle 75% and over of all waste)
Questions to ask other companies
1: Are they able to clear everything in the property? A lot of companies are limited to 1.5 - 2 tonnes of general household waste.
2: Do they have full liability insurance and a waste carriers license?
3: Are their staff fully trained, qualified and experienced?
Notice: This paragraph is taken from the defra.gov.uk website: If fly-tipped waste is traced back to a particular household, the householders could be fined up to £5000. However, the ultimate aim is not to fine people, but to ensure that they use registered waste carriers.
Make sure you choose a company that is registered with the Environmental Agency and hold the required licences to carry and dispose of waste, just like Abacus.
We clear all types of property and waste including deceased estates, properties for sale, offices, factories, churches, schools and much more. Each property is cleared from top to bottom: clothes, blankets, bric-a-brac, sheds, garages, carpets and even the food from the cupboards.
We don’t stop until you are satisfied - we have even removed end of life cars, boats and caravans. We perform full or partial house clearances as well as clearing garages, verminous properties, lofts, flats and commercial properties.
The only items that we do not clear are heavy building waste material such as bricks, concrete and rubble and hazardous chemicals. These damage our vans and so may need to be disposed of using a skip. However, we clear ALL other rubbish.
Is your company insured against accidents or injury?
Yes, we have full public liability insurance in place.
Are you a registered waste carrier?
Yes, we are fully registered with the Environment Agency
What does a house or office clearance usually entail?
When you call us, we will arrange to come and clear the property at the time that is most convenient for you. We will arrive at the given time and clear everything that you tell us to clear. Usually, a full property can be cleared within 2 to 3 hours.
We will quote you a price over the phone, once you have told us the size of the property and given us a rough idea of what there is to be cleared. We believe our rates to be the cheapest in the Midlands, North East England, Yorkshire, North West England and Scotland. The price you pay Abacus includes everything: our diesel costs, our labour costs and our tipping costs. Furthermore, there will be NO extra hidden costs. Please phone Chris our operations manager for a free quote on FREEPHONE 0800 0352653
The service we provide is very good value for money when you consider that to clear a standard, 3-bedroom property, you would probably need to hire 3-4 skips at a cost of between £140-£200 each plus additional permit costs if necessary. You would then have to fill them yourself as well as organizing skip delivery times, permits and more. At Abacus, we turn up in a lorry or van and our staff clear everything within a couple of hours!
Please note: All prices subject to VAT
We only buy antiques & jewellry. Click here to view our antique site.
Do you ever clear houses for free?
We have been know to clear houses for free or buy items if the house contains old antique type items we can sell. Click here for details
Why are your prices lower than other house/office clearance companies?
Since we recycle, on average, 75% of all contents we avoid paying large tipping fees like other companies. Most other clearances companies send all their waste to the tip and therefore charge more to make up for the extra cost of tipping fees.
Where does all the rubbish go?
We take all rubbish contents to a Waste and Recycling Management site where it is sorted and recycled. If there are clothing or bedding items in the property, we donate them to animal rescue shelters and homeless organisations. If there are resalable items of furniture and bric-a-brac items we donate them to local charity shops.
We cover most parts of England and Scotland. Check out areas we cover for more details.
What days and times do you work?
We work 7 days a week and our operating times are from 7.00am until 8.00pm. We do not mind working on Saturdays and Sundays and in certain circumstances we can work “out of business hours.”
Can you clean the property once it has been cleared?
Yes, we offer a comprehensive cleaning service for an additional fee. Check out our house cleaning services section for more details.
Do I need to live near to the property for you to do the job?
No, we do not need you to be at the property whilst we clear it. You can leave the keys with a neighbour or simply post the keys to us (by recorded mail) and we will post them back once the clearance is complete. If your solicitor, estate agent or neighbour is taking care of matters for you then we can pick the keys up from them and return them when the job is finished.
Remember, we know how stressful it can be to deal with a property clearance, especially a deceased estate. That’s why we’re here to help and be as flexible as possible in order to accommodate your needs. If you feel you need to oversee the work, then we work weekends if you are unable to book time away from work during the week.
Do you disconnect all appliances?
Yes (If standard installation), we do. In fact, we advise clients to leave the disconnection of appliances such as cookers (gas or electric) and washing machines to us as we are qualified and experienced in these areas.
What happens to any personal items like paperwork etc?
We simply shred all personal paperwork so that it does not fall into the wrong hands - this keeps you or your relative safe from identity theft.
What happens if you find something valuable in a house?
We hand it over to you. We have done many, many house clearances where we have found money, jewelry or personal items. Our clients are often shocked at our honesty. If we are 100% trustworthy and do a good job for you, would you recommend our services to others? Make sure to read the genuine letters of appreciation sent in to us from past customers before you call us for a free quote.
Can I pop out while you’re doing the job?
Yes, of course you can. Believe it or not, many of our past customers have just left us to do the job alone. In particular, when the clearance is of a deceased estate, people can find the experience distressing. With this in mind, we are always willing to work independently.
You have the option of 3 vehicle size types. 1 - the standard Box Luton van, 2 - the Box Luton van with a trailer or 3 - a 7.5 tonnes cargo box van. Abacus will advise you as to what van option is more suitable to your needs based on the size of the property needing cleared and the contents in the house.
The van
Load Length: 13.2ft (4.02m)
Load Width: 6.9ft (2.14m)
Load Height: 7ft (2.14m)
Payload: 1667kg (1.6 tonnes)
The van
Load Length: 13.2ft (4.02m)
Load Width: 6.9ft (2.14m)
Load Height: 7ft (2.14m)
Payload: 1667kg (1.6 tonnes)
The trailer
Load Length: 10ft (3.04m)
Load Width: 5ft (1.52m)
Load Height: 5ft (1.52m)
Payload 1000kg: (1 tonnes)
Box van + trailer combined
Total Load Length: 23.2ft (7.06m)
Total Payload: 2.667kg (2.6 tonnes)
The van
Load Length: 20ft (6.09m)
Load Width: 8ft (2.43m)
Load Height: 10ft (3.04m)
Payload: 2420kg (2.4 tonnes)
What happens if there is excess waste left over?
If there is any excess waste left over once the van is full we will arrange for a skip to be delivered which we will fill for you, but you will have to pay for the skip hire and any permit that may be necessary.
We can do the job TODAY or within 24 hours of your call. If it is more convenient for you however, we are always happy to schedule it for a later date of your choosing. Please phone Chris our operations manager for a free quote on FREEPHONE 0800 0352653
Notice: All prices subject to VAT
