The UK standard for house clearance

Clear a home without the risk.

We set the standard for honest house clearance in the UK — vetting companies, holding them to a code of practice, and giving you someone to turn to if things go wrong.

InsuredPublic liability cover
LicensedWaste carrier registered
AccountableBound by our code
VERIFIED MEMBER
Established standard Vetted members Code of practice Disputes resolution
Our purpose

We exist to raise standards in house clearance and to protect people from rogue operators. Our badge on a company's website means one thing: you can hire them with confidence.

What we stand for

Standards that protect the people who hire

Most people will need a house clearance company at some point — often at a difficult time. We make sure the company they choose plays fair.

Trust

Every member confirms they meet our criteria and provides their licence and insurance up front.

Transparency

Clear quotes and contracts. No payment demanded up front, no surprise charges once the work has started.

Responsibility

Members are insured and registered to carry waste with the Environment Agency, so waste is removed legally — never fly-tipped.

Care

Clearances often follow a bereavement or a move. Members treat customers with courtesy and tact.

Accountability

Break the code of practice and a member is removed from the register and flagged. No exceptions.

Environment

Reuse and recycling come first. Landfill is the last resort, not the default.

How membership works

What it takes to carry our badge

Membership isn't automatic. Companies apply, supply evidence, and agree to be held to account.

01

Apply

The company submits its details and confirms it has traded for at least a year.

02

Provide evidence

They upload their waste carrier licence and public liability insurance.

03

Agree the code

They sign up to our code of practice and to resolving disputes fairly.

04

Get listed

Approved companies join the public register and may display our verified badge.

Protect yourself

How to spot a rogue clearance company

  • They demand full payment up front, before any work begins.
  • Not registered to carry waste with the Environment Agency, and no public liability insurance.
  • No written quote or contract.
  • Vague terms and pressure to decide on the spot.
  • No registered company name or proper address.
Up to £1,000

If waste from your home is fly-tipped and traced back to you, you can be issued a fixed penalty of up to £1,000 — and far more if the case goes to court — even though someone else dumped it. By law you must check your carrier is registered. Hiring a company from our register protects you.

Find a registered company →
The register

Find a verified house clearance company

Search our register of companies that have provided their licence and insurance and signed up to our code.

Building the register now — early members join free. Run a clearance company? Add your company →

★ Free to join — founding members

Run a house clearance company? Join the register.

We're building the UK's register of trusted house clearance companies. Membership is free while we get started — and founding members get listed and earn the verified badge at no cost.

  • A listing in our public register, seen by customers near you
  • The right to display our verified badge on your own site
  • A mark of trust that sets you apart from rogue operators
Common questions

Frequently asked

We keep a register of house clearance companies that have provided their waste carrier licence and insurance and agreed to our code of practice. We set standards for the industry and help resolve disputes between customers and members.

Look for our verified badge on the company's website, and check that they appear in our register on this site. If they're listed, they've supplied their registration and insurance and signed up to our code. You can also check any carrier yourself for free on the Environment Agency's public register of waste carriers.

Membership is currently free while we build the register. Founding members get listed and earn the verified badge at no cost.

A company must have traded for at least a year, hold public liability insurance and be registered to carry waste with the Environment Agency, and agree to our code of practice. Proof of registration and insurance is uploaded as part of the application.

Email us at info@houseclearanceassociation.org.uk with the details. We act as a go-between to help resolve the issue, and members who breach the code are removed from the register.

For members

Code of Practice

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Every member of the House Clearance Association agrees to follow this code of practice. It exists to protect customers and to keep the standard of our register high. Breaching it means removal from the register.

1. Honesty and transparency

2. Licensing and insurance

3. Legal and responsible disposal

4. Conduct with customers

5. Accountability

This code may be updated as the Association develops. Members will be notified of material changes.

Legal

Privacy Policy

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This policy explains what information the House Clearance Association collects, why, and what your rights are. We aim to collect as little as possible and to keep it secure.

Who we are

The House Clearance Association operates this website and the associated register of member companies. You can contact us at info@houseclearanceassociation.org.uk.

What we collect

When a company applies to join the register, we collect, via our application form:

If you contact us with a complaint or enquiry, we collect the details you choose to send us.

Why we collect it

We use this information to verify that a company meets our membership criteria, to list approved members in our public register, and to handle enquiries and disputes. The lawful basis is our legitimate interest in running a trusted register, and your consent where you provide it.

How documents are handled

Application documents — your waste carrier licence and public liability insurance — are uploaded directly through the secure form on this website and stored in our own encrypted storage on Cloudflare. No third-party service receives them. They are used only to assess and maintain membership, and are not shared with anyone else except as required by law.

What appears publicly

Only your business listing details — company name, area, phone and website — appear in the public register. Your licence and insurance documents are never published.

Your rights

You can ask us to see, correct or delete the information we hold about you, or to remove your company from the register, by emailing info@houseclearanceassociation.org.uk. You can also complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

Last updated: June 2026.