Compulsive Hoarding
Clearing a hoarders house
Jeffrey Avery and Associates are specialists in the clearance of premises which have become unusually full of possessions, to the point that significant additional resources are required to clear the property. This often arises as a result of compulsive hoarding, which may be a manifestation of obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD. (See our Compulsive Hoarding FAQ's for more information about OCD disorder and OCD symptoms) If you have the task of clearing a hoarders house, which is filled to capacity, or you simply wish to de-clutter, we can help.
Common problems that arise when clearing a hoarded house include:
- The sheer weight of possessions may cause structural damage to floorboards, and electrical and water services, creating trip and other hazards.
- Hazardous and toxic materials may be present, which, when originally stored, were legal, but now require special handling. (eg Asbestos)
- Often items of value are hidden among what appears to be rubbish. These require careful sorting and handling so that they can be handed back to the owner.
- Animal hoarding: In cases where pets were present in large numbers, there may be additional health hazards present which require special treatment.
We have all the necessary facilities to deal with such cases, and, just as in a normal clearance, we will make every effort to re-use and recycle all items recovered, in order to ensure that as little as possible is disposed of in authorized local authority waste disposal facilities.
We are always available to clear a hoarded house, loft, garage or other parts of the premises. (For example, where you want to make use of a garage to house a vehicle, which has become full of old furniture, books and other accumulated possessions.) Within a few hours, any hoarded area will be clean and tidy, and available for use. We can clear a hoarded property, (or part of a property) within hours.
In all cases of hoarding, whether compulsive, or due to ill health, we will always guarantee our Clients confidentiality. All our staff are required to sign confidentiality clauses as a condition of employment, and no details of the clearance will ever be disclosed to any third party without the permission of the client.
In the past year we have carried out more than 40 instances of hoarded property clearance, including:
- A house where the owner had over 30 animals, who were never allowed out, and where parts of the property had become heavily contaminated. In this case our specially trained team cleared and cleaned the premises, thereby restoring it to its original condition. In this case we also arranged for our carpenter to replace some of the floorboards which had rotted away.
- A third floor flat with over a ton of books, CDs and long play records. Hidden behind some of the books, which made two of the rooms in the flat inaccessible, we located important documents, which were returned to the relatives of the owner.
- We cleared a garage, with 60 bags of cement, which had hardened as a result of damp, among other items, such as wood, etc. Parts of the floor had cracked, as a result of moisture and cold, and we arranged for the roof and floor to be repaired, so that the building was left clean, clear and completely serviceable.
For free advice and information on clearing a hoarded house, or on de-cluttering, contact Jeff Avery on 0800 567 7769.
More information on the causes of compulsive hoarding.
Compulsive hoarding may be characterized as the obsessive collection of goods, to the point where this has a detrimental effect on a persons life. Although most of us acquire possessions, or have a collecting hobby, we do not do so to the point where our accumulated goods have a detrimental effect on our everyday lives.
There is no precise definition of compulsive hoarding, but symptoms may include:
- Acquiring and failing to discard of large quantities of possessions, most of which have little or no value
- Living space so cluttered that normal life becomes difficult
- Distress or impairment of normal functioning as a result of the hoarding
- Reluctance or inability to return borrowed items.
Hoarders may believe mistakenly that items are, or may in the future become extremely valuable, or may be overwhelmed by the amount of possessions that have built up over the years. An example might be the retaining of a particular type of toy, or the failure to remove out of date food from a fridge.
Hoarding may or may not be related to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Several traits are common to hoarders, but it does not seem to involve the same neurological mechanisms. The condition may also be related to ICD, or Impulse Control Disorder.
More information on compulsive hoarding: Wikipedia
