We cover all areas of Newcastle upon Tyne including Jesmond, Heaton, Fenham, Gosforth, Walker, Benwell, and surrounding areas.
We were recently contacted by the niece of an elderly gentleman who had lived alone for many years in a semi-detached property in the Fenham area of Newcastle. Her uncle had sadly passed away, and she needed the house cleared quickly so she could put it on the market. She had travelled up from Birmingham and was only in town for a couple of days.
The property was in a poor state of repair and heavily cluttered throughout. The client had initially approached a local auction house about selling a few items of value, but after learning about their commission structure, collection fees, and long waiting times, she decided to go with a straightforward, fixed-fee clearance instead. She contacted us for a same-day visit and was relieved we could book her in for the very next morning.
The situation we faced:
From the outside, the house appeared normal. But once inside, it became clear this was an extreme hoarding case. Every room, including the hallway and stairwell, was filled with stacked newspapers, food packaging, broken electronics, and general household waste. The smell of damp and mould was strong, and the floors were barely visible under the piles.
Our team of four turned up at 9 AM and worked non-stop throughout the day. We started from the upstairs bedrooms, which were piled high with clothes, magazines, and countless empty cardboard boxes.
Items found and preserved for the family:
Despite the overwhelming clutter, our trained staff carefully sifted through everything to ensure nothing of value or sentimental importance was thrown away. Among the items found and handed to the client were:
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Three 22ct gold wedding bands and a vintage ladies’ wristwatch
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A box of old photographs, many dating back to the 1940s
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A First World War death plaque (also known as a Dead Man’s Penny)
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A full set of 1930s Newcastle United match programmes
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Two original oil paintings by a local Tyneside artist
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Important paperwork including property deeds and a life insurance policy
The customer was particularly moved to receive the WWI memorial plaque, which had belonged to her great-grandfather.
Other challenges:
The kitchen was in particularly bad shape — food waste, rodent droppings, and a non-functional fridge filled with decayed contents meant our team had to use PPE and extra precautions. We also removed a broken cooker, washing machine, and fridge-freezer. All carpets were lifted due to damp and mould, and the stairs had to be carefully cleared step by step for safe access.
The rear yard was also cluttered with bin bags, rusted garden tools, and discarded furniture. We cleared everything and swept down the path before leaving.
Final result:
In total, the clearance required three full van loads. Around 6 tons of mixed waste were removed and taken to a licensed recycling centre. One van load of reusable furniture, books, and clothing was taken to a Newcastle-based charity shop.
The clearance, including carpets, white goods, and garden waste, was completed within 7 hours.
The client later left us this review:
“I’m so grateful to James and the team. What looked like an impossible task was handled with professionalism and care from start to finish. They didn’t just turn up and empty the house — they found and saved precious family heirlooms we thought were lost forever. I didn’t realise how much stress I was carrying until the job was done. I would recommend them without hesitation to anyone needing a house cleared in Newcastle.”
No delays, no hidden fees, immediate payment, and a guaranteed result — without the hassle of auctions.