We cover all areas of South Tyneside including South Shields, Jarrow, Hebburn, Boldon, and surrounding neighbourhoods.
We were recently contacted by a landlord from Leeds who had been left responsible for a one-bedroom first-floor flat in South Shields after the passing of a long-term tenant. The property had not been inspected in several years, and neighbours had reported unpleasant smells and vermin activity. The landlord needed a full clearance before the property could be deep cleaned, redecorated, and put back on the rental market.
He had initially looked into using a property management firm but was quoted inflated prices with multi-week delays. After a quick phone consultation with us and a review of photographs he emailed over, we offered a fixed price and arranged a clearance date within 48 hours.
On arrival:
Our South Shields house clearance team of three arrived on-site at 9 AM and were granted key access by the letting agent. The flat was in poor condition. Years of hoarding and neglect had left every room cluttered and unsanitary. The front room had a strong smell of damp, and much of the floor was hidden under piles of newspapers, boxes, and food containers.
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The living room was full of broken furniture, stacked takeaway cartons, hundreds of cigarette packets, and piles of magazines dating back to the 1980s.
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The kitchen had mouldy food still in the cupboards, a fridge filled with rotten perishables, and a cooker covered in thick grease. The washing machine had leaked and caused water damage to the floorboards.
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The bedroom was wall-to-wall with bags of clothing, shoes, and general rubbish. The bed was beyond saving and had to be dismantled for disposal.
Loft and communal storage:
There was also a loft space, accessed via a hatch above the hallway. Our team discovered it was filled with boxes of records, tools, and car parts — all unsorted. We cleared it entirely, ensuring nothing of importance was left behind.
Additionally, a small storage cupboard in the shared stairwell had been filled with broken vacuum cleaners, tins of paint, and rusted tools, which we also cleared at the landlord’s request.
Valuable and important items recovered:
Despite the state of the property, we managed to recover and return a few items of interest to the landlord and next of kin, including:
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A vintage watch in working condition (Omega)
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Two military medals from the Korean War
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Several family photographs and a wallet of old negatives
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A signed football program from the 1973 FA Cup Final
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A sealed envelope containing a birth certificate, tenancy documents, and banking correspondence
The watch and the football memorabilia were particularly meaningful to the tenant’s nephew, who later reached out to thank us personally.
Job completion:
The full clearance took just under 6 hours, with two van loads removed — one taken to a licensed recycling centre and another containing usable items dropped off at a local South Shields charity shop. We also removed all carpets, white goods, and bagged up several sharp and hazardous materials safely.
Client testimonial:
“I had no idea how bad things had got in that flat. I’m incredibly grateful to James and his team for dealing with everything so professionally. They handled a very unpleasant job quickly, thoroughly, and with real respect. The flat was unrecognisable by the end of the day. I’ll be using them again for future properties if needed.”