Waste and clearance

House clearance

Clearing a whole house, attic or garage.

Whether this needs a licence in Ireland

Ireland

Licence required

Waste Collection Permit

Waste Collection Permit, issued or supervised by the National Waste Collection Permit Office. Ask for the registration number before the work starts and check it on the public register. Check the register: www.nwcpo.ie

Wording approved by Talqero; not yet reviewed by a solicitor

National Waste Collection Permit Officewww.nwcpo.ieChecked 11/10/2026

House clearance: what the job involves

Emptying a whole house, apartment, attic, shed or garage — often after a bereavement, before a sale, or at the end of a tenancy — with items sorted for keeping, donation, recycling and disposal. Done well, it is careful work: papers and valuables are set aside, and waste goes only to authorised outlets.

Also asked for as: house clearance after death · attic clearance · garage clearance · hoarder clean up · clear out house

How the job is usually done

A walk-through, in person or by video, to agree what stays, what goes and what is to be set aside.
Mark or remove anything the family wants to keep, and agree how papers and photographs are handled.
Sort as the clearance goes: reusable furniture, charity, recycling, electrical items and general waste.
Set aside documents, cash, jewellery, keys and anything personal found, for the family.
Load and transport each stream to an authorised facility or reuse outlet.
Leave the rooms empty and swept, and check the attic, sheds and garden.
Hand over the permit details and a note of what went where.

House clearance: what is included

Usually included

Sorting, carrying, loading and lawful disposal of the agreed contents
Setting aside personal papers, photographs and valuables found
Leaving the property empty and broom-swept

Usually not included — agree it separately

A deep or end-of-tenancy clean, unless quoted
Valuing antiques or buying items, unless agreed in writing
Removing fitted kitchens, carpets or sheds, unless quoted
Asbestos or chemical removal

Materials and who supplies them

Vans or trucks, boxes, bags and protective sheets — the clearance company’s own

How long it takes

A day for a typical apartment or small house; two or three days for a full family home with attic, garage and shed, and longer where a lot of sorting is needed.

When to book

When a property is being sold or let after a death, allow time for the family to go through it first; clearance companies can often fit a job in within a week.

House clearance: the rules in Ireland

What the official sources say, checked against them on the date shown. A summary, not legal advice — follow the link to read the rule itself.

Nobody other than a local authority may collect waste for reward without a waste collection permit. Permits are issued by the National Waste Collection Permit Office and list the waste types, vehicles and areas covered; collectors must show the permit number on their vehicles.
Applies to: the person or company taking the waste away
Waste Management Act 1996, section 34; National Waste Collection Permit Office · revisedacts.lawreform.ie · Checked 9 October 2026
A person may not transfer control of waste to anybody other than an appropriate person — in practice, a permitted collector or an authorised facility. If waste handed to an unpermitted collector is dumped and traced back, the householder can be held responsible.
Applies to: the householder
Waste Management Act 1996, section 32 · revisedacts.lawreform.ie · Checked 9 October 2026
A collector’s permit number can be checked on the National Waste Collection Permit Office register before the waste leaves.
Applies to: the householder
National Waste Collection Permit Office (Offaly County Council) · nwcpo.ie · Checked 9 October 2026
Old electrical items — fridges, washing machines, TVs, small appliances, batteries — can be returned free to an authorised collection point such as a civic amenity site, and a retailer must take an old appliance back free when you buy a like-for-like replacement.
Applies to: the householder and retailers
European Union (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Regulations 2014; Citizens Information · citizensinformation.ie · Checked 9 October 2026
Asbestos — often in old sheds, garage roofs, soffits, floor tiles and pipe lagging — may only be removed and handled as the asbestos regulations require, and goes as hazardous waste to an authorised facility, never into a general skip.
Applies to: anybody removing or disposing of it
Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Exposure to Asbestos) Regulations 2006 (as amended); Health and Safety Authority · hsa.ie · Checked 9 October 2026
When you buy a service, the trader must give the total price or how it will be calculated before you agree, and must supply the service with reasonable care and skill.
Applies to: the clearance company
Consumer Rights Act 2022; Citizens Information · citizensinformation.ie · Checked 9 October 2026

Paperwork to ask for at the end

A written quote listing what is to be cleared and what is excluded
A receipt with the company’s waste collection permit number
A list of anything kept aside for the family

Safety

Old sheds, garages and boiler houses may contain asbestos sheeting or lagging — point it out and leave it for a specialist.
Old medicines, chemicals and gas cylinders are separated and disposed of properly.
Make sure the person instructing the clearance is entitled to — the owner, the executor or with their written authority.

House clearance: before you hire

Questions to ask a tradesperson

What is your waste collection permit number?
How will you handle papers, photographs and valuables you find?
What goes to charity or reuse, and what to landfill?
Is the price fixed, and does any resale value come off it?

What you can do yourself

Families often sort and remove keepsakes and smaller items themselves first, which shortens the job; the bulk furniture and the waste are what a permitted firm is for.

What to put in your task

What needs clearing?
How many bedrooms does the property have?
How full is it?
Does anything need to be kept, donated or searched for?
What is access like?

Photos that help

Each room from the doorway
The attic, garage and shed if included
Large items such as pianos, wardrobes or appliances
The front of the property showing parking

Waste and clearance

Need house clearance? Describe the job.

Post it once, free. Professionals near you reply with their own price and when they could start. You choose, and pay them directly.

Post a task

Questions about house clearance

Does house clearance need a licence in Ireland?

Yes. Waste Collection Permit, supervised by the National Waste Collection Permit Office. Source: www.nwcpo.ie. Ask for the registration number and check it on the public register. Wording approved by Talqero; not yet reviewed by a solicitor.

Can a clearance company take valuable items to offset the cost?

Some do, and it can reduce the price. Agree it in writing, with a list of the items and the credit given, before anything leaves. If something may be valuable, get it looked at independently first.

What happens to papers and photographs they find?

A good company sets them aside for you and does not throw out documents without asking. Agree this at the start, especially for a deceased person’s home, where bank and pension papers may be needed for the estate.

Who can authorise a house clearance after somebody dies?

Usually the executor named in the will or the administrator of the estate. If you are clearing on behalf of a family, make sure whoever is entitled to the contents has agreed.