Property Clearance and Cleaning Services in France

Once you’ve secured your loved one’s property, one of the biggest practical jobs is deciding what to do with everything inside.

Whether the property is to be sold, retained by the family or simply prepared for valuation, you’ll almost certainly need to remove unwanted items and thoroughly clean the home.

This can be one of the most emotionally challenging parts of the succession, so don’t feel pressured into rushing. Take the time you need and ask for help where possible.

Don’t Leave Perishable Items Too Long

Even if you’re not ready to begin clearing the entire property, it’s worth visiting the home as soon as reasonably possible to remove perishable items.

Food left in refrigerators, freezers or cupboards can quickly spoil, particularly during the warmer months, leading to unpleasant odours, mould, insect infestations and attracting rodents or other pests.

If you’re unable to travel immediately, consider asking a trusted family member, neighbour, handyman or cleaner to remove any perishable food and empty household bins on your behalf.

Taking these simple steps early can make the property much more pleasant to work in later and may prevent avoidable cleaning costs before the succession progresses.

Priority Property Checklist

Within your first visit, try to:

• Empty the fridge and freezer.
• Remove household rubbish.
• Check for running water or leaks.
• Turn off unnecessary appliances.
• Ventilate the property if appropriate.
• Photograph every room before moving anything.
• Locate important documents and keys.
• Check for signs of pests or vermin.
• Secure all doors and windows.

If You Have Local Help

If you have family members or trusted friends living in France, the process becomes considerably easier.

Local residents will usually already understand how household waste is disposed of, where recycling centres are located and how local services operate.

If someone local is able to help, they can often save you a great deal of time and frustration.

French Recycling Centres

In France, household waste is normally taken to a déchèterie (recycling centre).

Many recycling centres require proof that you’re a local resident or are entitled to use the facility. This may involve showing identification or proof of address, and some communes issue access cards to residents.

If you’re travelling from the UK specifically to clear the property, you may find you cannot simply drive to the local recycling centre and dispose of everything yourself.

Check the local rules before beginning any clearance work.

Hiring a Skip

If you’re carrying out the clearance yourself, hiring a skip is often the easiest solution.

One difference that caught me out was the terminology.

In France, skips are commonly referred to as bennes.

Instead of searching Google for “skip hire”, try searching for:

• Location de benne
• Location benne déchets
• Benne gravats
• Entreprise de location de benne

You’ll usually find local companies who can deliver and collect the container for you.

Safety First

If you decide to clear the property yourself, don’t underestimate how physically demanding the work can be.

Most skips (bennes) are open-top metal containers.

Be careful when climbing into or leaning over them.

During our own clearance, I caught my head on the edge of the container and ended up with a deep cut that could easily have been avoided.

Many containers are also well-used and may have sharp or rusty edges.

Wear sturdy footwear, protective gloves and suitable clothing.

If you’re likely to be working around old metal, it’s sensible to ensure your tetanus vaccination is up to date before travelling.

Taking regular breaks and asking for help with heavy items is also strongly recommended.

Why You Might Want to Do It Yourself

Although hiring professionals is often easier, clearing the property yourself does have some advantages.

It gives you the opportunity to:

• Preserve family photographs and keepsakes.
• Recover sentimental possessions.
• Search for wills, deeds and financial paperwork.
• Find bank statements and insurance documents.
• Locate spare keys.
• Discover information that may help during the succession.

Many families uncover important documents only when sorting through cupboards, filing cabinets and loft spaces.

For that reason alone, it’s often worth carrying out at least an initial inspection before arranging a full clearance.

Professional Clearance Companies

If travelling to France isn’t possible, or the task simply feels overwhelming, you can hire local companies to carry out the work.

Useful search terms include:

• Débarras maison
• Entreprise de débarras
• Débarras succession
• Vide maison
• Nettoyage après succession
• Entreprise de nettoyage

These companies can often provide:

• Complete property clearance.
• Furniture removal.
• Waste disposal.
• Deep cleaning.
• Garden clearance.
• Preparation for sale.

Some also offer property inspections and can send photographs once the work has been completed.

Ask Your Funeral Director

One of the best sources of local recommendations is your funeral director.

Having already worked with local tradespeople, they can often recommend trusted:

• Property clearance companies.
• Cleaners.
• Handymen.
• Plumbers.
• Estate agents.
• Locksmiths.

In our own experience, our funeral director proved invaluable in helping us find reliable local professionals who we otherwise wouldn’t have known existed.

Local recommendations are often far more valuable than simply choosing the first company you find online.

Final Thoughts

Clearing a loved one’s home is never just another task on a checklist.

It can be physically exhausting, emotionally draining and surprisingly time-consuming.

If you’re able to travel to France, spending time searching the property yourself may uncover valuable documents and treasured family possessions that would otherwise be lost.

If that’s not possible, don’t hesitate to use professional clearance and cleaning services. Their experience can save you considerable time and allow you to focus on the legal and emotional aspects of the succession while knowing the property is being prepared professionally.