When you are looking for a house clearance company, you should ideally hire a firm that is a member of the UK house Clearance Association. This association was put together to help to protect the customer and give reputable companies a way of showing that they are respectable and experienced, as there are many ‘rogue clearance companies’ out there. The benefits of hiring a company who is a member of the UK house clearance association are numerous.
List of Members:
On the association’s website there is a list of members. As you know all of these are members of the association you know they are well established and reputable, therefore you can use this list as a ‘calling card’, i.e. a list of bespoke experienced clearance companies to call and attain quotes and details of the services provided. By doing this you ensure that you hire a company who are:
• Fully insured with liability insurance, to protect you, your home and your belongings.
• Licenced with the environment agency to properly remove rubbish from your home. If the company isn’t licenced they may fly tip, if the belongings they are fly tipping are traced back to you, you could be fined.
• A genuinely registered company, who is registered with the tax office, therefore is established.
The Code of Practice:
Members of this association must abide by a strict code of practice in order to be a member, the association often acts as a mediator between clearance companies and customers when it comes to complaints. If the company is found to have broken this code of practice they will no longer be able to be a member. The code dictates:
• All members must abide by the code at all times.
• The company should always deal with customers in a sympathetic and courteous manner.
• Key commitments of members include:
o Members must behave fairly and reasonably with the customer at all times.
o Members must have a website that is clear and is not misleading in any way.
o Members must provide customers with a reasonable quote, time frame and description of services regarding the house clearance work that needs to be done.
o Members must have full insurance in place to protect you, your home and your belongings.
o Members must be able to prove that they have a licence from the environmental agency to remove rubbish.
o The staff of the company must provide a good standard of service at all times, and must deal with complaints quickly and with sympathy.
If something goes Wrong:
You can contact the UK house Clearance Association who will listen to what has happened and will mediate between yourself and the company. The association is always on the side of the customer, working in your best interests to find a fair and quick resolution that suits you. Furthermore the company must have liability insurance in order to be a member, so if something were to happen to anything that you own, you would be fully covered.
If you do hire a clearance company that is not a member of the association and you have a complaint with the service you receive, you will need to contact either:
• Citizens Advice Bureau: can offer you free advise and put you into contact with the necessary people, furthermore they offer free legal advice.
• Trading Standards Authority: Trading standards will listen to your complaint and will investigate it for you, they will offer you legal advice and will help you to resolve the issue.