There are numerous house clearance services in London, some doing a nice job, others fleecing unsuspecting residents with substandard services. People have ended up with clearance companies that won’t deliver their side of the bargain even after getting paid.
So how can you avoid hiring a house clearance company that may not do the job well or that doesn’t pay much attention to the environment in the line of duty?
Here are top 5 house clearance problems to avoid;
- Lack of information – Rogue clearance companies do not have much background information and they have very scanty details. Sometimes they give a physical address of a residential area or of another business so do your research and find out more about the company. Go to their website, call their office and contact numbers, find out whether they have a working email address, social media pages and more importantly, look and verify their physical address.
- Not registered or licensed – Any company that is authorized to collect and dispose of waste is licensed by the environmental agency, so ask to see their waste clearance license even before hiring the company to clear your house for you. Any business needs a valid license to operate so if they state it is being renewed or give excuses about it being missing or lost or with a director who is not currently available, then this is a red flag.
- Lack of referrals – Any business that is not willing to share a list of clients and customers they have worked for is suspicious at most. A legitimate business has good relationships with its clients and customers. If you can ask for referrals and you get a list of client details and numbers who can verify they have worked with the company, then that is a good sign that the company is open and transparent. Be sceptical if you can’t seem to get any referrals or no one knows or has heard of the company and they aren’t listed online.
- Asking for cash upfront or half way through the job – If they ask for cash in advance even before finishing the job, you should be wary. Any good company will do the job first and once you are satisfied, that is when they will ask for payment.
- Information gaps and poor customer service – If you call the company and the person on the end doesn’t introduce the company or seems rushed, doesn’t answer all your questions and is vague or even rude, that is a sign that that might not be the business for you. Good companies know the value of customer service and they will be ready to answer any and all questions you have. They have time for you and will not mind spending minutes on the phone clarifying any concerns you may have or giving more details if you require them.