Hoarding Services – Including Animal Hoarding

Hoarding disorders can be extremely difficult to navigate and helping a loved one with a hoarding disorder can be saddening, frustrating and upsetting. We are here to help with the physical clean up in a hoarding situation including animal hoarding. The emotional wellbeing and possible poor mental health of the hoarder must be paramount when considering bringing in a service like ours to clean up. There are many wonderful organisations for example Mind UK, Age UK and Rainbowred that can help with the underlying causes and treatment of hoarding disorders.

We will not make ‘surprise’ visits to clean a hoarders home, this can be extremely damaging to their recovery so please don’t ask us to. We will however, work closely to the instructions and requirements of the person suffering or their appointed responsible person. Hoarder’s locations must be vacant for us to work safely and systematically, we can make a huge difference to the lives of people who are ready to go through the process of letting go of the items they hoard.

In the case of a deceased estate, we will be considerate and sensitive to your requirements and will follow an agreed scope of work.

We also work with councils, charities, the NHS housing associations and landlords to clear vacant properties.

Why A Hoarder Clean Up May Be Required:
  • A relative has died leaving an unmanageable amount of items to be cleared from a home.

  • Someone with mental health issues may be struggling with the amount of items they are keeping in their home.

  • A carer or support worker may need to arrange a clean up before a resident can move back into their home.

  • A family member or friend who is concerned about someone and needs some help.

  • You yourself may be aware that there is an issue in your home that you require assistance with.

Derbyshire Biohazard Services’ Hoarding Cleaning Process:
  • Once we have received your call we can complete a free site survey to assess the situation and provide you with a quote for our services.

  • We can help identify which items should be kept, which should be donated or recycled and those that need to be thrown away.

  • Any confidential documents that aren’t required will be shredded.

  • We can assist you with arranging storage solutions if they are required.

  • We will fully clean and disinfect items that are being kept.

  • We will arrange for the correct removal of items not needed.

  • We will thoroughly clean and disinfect the entire home.

  • We will neutralise all unpleasant odours.

Safety is our priority and all of our technicians will wear full personal protective equipment (PPE). Whether the hoarding clean up is in your own home or that of someone else, please call us today. We will happily talk through any questions or concerns you may have.

Hoarder Cleaning FAQ

Find below a list of answers to some of the most frequently asked questions for Hoarder Cleaning that we get asked regarding our services. If you have a question that isn't mentioned, please contact a member of our team today.

What is hoarder cleaning?

Hoarder cleaning is the process of sorting through a hoarders possessions and putting the property back to liveable and appropriate conditions. As part of Derbyshire Biohazard Services hoarder cleaning, we start by building a relationship with the client, working closely to find out what items should be kept, filtering out these possessions putting them in our safe storage containers if applicable, removing/disposing of the waste appropriately and sanitising the affected areas.

What is the average cost to clean a hoarders house?

The costs associated to clean a hoarders house varies on the severity of the properties condition, the number of items to be disposed of and how much is potentially needed to be put into storage whilst the hoarder cleaning process begins. If you're looking to get a cost for a hoarder cleanup, we recommend taking photos of the affected areas and sending them to our team who will be able to provide you with a quote.

Is hoarding a mental illness?

Yes, the NHS first identified hoarder to be a mental illness in 2013, published in the 5th edition of the DSM. Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and depression are also commonly related disorders with hoarders.

What can I do if my neighbour is a hoarder?

Be sensitive when approaching your neighbour regarding the sensitive subject. Build a relationship with the person, create an action plan for any authorities, organisations and cleaning companies that you may need to contact and involve.

How long does cleaning a hoarders house take?

The hoarder clean-up process timeline depends on the current state of the property. If you have a specific timeline that you are looking to meet, our team can mobilise and work around your requirements in order to meet your ideal deadlines/criteria.

How can I get a quote for a hoarder clean?

Taking photos and sending them across to our team via email at info@derbyshirebiohazardservices.co.uk will help our staff get a good understanding of the affected areas and give a quote based on these send over. Alternatively, if you cannot provide photos for us for, we can do a site survey to visit the property and give a quotation based off this instead. If you're unsure about any of the details, speak to a member of our team today who would be happy to help.

At Derbyshire Biohazard Services, our technicians understand the complexity of the situation and most importantly, that it needs to be dealt with respectfully. We will fully assess the situation, form a plan and arrange for the correct removal of all waste. We then clean comprehensively and disinfect the entire home, all at a time that is convenient to you.

Often with a hoarding situation there are hygiene issues that need to be addressed, with bathrooms and kitchens generally requiring the most attention. When items build up to unmanageable levels, it is impossible to carry out every day cleaning tasks in the home. Homes can then become highly unsanitary and detrimental to physical and mental health.

If there are animals living in the property or there is a mice or rat problem, then there will often be faeces throughout the home. This can also cause risks to the health of people in the property and the environment.

It is important to call in professionals when dealing with a hoarding clean up, so that all risks are assessed and dealt with correctly. Sometimes items within the home that are being kept will need to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before they can be used again.