Who we help in Portsmouth, and how
When someone dies and their home is in Portsmouth, the people dealing with it are often somewhere else entirely. We clear Portsmouth homes for estates: for executors and families, and for the solicitors, administrators, deputies and attorneys acting for them.
We should be clear about where we are. The Clearance Team is based in Weston-super-Mare, around two and a half hours away by road depending on traffic. In Portsmouth we only take probate and estate work, and we’ve set up the job so that the distance doesn’t make it harder for you.
- A quote without a visit. Photos of every room, or a live video walk-through, and we send a fixed written price.
- Keys. Posted to us by tracked post, or collected from the solicitor or agent when we arrive.
- The clearance. Done in as few days as possible, with photos sent to you during the work.
- Handover. Keys, documents and set-aside items returned to whoever you’ve named.
Portsea Island streets and the mainland
Most of Portsmouth sits on Portsea Island, and it’s one of the most tightly built cities in the country. Southsea, Fratton, Copnor, Milton, Eastney, Stamshaw and North End are largely long rows of Victorian and Edwardian terraces. Many have no rear access, so everything comes out through the front door onto the pavement. We plan the loading so the van is outside for as short a time as possible.
Southsea also has a lot of flats: large older houses divided up, and purpose-built blocks near the seafront. Stairs, shared hallways and how far the van can park are all part of the price.
On the mainland, Cosham, Drayton, Farlington and Paulsgrove have more semis, bungalows and family houses, often with a garage and a well-used loft. These jobs tend to be bigger by volume but easier for access.
Parking zones and the clean air zone
Portsmouth has a large number of residents’ parking zones, especially across Southsea and the older parts of the island. If the property is in one, we’ll ask whether the household or a neighbour can buy a visitor permit, and whether a short bay suspension is worth arranging for a full house. Parking is the thing most likely to slow a Portsmouth clearance, so we sort it out before the day.
The city’s clean air zone covers part of the south-west of Portsea Island. It charges older buses, coaches, taxis and lorries; cars and vans aren’t charged. If the property is inside the zone, we’ll still check the current rules when we quote, and anything that applies is planned into the price.
Careful with what’s in the house
A probate clearance isn’t just loading a van. Before anything leaves, we look through it: drawers, coat pockets, handbags, books, biscuit tins and boxes in the loft. Papers, photos, jewellery, cash and anything personal are set aside, and if we’re not sure about something we stop and ask.
Inventories and photographs for the estate file are available on request, as is a Duty of Care waste transfer note. Usable furniture and household goods go for reuse, and recycling is arranged near the property rather than driven back to Somerset. If you think the contents may have value, we can put you in touch with an independent valuer first.
More detail is on our probate house clearance page. If you’re still working out where to start, our guide to clearing a house after someone dies may help.
Solicitors, agents and housing tenancies
We’re used to working to a solicitor’s instructions: one quote that can be shared with the executors, written confirmation of what stays and what goes, and a close-out email with photos and the invoice. The invoice can go to the firm or the estate with your reference. There’s more on our page for solicitors and executors.
Where the home was rented from the council or a housing association, the tenancy usually has to be ended and the keys returned by a set date. Let us know that date at the start and we’ll work back from it.
Portsmouth questions
Is travel to Portsmouth charged separately?
No. Travel is built into the fixed quote, with no separate travel line on the invoice.
The house has no back access. Is that a problem?
No. Most terraces on Portsea Island are the same. We carry everything through the front and keep the pavement clear for neighbours as we go.
Do we need to be there on the day?
No. Many executors aren’t. We work from the keys, send photos during and after, and only call when there’s a decision to make.
Can you clear a Portsmouth flat that’s above a shop?
Yes. Tell us how the flat is reached and whether the shop needs to be told. We’ll plan the day so we don’t block their doorway.
Probate clearances nationwide
From Weston-super-Mare to Portsmouth, and anywhere in England and Wales
Every kind of clearance close to home, and probate and estate clearances wherever the property is.
- Local: every clearance, Weston-super-Mare to Bristol and Bridgwater
- Extended area: every clearance, out to Gloucester, Frome and Exeter
- Probate and estate clearances anywhere in England and Wales