A step-by-step checklist for clearing a loved one’s home in Colchester: what to do before anything is removed, papers and valuables, valuing contents for probate, reuse, and checking the waste carrier. With a printable PDF.
Who this checklist is for
Clearing the home of someone close to you can be emotionally hard as well as practical. This checklist is meant to help you take it one step at a time. You don’t have to do everything at once, and it’s fine to ask family, friends or the solicitor dealing with the estate for help.
It’s written for executors and administrators clearing the home of someone who has died, and for the solicitors, estate agents and letting agents who support them in Colchester and the surrounding area. It covers what to do before anything leaves the property, how to handle papers and valuables, reuse and recycling, and how to check whoever takes the rest away.
It isn’t legal or tax advice. For anything about the will, probate or inheritance tax, follow GOV.UK and the solicitor dealing with the estate. The checks are for you to make with whichever firm you choose.
Printable checklist (PDF). The checklist below on two A4 pages, with tick boxes and space for notes. Free to print and share with clients.
GOV.UK says not to make financial plans or put property on the market until you’ve got probate.
Valuing contents
Household and personal items (antiques, electrical goods, furniture, jewellery, paintings and more) count towards the estate’s value, which must be worked out before applying for probate.
Inheritance tax deadlines
If tax is owed: report the value within one year (form IHT400) and pay by the end of the sixth month after the death to avoid interest.
Council tax (Colchester)
A property may be exempt while waiting for probate or letters of administration, and for up to six months after.
Waste
Only use a registered waste carrier (upper tier on the Environment Agency register; charities collecting items should be lower tier).
Death registered. In Essex, a Medical Examiner reviews all deaths and their office will contact you; Essex County Council says you must then register within 5 days of that contact (Essex County Council).
Government told, using Tell Us Once where available.
You know who has authority to deal with the estate (executor named in the will, or administrator), and whether probate is needed. Check with the solicitor if you’re not sure.
The will has been checked for specific gifts of items to people or charities, so those items are set aside and not cleared.
Other family members or beneficiaries know a clearance is planned, and have had the chance to ask for personal items.
2. Secure the property
Keys accounted for; you know who holds copies (neighbours, carers, family, the estate agent).
The buildings and contents insurer has been told, and you know of any conditions for an unoccupied property.
Colchester City Council told about the death for council tax; ask about the exemption for properties waiting for probate (council tax exemptions).
Utility suppliers told; meter readings taken and photographed.
Post dealt with, so bank, pension and share letters reach the executor.
3. Search for documents and valuables
Go through the property before any clearance firm visits. Papers can turn up in books, drawers, coat pockets, lofts and sheds.
Original will and any codicils, if not already held by a solicitor.
Property deeds, bank and building society statements, savings books, share certificates, Premium Bonds, pension and insurance papers.
Cash, jewellery, watches, keys, passports and driving licence.
Photos, letters, family papers and anything of sentimental value.
A written list and photos of items of value, for the estate valuation. Get a professional valuation where needed.
4. Value the contents
GOV.UK’s guide says you need to value the estate, including household and personal items, to find out whether there is inheritance tax to pay, and must do this before applying for probate if you need it (GOV.UK). If the estate owes inheritance tax, the value must be reported within one year using form IHT400, and tax paid by the end of the sixth month after the death to avoid interest (GOV.UK: paying inheritance tax).
Antiques, art, jewellery, collections and anything that might be valuable identified and valued before the clearance.
Items being sold have been sold or set aside before the clearance crew arrives.
A record kept of what was sold, given away, kept by beneficiaries and disposed of, for the estate accounts.
5. Reuse and recycling
Good-condition furniture and electricals offered for reuse first, for example to charity shops or through Essex County Council’s Love Essex reuse directory. Charities have their own rules on what they accept.
GOV.UK says that if a charity collects items for you, you should check it is on the waste carriers register as a lower tier carrier (GOV.UK).
Sofas, armchairs and other upholstered seating flagged. The Environment Agency’s guidance says these may contain POPs and must be handled under special rules (GOV.UK).
The firm is a registered waste carrier. Check the name or registration number (numbers in England start CBDU) on the Environment Agency public register, choosing upper tier.
A written quote that says what is included: rooms, loft, garage, shed and garden; items to be left behind; and whether the property will be swept.
You’ve asked where the waste and reusable items will go.
Arrangements for keys, parking and access agreed in writing, especially if the executor lives away from Colchester.
Items flagged that clearance firms often can’t take, such as asbestos, gas bottles, and paint or chemicals. See our house clearance page.
Someone will do a final walk-round (or ask for photos) before handing the keys back.
7. After the clearance
Final meter readings taken and suppliers told the property is empty.
Insurer updated on the property’s condition and occupancy.
Estate agent told the property is clear for photos and viewings, once you have authority to market it.
Receipts and records of disposal and sales kept with the estate paperwork.
Notes for solicitors and estate agents
If you manage clearances for clients, the same checks apply. Keep the executor’s written instructions on file, especially which items are to be kept, sold or given away. Photos of each room and outbuilding, with access notes, make any quote more accurate, whoever you ask. The printable PDF is free to share with clients.
Executor house clearance FAQs
Can I clear a house before probate is granted?
GOV.UK says you should not make any financial plans or put property on the market until you’ve got probate (GOV.UK: applying for probate). Before that, the estate also has to be valued, including household and personal items. Many executors secure the property and sort papers and personal items first, and arrange the full clearance once the value is recorded and they have authority to act. If in doubt, ask the solicitor dealing with the estate.
Do household contents need to be valued?
Yes. GOV.UK’s guide to valuing an estate lists household and personal items, including antiques, electrical goods, furniture, jewellery, paintings and stamp collections, among the assets to include. You must value the estate before applying for probate (if you need it) (GOV.UK: valuing the estate).
Is there council tax to pay on an empty house after a death in Colchester?
Colchester City Council says a property may be exempt while waiting for probate or letters of administration to be granted, and for up to six months after (Colchester City Council: council tax exemptions). Contact the council to apply; conditions apply.
What about the sofa and armchairs?
The Environment Agency’s guidance says waste upholstered domestic seating, such as sofas, sofa beds and armchairs, may contain persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and has special handling rules (GOV.UK: upholstered seating containing POPs). Good-condition items with fire labels may be accepted by furniture charities; otherwise ask the clearance firm how it will deal with them.
Who can take the contents away?
Anyone you pay to take household waste away must be a registered waste carrier. GOV.UK says to check the business on the Environment Agency public register (select upper tier), and if a charity collects items, check it is registered as a lower tier carrier (GOV.UK: dispose of household waste).
Official sources
All checked 28 Sep 2026. Rules and deadlines change, so use these pages if anything differs.
Written and checked by Colchester Clearance. We’re an introduction service: we pass clearance enquiries to independent registered waste carriers. We don’t carry out clearances ourselves, and we don’t vet, accredit or vouch for any firm. Facts are checked against the official sources listed above, and the date they were last checked is shown at the top of the page. This is general information, not legal advice. Spotted something out of date? Email [email protected].
