AFTA are receiving more and more complaints and horror stories regarding the rise of services offering FREE house clearance. The proliferation of more and more house clearance companies offering “free” services raises questions about how they can sustain a viable business model. Legitimate companies incur various costs, including waste disposal fees, staff wages, licenses, insurances, fuel, and other expenses, to offer their services. It is therefore highly suspicious how a company advertising free house clearance can cover these expenses and still turn a profit.
Here’s how the FREE HOUSE CLEARANCE scam works:
You search for house clearance or free house clearance and come across a company offering this service. The representative on the other end of the phone sounds trustworthy and promises to clear the entire property for free. Their offer is tempting, and you are motivated to use their services as it won’t cost you anything.
However, it is crucial to remember that nothing in life is truly free. There is always a catch, and in this case, the catch is the scam itself.
On the day of the clearance, the house clearance company will arrive and survey the property. If they don’t find anything of value that they can sell, they will make an excuse, such as needing to get bags to clear the waste or fill their van with fuel. They promise to return soon but never show up again. This can leave you with wasted time and money and the need to still find a reputable house clearance company to clear the property.
Alternatively, the company may show up and proceed to clear the property. However, they will prioritize taking out all the items they can sell and fill their van with those first. Once they have everything of value, they will tell you that they need to empty the van and will be back shortly. However, they never return, and when you call them, they may ignore your calls or turn off their phones or give excuses like their van breaking down, leaving you with an uncleared property.
Remember, there’s no such thing as a free lunch. Don’t fall for these scams. Instead, let AFTA provide you with a no-obligation list of legitimate house clearance service providers operating in your area.