At a glance
- The whole flat, plus cellar storage, balcony or terrace and garage box.
- Ladder lift through a window or balcony when the lift or stairs are too small; included in the price.
- You inform the syndic and request the loading bay; we tell you what is needed.
- Shared areas are protected and left clear.
- Handed back broom-clean, ready for the move-out inspection or the sale.
What does an apartment clearance include?
An apartment clearance is the complete emptying of a flat by one crew. All furniture, household goods, clothes, papers and loose items go out, and what can be reused is kept apart. We also clear the spaces that belong to the flat and are often forgotten until the last week.
- the cellar storage room or box in the shared basement
- the balcony or terrace, with planters and garden furniture
- the garage box or parking space with storage
- an attic storage room under the roof of the building
Lift, stairs or ladder lift?
How the contents come down depends on the building. In a recent block with a roomy lift, most of it goes by lift, with protective covers on the floor and walls of the cabin. In an older building without a lift, or with a lift for three people, everything goes down the stairs or down the facade.
If a wardrobe, a bed or a sofa will not pass the stairwell, we set up a ladder lift against the front of the building. The furniture then goes straight from the window or balcony to the truck. That saves time, avoids damage to the stairwell and keeps the lift free for the residents. The ladder lift is included in the fixed price; the space on the street is requested by you.
What to arrange with the syndic or building manager
Before an apartment clearance you inform the syndic, the managing agent of the building. Most buildings have house rules covering use of the lift, the hours when work is allowed and protection of the shared areas.
Ask whether the lift can be reserved or switched to a service mode, whether you need a key or badge for the cellar and the garage, and whether there are rules about placing a ladder lift against the facade. Send us that information with your photos and we build it into the plan. In buildings with many international residents, managing agents usually answer in English; ask them in writing.
Clearing a rented flat before the move-out inspection
When you rent, the flat has to be empty before the move-out inspection, the état des lieux de sortie or plaatsbeschrijving bij uittrede, when the landlord or an independent expert compares the flat with the check-in report. Anything still standing can lead to discussion about your deposit.
Plan the clearance a few days before that appointment, not on the same morning. Then there is time to arrange cleaning if your lease asks for it, and to take final photos. If you are leaving the country, read clearing your home when leaving Belgium for the full order of things, and the broom-clean handover for what the landlord may expect.
Apartment clearance for a sale or a move into care
When a flat is sold, the estate agent sometimes wants it empty for photos or viewings, and the notary expects an empty flat at the signing of the deed. When a parent moves into a care home, part of the furniture goes along to the new room and the rest has to go afterwards.
In that case we plan the clearance after the move, so nothing disappears by mistake. Mark clearly what stays, or empty those rooms first.
What does an apartment clearance cost?
An apartment clearance usually falls within the range for a whole home, €900 to €2,500. A studio or small one-bedroom flat is often at the lower end. A large three-bedroom apartment with a full cellar storage room and a garage box comes out higher, as does a flat on a high floor without a lift.
You get the exact price in advance, from photos. What moves the price is explained on house clearance prices.
Apartment clearance in Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent and Leuven
Most flats are in the big cities, and that is where access is hardest. In Brussels it is often a floor of a 19th-century townhouse in Ixelles, Saint-Gilles or Etterbeek with one narrow staircase. In Antwerp, a flat on the Leien or in a tower on the Left Bank. In Ghent and Leuven, converted townhouses and student buildings in streets where a truck cannot simply stop.
The pages on house clearance in Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent and Leuven explain how the loading bay is requested there.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be there on the day of the apartment clearance?
Not if we have the keys, the cellar badge and the arrangements with the syndic. Many clients are there at the start to point out what stays, and come back at the end to see the empty flat. If you have already left Belgium, the keys can be handed over by the agency or a friend.
What if the lift in the building is too small?
Then the large pieces go down the stairs or with a ladder lift through a window or balcony. From the photos and the floor we decide in advance which way works best. The ladder lift is included.
Do you clear the cellar storage too?
Yes, the cellar storage, attic storage and garage box are part of the clearance if you ask for it. Send photos of them as well, because that is often where most of the volume is.
Can you also clean the flat?
No, we hand back broom-clean: every room empty and the floors swept. If your lease requires a professionally cleaned flat, book a cleaner for after the clearance.