A clearance van being loaded with furniture outside a house in Edinburgh

House clearance / Edinburgh

The 5 best house clearance companies in Edinburgh

Edinburgh's clearance market is strong on reviews and, unusually, several firms are vetted through the council's own Trusted Trader scheme, which is a useful extra check before you book.

  • Checked 3 November 2026
  • 10 firms shortlisted
  • No paid placements

Edinburgh house clearance / at a glance

PosCompanyOur scoreGoogle
1NuGen Recycling & EnvironmentalBroxburn, West Lothian
8.5
5.0 (200)
2Jettison ExpressGlasgow (covers Edinburgh and across Scotland)
8.2
4.9 (54)
3Joe JunkEdinburgh depot (Glasgow-based group)
8.0
5.0 (1,519)
4Your JunkCity centre, Edinburgh
7.7
5.0 (141)
5House Clearance ScotlandLeith, Edinburgh
7.3
4.8 (99)

Our score is out of 10. Google ratings and review counts as at 3 November 2026.

NuGen Recycling & Environmental

Broxburn, West Lothian

Our score 8.5 / 105.0 from 200 Google reviews

Why it ranks number 1

5.0 from 200 Google reviews and 5.0 from 30 reviews on the City of Edinburgh Council's Trusted Trader scheme. Its SEPA waste carrier licence and insurance are shown on its LoveJunk profile.

Licence
Waste carrier WCR/R/1189423 (as listed on LoveJunk)
Credentials
Trusted Trader (Edinburgh) member; low emission zone compliant vehicles
Services
House, attic, garage, commercial and garden clearance
Covers
Edinburgh and the Lothians
Worth knowingBased in Broxburn, about 12 miles west of the city, and we could not find a company website.

Website not listed. Search the company name to find contact details.

Jettison Express

Glasgow (covers Edinburgh and across Scotland)

Our score 8.2 / 104.9 from 54 Google reviews

Why it ranks number 2

A Scotland-wide clearance firm and winner of the Build Lanarkshire 2023 award, with 4.98 from 40 vetted TrustATrader reviews and 4.9 across its Glasgow and Edinburgh Google listings. It is a SEPA registered upper tier carrier, displays ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certification, and says more than 90% of what it collects is recycled, with reusable items passed to local charities.

Licence
SEPA registered upper tier waste carrier (number not published)
Credentials
ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, SafeContractor approved, Living Wage employer, Build Lanarkshire 2023 winner
Reuse
Claims over 90% recycled; reusable items to local charities
Services
House, bereavement and probate, end of tenancy and garden clearance; carpets lifted, furniture dismantled, final sweep
How it works
Free fixed quotes; personal papers and photographs set aside first on bereavement jobs; end of tenancy work to a fixed handover date; experience with listed buildings and conservation areas
Covers
All of Edinburgh, from the New Town and Leith to Morningside, Corstorphine and Portobello, plus the Lothians
Worth knowingIts main base is in Glasgow, so check lead times for Edinburgh jobs. Its carrier number is not shown on its website.
Visit website

Joe Junk

Edinburgh depot (Glasgow-based group)

Our score 8.0 / 105.0 from 1,519 Google reviews

Why it ranks number 3

More than 1,500 five star Google reviews across its Glasgow and Edinburgh listings, including 319 for its Edinburgh depot. It handles full house, loft and garage clearances, often same day, and says around 85% of what it collects is recycled.

Reuse
Claims around 85% recycled
Services
Full house, loft, garage, garden and office clearance, same day
Reviews
Trustpilot 4.7 from 76
Covers
Edinburgh and the Lothians
Worth knowingNo SEPA number published, and some Trustpilot reviewers say the final price was well above the quote. Agree a firm price before work starts.
Visit website

Your Junk

City centre, Edinburgh

Our score 7.7 / 105.0 from 141 Google reviews

Why it ranks number 4

5.0 from 100 reviews on the council's Trusted Trader scheme and 5.0 from 141 on Google, clearing homes, flats and businesses across the city and the Lothians.

Licence
States it is SEPA registered
Services
Rubbish removal and clearances for homes and businesses
Covers
Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife
Worth knowingMore of a rubbish removal firm, with little detail on its house clearance service.

Website not listed. Search the company name to find contact details.

House Clearance Scotland

Leith, Edinburgh

Our score 7.3 / 104.8 from 99 Google reviews

Why it ranks number 5

A limited company since 2019 with 4.9 from about 389 Trustpilot reviews, focused on house, bereavement and probate clearances, with reviewers mentioning donations to charity.

Reuse
Zero-landfill claim; reviewers mention charity donations
Services
House, bereavement, probate, end of tenancy and garage clearance
Covers
Edinburgh and across Scotland
Worth knowingLicence and insurance details are not published.
Visit website

Council bulky uplifts and charity options in Edinburgh

The City of Edinburgh Council charges £5 per item for bulky uplifts, up to five items per booking, and the service is free for households on Council Tax Reduction. The Edinburgh Furniture Initiative, run by Four Square, accepts most undamaged donated furniture.

A council collection is fine for a few large items. For a full house, a flat after a bereavement or a property that needs emptying before sale, a clearance firm is usually quicker and handles everything in one visit. See the details.

Before you book a house clearance in Edinburgh

None of our Edinburgh top 5 publish a full price list, so ask for a written quote after a visit or from photos.

  • Ask for the firm's waste carrier number and check it on the SEPA public register.
  • Get a written, fixed quote after a visit or detailed photos, and ask what could change it on the day.
  • Remove paperwork, photographs, jewellery and anything of sentimental value before the team arrives.
  • Ask whether they buy or value items, which can reduce the cost of the clearance.
  • Ask what happens to your belongings: which charities they use, and what is recycled.
  • Ask for a waste transfer note, and check the firm is insured to work in the property.

How we ranked / Edinburgh

We started with every business appearing in Google's local results for house clearance in Edinburgh, then checked each one's website, Companies House record, published licence numbers and review platforms such as Trustpilot, Checkatrade, Which? Trusted Traders and TrustATrader. We removed booking lines and brokers that pass your job to another firm, companies that are dissolved, and listings we could not tie to a real business. We may also leave out any company at our editorial discretion.

Each remaining firm was scored out of 10 using the same weighting in every city:

35%Customer reviewsRating and volume on Google, plus Trustpilot, Checkatrade, Which? and TrustATrader where available
25%Licensing and insurancePublished waste carrier number, insurance cover and real premises
15%Reuse and recyclingCharity donations, resale and stated landfill diversion
15%Service and transparencyProbate, bereavement and hoarder work, fixed quotes, published prices
10%Track recordYears trading, company records and accreditations

Other Edinburgh firms we assessed

Recycling and reuse figures are the companies' own claims. Licence numbers are as published by each company or listed on review platforms; we have not checked every one against the regulator's register. Think we have missed a firm or got something wrong? Tell us through our contact form.

House clearance in Edinburgh / FAQs

How much does a house clearance cost in Edinburgh?

None of our Edinburgh top 5 publish a full price list, so ask for a written quote after a visit or from photos. The price depends on how much needs removing, access, stairs and how much can be resold or donated. Always get at least two written quotes.

Can a house be cleared before probate is granted?

Speak to the executor or the solicitor handling the estate first. Many firms will clear a property before probate if the executor gives permission, but anything of value should be valued and recorded before it leaves the house.

What happens to my belongings?

Good firms sort everything on site or at their yard: usable furniture and household goods go to charities or are resold, metals and electricals are recycled, and only what is left goes for disposal. Ask for a waste transfer note so you know where it went.

Is a house clearance cheaper than hiring a skip?

For a full house it is often similar or cheaper once you count the labour, the permit and items a skip cannot take, such as fridges, mattresses and electricals. For mainly rubble or garden waste, a skip is usually better value. See our skip hire rankings for Edinburgh.

Who is the best house clearance company in Edinburgh?

On our research, NuGen Recycling & Environmental ranks first in Edinburgh, followed by Jettison Express and Joe Junk. The right choice also depends on where you are, the size of the job and whether reuse and donation matter to you.

House clearance in other cities

LondonBirminghamManchesterGlasgowLeedsLiverpoolEdinburghBristolSheffieldCardiffNewcastle

Need a skip instead? See the best skip hire companies in Edinburgh. Only a few items to shift? Try the best junk clearance companies in Edinburgh.

Every waste service in Edinburgh

See our number 1 for every type of job, local prices, permits and free council options on one page: the best waste companies in Edinburgh.

Skip hire Junk clearance Office clearance Garage clearance

Useful guides: How Much Does a House Clearance Cost?, How Long Does a House Clearance Take?, Will a House Clearance Company Pay for Items of Value?.