Drug & Hoarding Clearances
Some properties need more than a clean. Needle sweeps, drug paraphernalia removal, hoarded properties and heavy soiling all need the right protective equipment, a proper risk assessment and correct disposal — handled discreetly and without judgement. Blackwell & Denton FM Ltd cover this work for landlords, agents, housing providers and businesses across York and North Yorkshire.
Cleared, made safe and handed back properly
Every job starts with a risk assessment before anyone touches anything. Sharps are removed with the correct equipment, waste is disposed of through the proper channels, and the property is photographed so you have a record of what was found and what was done.
Needle sweeps & sharps removal
A methodical sweep of the property, garden and outbuildings for needles and sharps, removed with the correct tools and PPE and disposed of in proper sharps containers.
Drug paraphernalia removal
Pipes, foil, syringes, containers and related items removed and disposed of correctly, with the areas they were found in cleaned and sanitised afterwards.
Hoarding support & clearance
Hoarded properties cleared at a pace that works for everyone involved, with items sorted as agreed and the property brought back to a safe, liveable condition.
Full risk assessment before work starts
A written risk assessment covering sharps, biohazards, structural condition, vermin and anything else found on site, so everyone knows what the job actually involves.
Waste removal & correct disposal
General waste, contaminated items, furniture and accumulated belongings removed from site and disposed of through licensed channels, with documentation where needed.
Sanitising & decontamination
Affected rooms and surfaces cleaned, sanitised and deodorised after clearance, including areas contaminated by bodily fluids, vermin or decay.
Discreet, unmarked attendance
This work is nobody else's business. We attend discreetly, work considerately around neighbours and tenants, and keep what we find confidential.
Void & abandoned property clearances
Properties left full of belongings, waste or worse after abandonment or eviction, cleared and cleaned ready for repairs, reletting or sale.
Photographic record
Before and after photographs of every area, plus a record of sharps and hazardous items found — the documentation landlords, agents and insurers ask for.
Loft, cellar & outbuilding checks
The places sharps and paraphernalia actually end up: under floorboards, in lofts, cellars, sheds, gardens and communal bin areas, all checked as part of the sweep.
Follow-on repairs & making good
Damaged doors, broken windows, failed electrics and plumbing put right by the same team, so the property does not sit empty waiting for a second contractor.
Urgent & scheduled attendance
Urgent needle sweeps where a property has to be made safe quickly, and scheduled clearance work planned around evictions, handovers and inspections.
Landlords, agents & housing providers
A property that needs this kind of clearance is losing rent every day it sits. We assess it properly, clear it safely and document everything for the tenancy file or the insurer.
- Needle sweeps before void works or reletting
- Full written risk assessment before work starts
- Hoarded properties cleared at an agreed pace
- Waste removed and disposed of through licensed channels
- Photographic record of what was found and what was done
- Repairs, cleaning and certificates coordinated on the same visit
- Discreet attendance — no drama for neighbours or other tenants
Businesses, public areas & commercial sites
Sharps in a bin store, paraphernalia in a stairwell or a squatted unit all need dealing with quickly and safely, with the paperwork to show it was done properly.
- Needle sweeps of communal areas, bin stores and car parks
- Drug paraphernalia removed and disposed of correctly
- Squatted or abandoned units cleared and secured
- Sanitising and decontamination of affected areas
- RAMS and safe systems of work provided for your records
- Out-of-hours attendance where the site is trading
- Ongoing scheduled sweeps for problem areas
WORKING WITH VULNERABLE PEOPLE
Vulnerable people assessments
Hoarding and self-neglect rarely come without a person behind them. Before we clear a property where someone vulnerable is living — or will return to live — we carry out a vulnerable person assessment alongside the normal risk assessment. That means looking at how the person actually lives in the property, not just what needs removing, and agreeing the pace and the plan with the people who support them.
Safe to live in, not just empty
We assess the property against how the person uses it: clear walking routes, safe access to the toilet, kitchen and bed, fire exits kept open, and heating and hot water that actually work.
Working with support networks
Family, support workers, social services and housing officers can be involved from the first visit, with the person's wishes kept at the centre of every decision about what stays and what goes.
At the person's pace
Clearing too fast does more harm than good. Work is broken into manageable visits where that helps, with items sorted as agreed and nothing pressured, rushed or thrown out without consent.
- Vulnerable person assessment carried out alongside the risk assessment
- Fire risk, trip hazards, hygiene and access routes checked and recorded
- Family, support workers and housing officers welcome at every stage
- Work paced around the person, with breaks and repeat visits where needed
- Important papers, photographs and sentimental items set aside, never thrown
- Everything handled confidentially, discreetly and without judgement
Six steps, start to finish
Tell us what you are dealing with
Property type, what you know about its condition and any deadline. Photos over WhatsApp help us judge the scale before we attend.
Survey & full risk assessment
We attend, assess the risks — sharps, biohazards, structure, vermin — and write it all down before any clearance work begins.
Fixed price & agreed plan
A written price and a plan covering the sweep, the clearance, disposal and the clean-up, agreed with you before we start.
Sweep, clear & dispose
Needle sweep first, then the clearance. Sharps in proper containers, waste through licensed disposal, and the property left secure.
Clean & sanitise
Affected areas cleaned, sanitised and deodorised so the property is genuinely safe to work in, not just empty.
Report & photographic record
A report with before and after photographs and a record of anything hazardous found, plus a price for any repairs we recommend.
What every clearance includes
We assess it honestly before we price it
Nobody can price a hoarded or contaminated property honestly from a doorstep. What looks like a one-day clearance can hold sharps, structural damage or contamination that changes the job completely — and a price made up on the phone turns into an argument later. We will look, assess the risks properly and tell you what it genuinely takes. If part of the job needs a specialist we do not have, we will say so rather than muddle through it.
Clearance is usually the start of the job, not the end of it
Once a property is cleared and safe, the same Clifton Moor team can do the repairs, deep clean, electrical testing, gas certificates and redecoration that get it back into use. One contractor, one contact, no waiting between trades.
Got a property that needs clearing and making safe?
Send photos and the postcode, tell us what you know, and we will assess it properly across York and North Yorkshire — discreetly and without judgement.