City of Edinburgh ยท EH1 and EH8

House Clearance Old Town

Flat clearances off the Royal Mile and in the Grassmarket, Cowgate and Canongate, planned around steep closes, long turnpike stairs, listed buildings and the parking controls of Edinburgh's oldest streets.

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House clearance in Old Town

Your local clearance team

The Old Town runs down the ridge from the Castle to Holyrood along the streets that make up the Royal Mile: Castlehill, the Lawnmarket, the High Street and the Canongate. Narrow closes, some only a few feet wide, drop steeply to the Grassmarket and Cowgate on one side and towards Waverley on the other. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a clearance here takes more planning than a typical street of houses, so our team arrives from Glasgow with the carry already worked out.

Homes here range from flats in tall historic tenements, some of the earliest high-rise housing anywhere, to the newer housing schemes built in the Canongate from the 1990s onwards. We clear flats for owners, executors and landlords, including short let and student properties, taking furniture apart where needed to fit spiral stairs and close entrances. The rate is agreed up front from photos or a visit, and once everything is out we sweep through. Sorting happens at our Glasgow depot, where over 90% is reused or recycled.

  • We call ahead on the day so you know when to expect us
  • Up-front rates agreed before any work starts
  • Friendly, uniformed and fully insured team
  • Furniture dismantled and carpets lifted
  • Sweep and tidy once the property is empty
  • Over 90% of what we collect is reused or recycled
  • Registered waste carrier, so your waste is handled legally
  • We do not remove asbestos or hazardous waste

Local know-how

Clearing a flat in the Old Town

What to know before you clear a property in Old Town, and why most people find one visit from our team easier than doing it themselves.

One visit, one carry plan

In the Old Town, the hard part is rarely the amount of stuff. It is the distance from the flat door, down a turnpike stair and along a close, to wherever a vehicle can legally stop. Making that journey dozens of times on your own is exhausting. Our crew does it as a planned team carry, so the flat is cleared in a single visit and the close is not blocked for neighbours longer than it needs to be.

Doing it yourself

There are no council recycling centres in the city centre. The options for Old Town residents are Seafield, Sighthill and Craigmillar, and each one only admits visitors with a booked appointment. A van or trailer needs a booked slot and ID, and Craigmillar does not take vans. Without a car parked nearby, getting even a single armchair from a close to one of these sites is a real challenge, never mind a whole flat.

Closes, stairs and parking

Many Old Town flats are reached through a close off the High Street or Canongate, then up a stone turnpike stair with no lift. Buildings are often listed, so we take care around old doorways, worn steps and stonework. The Royal Mile has traffic restrictions and loading limits, and the Grassmarket and Cowgate are tight for a truck, so send us the full address and the name of the close and we will work out where we can stop.

What we clear in Old Town

Clearance services

Executry clearances

Sensitive clearances for families and solicitors after a bereavement.

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Void and rental properties

Fast turnarounds for landlords and letting agents between tenancies.

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Junk removal

A single item, a loft or a garage, cleared in one visit.

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Garden clearances

Green waste, old sheds, fence panels and garden junk removed.

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How it works

Four simple steps

  1. 1

    Tell us about the job

    Send a few photos or call us on 0333 880 6800. We can also visit to look at larger properties.

  2. 2

    Get your rate

    We give you an up-front rate before any work starts, so there are no surprises on the day.

  3. 3

    We clear the property

    Our team carries everything out, dismantles furniture, lifts carpets and leaves the property swept.

  4. 4

    Sorted at our depot

    Items are taken back to our Glasgow depot and sorted for reuse, charity and recycling.

Areas we cover

Across the Old Town, EH1 and EH8

  • Royal Mile
  • Castlehill
  • Lawnmarket
  • High Street
  • Canongate
  • Grassmarket
  • Cowgate
  • West Port
  • Holyrood
  • Dumbiedykes
  • Southside
  • Tollcross
  • Abbeyhill

Nearby areas

Edinburgh New Town Newington Fountainbridge Bruntsfield Dalry

All house clearance areas

Questions

Old Town house clearance FAQs

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Why does access affect the price of an Old Town clearance?
The price depends on the volume, the type of items and the access, and in the Old Town access counts for a lot. A flat at the top of a turnpike stair, down a long close from the nearest loading point, takes more people and more time than the same flat on a quiet street. We take all of that into account and agree an up-front rate before work starts.
Can you clear a short let or student flat between bookings?
Yes. We clear furnished flats for owners, landlords and agents, removing tired furniture, mattresses and anything left by guests or tenants, so the flat can be refurnished or handed back. We plan the job around your dates and any building rules on access, and businesses receive waste transfer paperwork for their records once the flat is clear.
Can you get a wardrobe down a turnpike stair?
Usually, yes. Most large furniture was carried up in pieces or built in the room, so we take wardrobes, beds and bookcases apart and carry them down in sections. Sofas and armchairs stay whole, as Scottish rules on persistent organic pollutants require, and if one will not fit the stair we will talk through the options with you.
Do I need to be in Edinburgh on the day?
No. Owners and executors who live elsewhere often leave keys with us or with a neighbour in the stair. Tell us what is staying and we will leave it untouched. Once the flat is clear and swept, we let you know and leave the paperwork, so you can arrange the next step without travelling.
What happens to personal papers and photographs you find?
We keep them aside and hand them over to you or your solicitor. Old Town flats that have been lived in for a long time can hold letters, deeds, photographs, jewellery or cash tucked away in drawers and cupboards, and our team checks as we clear. Nothing personal is thrown away without your say.

Accredited & trusted

Get a Quote For Your Old Town Clearance

Call For a Quote: 0333 880 6800

Get a Quote 0333 880 6800