When a unit turns out to be very full
It usually starts with something small. A maintenance tech can't get to the water heater. A neighbor mentions a smell. Or a tenant moves out, or stops answering, and when you open the door the unit is full from wall to wall.
Every situation is a little different, but the ones we see most are:
- A current tenant living with hoarding. The unit is occupied and the conditions are a problem for safety, pests or the building.
- An abandoned unit. The tenant left, was evicted, or passed away, and their belongings are still inside.
- A turnover that's much worse than expected. The tenant is gone, the belongings are mostly gone, but what's left is heavy trash, odor and damage.
We handle all three. Between Abel and the project managers, the team has worked in hundreds of hoarded homes.
Why notice and the tenant's rights matter
This is the part that can cost a landlord the most if it's skipped, so we want to say it plainly. We aren't lawyers, and nothing on this page is legal advice.
A tenant's belongings are still their property, even when the unit is in bad shape. Most places have rules about how much notice you have to give before you enter, what you have to do with belongings left behind after a move-out or eviction, and how long you may have to store them. Those rules change from state to state and sometimes city to city. Your lease may add its own terms.
So before we remove anything from a rental:
- Follow your lease.
- Follow your state and local law.
- Check with your attorney, especially for abandoned property or a unit where the tenant has died.
When you've done that and you're clear on what can go, we'll do the work. If your attorney wants certain items stored, inventoried or held for a period of time, tell your project manager, and we'll plan around it.
Tenant hoarding and reasonable accommodation
When the tenant is still living in the unit, the situation gets more personal. Hoarding disorder is a recognized mental health condition, and a tenant may ask for a reasonable accommodation. That could mean more time to clear the unit, or help from family or a caseworker, before you take other steps.
We can't tell you what you're required to do there. Your attorney can. What we can tell you is that a cleanup goes far better when the tenant is part of it. People who feel forced tend to dig in, and the unit often fills right back up. When the tenant agrees to the cleanup, we work with them the same way we'd work with any homeowner: we go at a steady pace, they get a say in what stays, and we keep it low-key and private. Our page for people living in a full home explains how we treat them.
If the tenant's family is involved, they may find our page on helping a family member useful.
Photos and documentation
Owners and managers often need a record. It might be for a security deposit dispute, an insurance claim, your attorney, or your own files.
Your project manager can photograph:
- Every room before work starts, including closets, the garage and any storage spaces
- Damage that shows up once things are cleared (floors, walls, cabinets, appliances)
- Items set aside to be held or returned, if your attorney asks you to store belongings
- Every room after the cleanout and the cleaning
Tell us what you need it for, and we'll shoot it with that in mind.
What the work looks like
For a vacant unit, the process is fairly simple. Your project manager walks the unit or reviews your photos and gives you a free estimate. On the first day, the crew opens paths and clears the kitchen and bathroom, since those usually have the most spoiled food, waste and odor. Then we work room by room until the unit is empty.
Trash goes into a dumpster or our trucks. On a large house, that might be a 30-yard dumpster, a big open-top steel bin roughly 20 feet long. Usable furniture and household goods go to donation where we can, and metal, electronics and cardboard go to recycling.
Pet waste, rodent droppings, soaked carpet and heavy odor are normal work for us. You don't need to do anything before we arrive.
Repairs aren't part of our work. If the cleanout reveals water damage, broken fixtures or a ruined subfloor, your project manager can connect you with trusted local professionals.
We also don't handle live animals. If there are animals in the unit, contact your local animal services first.
The turnover-ready result
When we're done, the unit is empty, swept, and cleaned top to bottom. That includes:
- Every room, closet and cabinet cleared
- Kitchen and bathrooms scrubbed and sanitized
- Floors cleaned (or carpet removed if it can't be saved and you approve it)
- Odor treated so the unit doesn't smell when your painters and cleaners walk in
- A final walk-through with you or your manager, and after photos
The goal is a unit your regular turnover crew can step into and start painting. You can read more on our hoarding deep cleaning page.
Cost and billing
We don't publish prices, because every unit is different. Size, how full it is, how much is trash versus belongings to be held, stairs, and how many loads it takes all affect the estimate. See our page on hoarding cleanup cost for the full list. Property managers handling several units can ask about working through a single contact.
We work across a national network of service areas, each with a local project manager. If you also refer clients to us as a social worker, attorney or agent, see for professionals.
Common questions
Can you clean out a unit while the tenant still lives there?
Yes, when the tenant agrees and you've followed your lease and local law. These jobs go much better when the tenant is involved in the decisions. Talk with your attorney first, especially if a reasonable accommodation request has come up.
Can you remove belongings from an abandoned unit?
We can once you've confirmed with your attorney what the law in your area requires for left-behind property. Some places require notice or storage for a set time. Tell us what your attorney says, and we'll plan the work around it.
Do you take photos for documentation?
Yes. Your project manager can photograph every room before work starts and again after the cleaning. Let us know whether it's for a deposit dispute, an insurance claim or your attorney so we capture what you need.
Do you do repairs after the cleanout?
No, we don't do repairs. If we find damage, your project manager can connect you with trusted local professionals so your turnover isn't held up.
Can you handle units with animal waste and heavy odor?
Yes. Pet waste, rodent droppings, soaked carpet and strong odor are normal work for us. We remove it, sanitize, and treat the odor before the final walk-through.
How do I get an estimate for a rental unit?
Reach out or send photos of each room. Your local project manager will review them or walk the unit and give you a free estimate.