Estate clearance Gothenburg – respectful help for families

Estate clearance means emptying, sorting and removing all the contents of a home after someone has passed away. An estate (dödsbo) covers everything the deceased owned – furniture, clothes, household goods, documents, electronics and personal belongings – and once the estate inventory is complete, the home often needs to be cleared for sale, handover to a landlord or distribution among heirs.

For the family this is rarely just practical work. It means going through an entire life, deciding what to keep, while also coping with grief. Our role is to take away the heavy, physical part: we handle the belongings with care, make sure valuables and personal items are set aside, and take care of the rest through donation, recycling and eco-friendly junk removal. You set the pace and decide what happens to every item.

Before an estate is cleared there are a few legal steps in Sweden that are useful to know. We are not lawyers, but after many years of estate clearances in Gothenburg we know how the process usually looks – and we adapt to where you are.

1. Estate inventory (bouppteckning). Within three months of the death, an estate inventory must be drawn up and sent to the Swedish Tax Agency. It lists the deceased's assets and debts. Normally the home should only be cleared and distributed once it is complete.

2. Valuation of belongings. Valuable items, antiques and furniture may need to be appraised. We help identify anything that may have a resale value so it isn't thrown away unnecessarily.

3. Distribution of the estate (arvskifte). Once the heirs agree on how to divide things, personal items are handed out. Whatever no one keeps is left to be dealt with.

4. Clearance and cleaning. This is where we come in. We empty the home, sort, remove and clean so it can be sold, handed back or transferred. If you are in a hurry – for example if a rented flat must be given up – we can prioritise the job.

The price of an estate clearance depends on the size of the home, how much there is to remove, access (floor, lift, distance to the truck) and whether move-out cleaning is included. A small flat costs considerably less than a fully furnished villa with a garage and storage. That is why we always set a fixed price only after a free inspection – on site or from photos – so you know exactly what you will pay before the work begins.

Two things can lower the cost: resalable items can be valued and offset, and the Swedish RUT deduction can sometimes apply. For an estate, RUT only applies under certain conditions and usually only for the year of death – we always refer you to the Swedish Tax Agency for your specific situation. To read more, see our guide on what a clearance costs and our pricing overview, or contact us directly.