Hoarding Cleanup Confidentiality

How Hoarding Cleanup Companies Should be Confidential:

One of the main rules that hoarding cleanup companies must follow is to respect the privacy of the hoarder. Hoarders are usually embarrassed by their situation and are hoping neighbors will not find out what their home looks like or that they are using a hoarding cleanup service.

Here are rules to be followed by hoarding cleanup companies to keep the hoarding cleanup project confidential:

1. Only discuss the nature of the project at hand with the hoarder and trusted family or friends (determined beforehand): The only people who the company can discuss the hoarding situation with is the hoarder themselves and a designated loved one of the hoarder (determined beforehand). Unless a loved one or the hoarder themselves gives explicit permission to discuss their issue with someone, there is no reason to discuss the matter with anyone, even with authorities.
2. Do not label company vehicles, uniforms, or other company property with language that will give away the nature of the project: Most hoarding cleanup companies have either junk, junk removal or hoarding cleanup written on their trucks. However, this is a mistake because the last thing a hoarder needs is for everyone in the neighborhood to know the nature of the project at hand. The individuals involved may be embarrassed and letting everyone know what we are doing will only add to their embarrassment.
3. Do not take videos or pictures of the hoarders home or the cleanup: On YouTube and Facebook and other places on the Internet you will find videos and pictures of hoarding and hoarding cleanups taking place, shamefully posted for the public to see. Hoarding cleanup companies should never video or photography any part of the hoarding cleanup job unless given consent by the hoarder.
4. Do not use untrained employees: Hoarding cleanup companies usually are junk hauling companies who don’t background check their employees or train their employees on how to approach a hoarding cleanup. Hoarding cleaning is a skilled profession and those working in the home should be trained accordingly. Junk hauler employees are usually only trained on how to haul junk, they are not trained on how to approach a hoarding situation with compassion, patience, or organizational skill. Also, junk hauler employees are not trained usually trained on keeping the confidentiality of the hoarding cleanup, therefore they may talk loudly about the cleanup or even speak with the neighbors about the project at hand.
5. Do not speak with the hoarder about their psychological issues: Some hoarding cleanup companies have employees that are willing to discuss the hoarder’s psychological issues with them, this should not be allowed to happen in a hoarding cleanup! A hoarding cleanup company with a hoarding trained and certified manager should be the only one allowed to have contact with the hoarder and the hoarder’s representative.

Call 410-589-2747 for more information on hoarding cleanup confidentiality, use our Contact Us page, or email info@addressourmess.com. We are here to help!