Hoarding
Most people collect something at various points in their lives. Hoarding is different.
Hoarding can be described as collecting and being unable to discard of excessive quantities of goods or objects. This often becomes so severe that it causes significant distress and impairment.
Collected items include papers, packaging, films, clothing, furniture and crockery, electrical items, tools, new items, animals, human waste and anything else.
People and professionals can use a ‘clutter image rating’ to measure the extent of hoarding, by comparing a number of images of different rooms.
It is estimated that hoarding affects 2-5% of the population. Excessive hoarding can contribute to health and safety issues as well as contributing to underlying mental health problems.
Hoarding is a recognised mental health problem which needs to be dealt with carefully and sensitively. There can be complex and diverse reasons that lead to hoarding behaviours and working with hoarding cases can be time consuming and stressful for all concerned.
Hoarding cases usually require a multi-agency approach to achieve the right balance between protecting those at risk with the individual’s right to live as they chose.
If you need help or are concerned for someone’s safety and wellbeing, please use the following contact details for key services and organisations that may be able to help:
- Devon Safeguarding Adults Partnership.
- The Hoarding Ice-Breaker Form empowers people whose health, wellbeing or safety has been adversely affected by hoarding to start a conversation with a medical professional.
- Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service offer free home safety visits and can often install free smoke alarms and specialist equipment to help residents keep safe in their own homes.
- Hoarding disorder - NHS.
- Hoarding UK provides information, support for hoarders and agencies, including local support groups.
- The Basics - hoardinguk.org.
- Help for Hoarders provides information, support and advice for hoarders and their families, including online support forums
- If your concern relates to a non-Mid Devon Housing property, you can also contact Private sector housing.
- The Association of Professional De-clutterers & Organisers (UK) are a professional network of those in the de-cluttering and organising industry.
- Change Your Space - Organising and Decluttering in Devon & Somerset
- yoursortednest.com
- Mid Devon District Council Healthy Homes Grant may be able to offer funding for support and clearance – see our Housing Assistance Policy for more information.