Eviction Cleanout Costs: What Property Managers Actually Pay [2026 Data]

Eviction cleanout costs depend primarily on the size of the property and how much the former tenant left behind. Based on pricing data from multiple junk removal companies, here are the typical ranges:

• •Studio or 1-bedroom apartment: $300–$800 (MammothDump, AdamCleanouts)
• •2-bedroom apartment or small house: $500–$1,200 (JunkedByVets, TurboHaul)
• •3+ bedroom house or large unit: $1,000–$3,000+ (MammothDump, GetWeCycle)
• •Light cleanout (a few items, bags of trash): $150–$400 (HouseTipster)
• •Heavy cleanout (hoarder-level, full property): $2,000–$4,000+ (GetWeCycle)

These prices are for full-service junk removal, where a crew enters the property, loads everything into a truck, and hauls it to the dump. But full-service cleanout is not your only option — and it is rarely the cheapest.

A standard move-out cleaning costs $120–$420 according to HomeAdvisor. An eviction cleanout costs 2–5x more because of three factors that regular move-outs rarely involve.

First, evicted tenants leave more behind. In a normal move-out, a tenant takes their belongings and might leave minor cleaning needs. After an eviction, you often find entire apartments full of furniture, clothing, trash bags, broken appliances, and personal items. The tenant had no incentive — and often no means — to clean up.

Second, the condition is worse. Eviction properties frequently have accumulated trash, pest issues, food waste, and damage beyond normal wear and tear. Some require biohazard assessment before cleanout can begin.

Third, there is a legal component. Most states require you to store tenant belongings for a set period before disposal. This creates a two-phase process: secure and store first, then clean out — adding time, complexity, and cost to every eviction.

You cannot start cleaning out a property the moment an eviction order is executed. Most states require specific steps to protect the former tenant's rights to reclaim personal property. According to Nolo and the World Population Review's compilation of state laws, the standard process involves three key steps.

First, you must provide written notice. A typical abandoned property notice gives the tenant 7 to 30 days to reclaim belongings, depending on your state. California requires 15 days for in-person notice or 18 days for mailed notice. Washington state requires 45 days. Texas and Vermont require 60 days. Indiana allows up to 90 days.

Second, you must store the property safely during the notice period. You can move items to a storage unit or a secure area on the property, but you cannot destroy, sell, or dispose of them until the notice period expires.

Third, after the notice period, you can dispose of or sell items based on your state's rules. Some states require a public sale for items above a certain value. Others allow landlords to dispose of everything. Many states let you deduct reasonable storage and removal costs from the security deposit or from sale proceeds.

The bottom line: rushing to clean out a unit before your legal obligations are met can result in lawsuits. According to FindLaw, wrongful disposal of tenant property can result in liability for the fair market value of destroyed items.

The cleanout bill is only part of your total cost. The bigger expense is lost rent during vacancy. According to Apartments.com, the national average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $1,636 per month as of 2025. That works out to roughly $54 per day in lost rent.

Eviction cleanouts typically take 2 to 5 days when handled by a professional crew, according to AdvancedBBP. Some companies offer 24 to 48-hour turnaround for urgent property management needs, according to JunkProSquad. But if you are waiting on a dumpster rental, the entire process can stretch to 7–14 days.

Here is what those extra days actually cost:

• •3-day delay: $162 in lost rent
• •7-day delay: $378 in lost rent
• •14-day delay: $756 in lost rent
• •30-day delay: $1,636 in lost rent

According to the AllPropertyManagement survey, the average tenant turnover costs roughly $2,000 — and that number doubles to approximately $4,000 when an eviction is involved. A separate analysis by Amerisave, citing multiple industry studies from Innago, Zego, and BelongHome, puts the average tenant turnover cost between $1,750 and $3,872 per vacancy.

The fastest way to cut eviction cleanout costs is to separate the two most expensive parts of the process: getting items out of the unit and getting items off the property. Most full-service junk removal companies charge a premium because they send a crew into the unit, carry everything out, load it onto a truck, and haul it away. That full-service model costs $300–$1,500+.

But if your maintenance crew is already on-site, they can handle the first step — moving items from the unit to the curb or a staging area. Then a curbside junk removal service like Dropcurb picks up everything that has been placed outside for a flat $79 per pickup, same day. No phone calls, no on-site estimates, no 2-person crew requirements.

This split approach works especially well for property managers who handle multiple units. Your maintenance team becomes the loading crew, and Dropcurb handles disposal at a fraction of the full-service price.

Yes, in most states property managers can recover cleanout costs through three channels.

First, security deposit deductions. According to Nolo, landlords can deduct cleaning and junk removal costs that go beyond normal wear and tear. You need itemized receipts. In California, deductions over $125 require attached invoices.

Second, small claims court. If cleanout costs exceed the security deposit, landlords can sue the former tenant for the difference. According to BiggerPockets, the total cost of an eviction — including lost rent, cleanout, and repairs — averages around $4,000. However, collecting on a judgment against an evicted tenant is often difficult in practice.

Third, insurance claims. If the property sustained significant damage, your landlord insurance policy may cover some cleanup and restoration costs. Check your policy for coverage of tenant-caused damage versus normal vacancy expenses.

Keeping your cleanout costs low is the best recovery strategy. A $79 curbside pickup receipt is much easier to justify as a security deposit deduction than a $1,500 full-service cleanout invoice.

Property managers may deal with all three types of cleanouts. While the physical work is similar — removing items from a property — the legal requirements, timelines, and costs differ.

Eviction cleanouts involve the most legal complexity. You must follow abandoned property notice requirements, wait the mandatory period, and document everything. Timing is critical because every vacant day costs rent.

Estate cleanouts happen when a tenant dies or a property changes ownership after the owner's death. These typically involve more items of personal or monetary value and may require coordination with an estate executor. Costs range from $275 to $4,000 with a national average of $1,250, according to GetWeCycle.

Foreclosure cleanouts are ordered by lenders after a property is repossessed. The bank or REO management company typically hires cleanout vendors directly. LoadUp and 1-800-GOT-JUNK both offer dedicated foreclosure cleanout programs for REO managers.

For all three types, the curbside model works the same way: get items to the curb, book a pickup, and let the hauler handle disposal.

Not all junk removal companies are equally suited for property management work. Here is what matters most when choosing a vendor for eviction cleanouts.

• •Transparent pricing: Companies that require on-site estimates add days to your vacancy. Look for upfront online pricing you can see before scheduling. Dropcurb and LoadUp both show prices online. 1-800-GOT-JUNK does not — they require an in-person estimate before quoting.

• •Same-day availability: Every day of vacancy costs rent. Companies that offer same-day or next-day service cut your vacancy window significantly.

• •No minimums or contracts: You need a vendor you can call once for a single unit or ten times a month during peak turnover season without committing to a contract. Dropcurb has no minimums and no contracts.

• •Proof of service: You need receipts and documentation for security deposit deductions. Ask whether the company provides itemized invoices.

• •Reliability: According to BBB data, LoadUp has received 122 complaints over three years, with contractor no-shows being the most common issue. Ask for references from other property managers before committing to a vendor.