Their advice and attention to detail are second to none

Thank you, Philippa and Rachel, for your assistance in winding up our father’s estate. Right from the start, we loved your “nothing is a problem” attitude. Despite us living elsewhere, you made the whole process seamless. We found you both friendly, professional, sensitive and reliable. We appreciated your vast network of contacts for packing, plumbing, painting, selling, gardening etc.

We would recommend Estate Matters to anyone who needs help with estate or moving house.

— Keryn & Family

Sensitivity and care that we really had nothing to worry about

We are thrilled to have discovered Phillippa and Rachel from Estate Matters. The process of clearing and disposing of the contents of the family home can be emotionally fraught, but Estate Matters handled the task (and us!) with such sensitivity and care that we really had nothing to worry about. They were prompt, efficient, respectful, and kept us informed of progress at all times. It was a genuine relief to have their expertise and experience to help us, and nothing was too much trouble. I thoroughly recommend them.

— Mark & Vicki

Nothing's a problem for Estate Matters

Thank you, Philippa and Rachel, for your assistance in winding up our father’s estate. Right from the start, we loved your “nothing is a problem” attitude. Despite us living elsewhere, you made the whole process seamless. We found you both friendly, professional, sensitive and reliable. We appreciated your vast network of contacts for packing, plumbing, painting, selling, gardening etc.

We would recommend Estate Matters to anyone who needs help with estate or moving house.

— Charlotte & Jonathan

Job with sensitivity and thoughtfulness

Rachel and Phillippa, of Estate Matters Limited, took on a challenging project for us, (on behalf of a deceased relative’s estate in Christchurch). This involved identifying, sorting and disposing of the contents of a property. They then prepared the property ready for sale – cleaning the house and organising garden maintenance. They tackled this daunting task in a cheerful, positive and energetic manner. The organising of selling items through auction was particularly helpful. They worked swifty and diligently, but also handled the job with sensitivity and thoughfulness.It felt so good knowing we could trust them, especially as we live in another part of the country.

Thank you ladies – for your care and expertise.

— Cecilia Russell

Promptly, efficiently and in a most professional manner

I would like to thank you both for jobs well done regarding the estate of my family member in Christchurch. The work you undertook was performed promptly, efficiently and in a most professional manner and above all expectations. Also, the work done by your subcontractors was of a similar nature. I have had no hesitation in recommending you to the lawyer who has been handling the estate.

— Mike Mason

Made life so much easier

We were fortunate to be given Estate Matters’ details when my mother moved into a retirement village. Dealing with Phillipa and Rachel was a real pleasure. They were remarkably efficient in everything from initial discussions, to job scope, dealing with the lockdown restrictions and making new plans that were then required. They have contacts for things that we would never have known about which made life so much easier. When they finished, the house looked great.

I would thoroughly recommend them to anyone in the position of having to clear property.

— Graham Down

Professional, hardworking team.

Always a pleasure to work with this professional, hardworking team. Their integrity is second to none and we have only ever heard clients speak positively and highly. We thoroughly recommend this team if you need help in sorting your property.

— Sally Stewart from Glass Miles Real Estate

A seemingly impossible job became a very possible reality

I am very happy to endorse the great work done by Phillippa and Rachel of Estate Matters.

The recent move of an elderly relative from her home of many years into rest home care created problems for me that seemed insurmountable. To sort a lifetime’s worth of personal and household belongings was a massive task that this lady could not do herself, and she had no close family or other support.

Estate Matters were engaged to carry out the work and immediately a seemingly impossible job became a very possible reality.

Phillippa and Rachel work quickly, methodically and efficiently, considering items in terms of an overall plan that has been well thought out and tested. They have a wide range of contacts to help with the disposal and re-use of items, and I was particularly impressed by their sustainable attitude, seeking to recycle and re-purpose where possible.

Equally impressive is the way they treat each job individually, taking into account the person whose home they are working in. Great care is taken to identify and save such things as family documents, photographs, special collections and other sentimental or family treasures. They happily work around special requirements and individual needs. Their manner is professional and non-judgmental. While not emotionally involved themselves, they are mindful of the personal nature of what they do and carry out their tasks with respect and dignity.

In my experience, the capable women from Estate Matters worked very hard to achieve an amazing result in a very short time. Their honesty, integrity, sensitivity and sound judgment were much appreciated, and I am happy to recommend them without reservation.

— Alison

The Estate Matters team saved the day

Recently used the services of Estate Matters and I can’t recommend their services highly enough. I felt overwhelmed and daunted at having to deal with sorting out Mums things and getting her house sale-ready as she moved into a rest home. Having to do all of this from a great distance whilst juggling a young family and a full-time job only made everything feel more difficult. Rachel and the Estate Matters team saved the day. They were kind, professional and efficient. Nothing was too much trouble. I am so grateful for Estate Matters.

— Nicole Smith

We would have no hesitation in recommending their services

We are a Firm of Solicitors who have used the services of Estate Matters, Rachel Maule and Phillippa Smith on a number of occasions. We have always found the issues attended to by Estate Matters to be completed in a professional, courteous and timely matter, and with very little input from ourselves other than clear instruction.

To date they have assisted us in the clearance of a number of estate house properties, enabling them to be ready for sale and have also cleared out chattels so the property is ready for sale where our clients have occupied Rest Homes. We would have no hesitation in recommending their services to other Solicitors, Estate Managers, Professional Trustees and families who require these sort of services.

— Peter O’Dea from Helmore Lawyers

We couldn’t be happier with the way the whole operation was handled

When the time came for my mother to sell her house and relocate to a retirement home, I wasn’t sure how we were going to manage things. We were working to a tight timeline, and as I don’t live in Christchurch and had only a limited local knowledge, I wasn’t sure how we were going to get everything done. Enter Estate Matters!

Rachel and Phillippa organised everything to make sure that we got things done at the right time, from getting mum moved and settled in her retirement home, to clearing the entire house and giving the place a thorough clean. We couldn’t be happier with the way the whole operation was handled. I was really impressed with the care they took to understand what it was we wanted, and then worked with us every step of the way to execute the plan.

Rachel and Phillippa earned our confidence and trust right from the start with their professionalism and made a difficult situation, which could have been a nightmare for us, very very easy in the end. I have no hesitation in recommending Rachel and Phillippa and the services of Estate Matters.

— Roger Smith

The process was easy, done with good attention to detail and with great transparency

When confronted by a large estate of an elderly woman with no immediate family in town and a co-executor who lived in the North Island, it all seemed “too hard” until I made contact with Estate Matters. Her unit was cleared out and her personal chattels in storage (there were large numbers of these) were checked, listed, photographed where necessary; and when decisions had been made they were disposed of or sold in accordance with family instructions

The process was easy, done with good attention to detail and with great transparency – and even when the instructions from the executors were difficult, Estate Matters happily fitted in with those instructions and made everything work. It saved hours and hours of time for the executors; and even if there had been local family, Estate Matters would have provided a lot of help for them too. This is a service we will be using again.

— Philip Sewell, Partner at Godfreys Law

Very hands on, diligent and hardworking, and also provided some really good advice

Rachel and Phillippa of Estate Matters project managed getting my parents’ Christchurch property ready for sale following my father’s death. As I am not based in Christchurch it would have been much trickier for me to personally source and coordinate all the activities that needed to be undertaken.

Commissioning Estate Matters meant that they did much of the work required, including engaging and coordinating contractors, cleaning the property, and disposing of items through an auction house and charity. As a consequence we were able to get the property on the market within a week of work commencing on the house, and the house sold five weeks later.

Rachel and Phillippa are very hands on, diligent and hardworking, and also provided some really good advice.

— Nigel Royfees

Excellent communication

I would highly recommend Rachel and Phillippa. From the outset, they were professional with excellent communication through every step of the process. They were extremely efficient and went out of their way to make the process stress-free. Thank you for the respectful way you dealt with clearing the house and it looks immaculate. I could not have asked for a better service.

— Amanda Graham