What To Do When a Tenant Dies
We’d like to offer you our condolences and hope we can help you through this difficult time.
If you haven’t already done so, please let us know of the tenant’s death as soon as possible by completing our online form (you will be taken to a new page for this form) or by contacting us on 0345 604 1472.
Please remember…
- that contractually you are required to give the required notice period to terminate the tenancy (dependent upon the tenancy agreement)
- the rent will continue to be charged until the end of the notice period and the keys have been returned to us
- we will seek to recover any outstanding debts or arrears from the tenant’s estate
- you will need to let us know if you are the executor or administrator of the deceased tenant’s estate
- if it appears that there isn’t an executor or administrator because the person who died did not leave a will or has no next of kin, we will notify the Public Trustee to bring the tenancy to an end
- if the tenant received Housing Benefit it is important that you notify the Housing Benefit team at the council immediately as payments will stop on the nearest Monday after death.
If you were living with or dependent on the person who died, you may be eligible for certain bereavement benefits or financial help. Visit the government website for more information.
In certain circumstances you or a family member may be able to take over the tenancy; this is called succession to the tenancy. You can ask us if you are a qualifying successor and we can explain what this means.
If no-one living in the property wishes to take over the tenancy the property must be cleared and the keys returned to us.
Please make sure you return the keys to us as soon as possible after the death. Keys returned before 12 noon on the Monday will enable the tenancy to end from the Sunday. Any keys returned after 12 noon on the Monday (unless you’ve agreed beforehand with the housing officer) will incur an additional rent charge.
If you need to extend the notice period please let us know, but remember that rent will continue to be charged.
Tell us Once
When you register the death with the council, they will tell you about the Tell us once service. The service passes on information about the death to other public departments so you don’t have to. As LHP is not part of this service you will need to let us know separately.
