Housing Association - action after bereavement

Shelldean

When Nan passed we was in a similar situation.
Nan also died on Saturday but of a bank holiday wk end. The offices for the council were in the same place as the registrars offices. And we had an appointment to register the death on the Wens. So we registered the death then went to offices to let them know the situation. I almost decked the worker who expected the keys back there and then. And was most displeased when I refused. She then suggested the following Monday. Nan had lived in the property since she was 2, and she was almost 84 when she died. So there was a fair bit to sort through. We also had the funeral booked for the following Wens. I Suggest a month and the woman's jaw actually dropped. We did compromise and this gave us a wk and half after the funeral to clear the house.

we cleared most things, but couldn't find a home for the cooker, three piece suite and an old wardrobe. The cooker was in VGC. So we left them there as with no transport and no funds to hire a van and no driver we had no choice.

I got a demand from the council for just over £1500 for clearing the house. They kindly included pictures of the items we'd left. These photos included the empty cardboard boxes we'd left (in error) instead of recycling, the yellow pages we'd left for the next tenants, the sofa and the wardrobe. But funny enough none of hte cooker!!
I rang them and said no money in estate.
Got another letter a couple fo mths later asking for the clearance fee and the rent.
Again called them and said sorry I cant help.
Heard nothing since.

So I would assume things will be vaguely similar for you but you do need to be reasonable in how long you are stopping the HA from reletting the property, after they are losing the rent.

poppysarah

Take all paperwork and nice bits.

Bag up everything else.
Put freecycle ad on "address between 10-12 on Saturday" everything must go.

You will get house clearance people coming along too - clothes can be sold for cash... There will be little left.

Vampgirl

R1CHIE wrote: »

There are no assets of any worth and we had to pay for the funeral from some savings and the rest on a credit card.

Maybe you already tried this, but have you applied for a Funeral Payment? Don't know if you would qualify, but if you haven't already done so then apply anyway: the worst they can say is no! http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Bereaved/DG_10018660

pauletruth

Vampgirl wrote: »

Maybe you already tried this, but have you applied for a Funeral Payment? Don't know if you would qualify, but if you haven't already done so then apply anyway: the worst they can say is no!http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Bereaved/DG_10018660

that depends on the person making the claim. basically if any of the next of kin are workin then forget it. it happened to my brother in law when his dad died they were lumbered with the full cost of the funeral.

cattie

When my mother died, her sheltered housing flat had a 2 week rent free period to enable the flat to be cleared. If the flat hadn't been emptied by the end of the 2 weeks grace period, then rent would become payable.

Most of my mother's belongings were donated to homeless charities, which were more than happy to receive the items. Nowadays, Freecycle is a good way to get rid of items in a hurry, but probably not suitable for you, as you live such a long way from the property.