Debt responsibility when single person dies

Mojisola

GaleSF63 wrote: »

Unless things have changed, doesn't the death certificate show who registered the death, their relationship to the deceased and their address?

If anyone does contact the person named as the informant on the death certificate, they should write back saying that they are not dealing with the estate and not to contact them again.

jackyann

OP: I think you are doing the right thing. You are taking the responsibility for the funeral - the last thing you can do for your brother, and the right thing emotionally.
Leave the rest.

mscroft

Thanks for all the advice - we were thinking we might obscure that information, after all, they would not be able to contact us beyond that. It's been suggested many times that we do absolutely nothing and walk away, and I know that no one could contact us, but it feels wrong.

Yorkshireman99

mscroft wrote: »

Thanks for all the advice - we were thinking we might obscure that information, after all, they would not be able to contact us beyond that. It's been suggested many times that we do absolutely nothing and walk away, and I know that no one could contact us, but it feels wrong.

Follow your own conscience. Just notify the creditors you can stating that the estate is insolvent and that you will not answer any further queries.

Mojisola

mscroft wrote: »

Thanks for all the advice - we were thinking we might obscure that information, after all, they would not be able to contact us beyond that. It's been suggested many times that we do absolutely nothing and walk away, and I know that no one could contact us, but it feels wrong.

As they can buy a copy of the death certificate and get the contact details, it is worth obscuring it?

TonyMMM

Being the informant who registers a death has no bearing or relevance to being the administrator/executor of an estate.

Just notify them as advised and take no further action.

wwl

Mojisola wrote: »

If anyone does contact the person named as the informant on the death certificate, they should write back saying that they are not dealing with the estate and not to contact them again.

Or include a covering note to that effect.

mamamags

Sorry for your loss.
my dad died last month under similiar circumstances. His house has been handed back to the LA and I informed any agency involved with him. I just gave them my details as it was on the death certificate anyway.
He had debt at the bank and owed money for gas. The gas company asked for a copy of his death certificate when I told them there was no money in his bank to pay for the bill.
He had a prepaid plan for his funeral but it did not cover all the expenses. I expect a bill for around £1k. I informed DWP and his pension etc were stopped but as they are paid in arrears he was due a small payment which they sent to me. He also had overpaid his Council Tax so I was sent a refund. It's not much but every penny counts towards the funeral bill.
The bank wrote asking how I was planning to pay the outstanding money so I wrote back and explained that he had nothing and i still had funeral costs to cover. They advised that if I forwarded a copy of the funeral bill when we received it they would write off his debt and close the account.
Hope this helps.