Places for people rented flat

StevenDal

Hi
I'm looking for some advice. My mother in law recently passed away and she lived in a rented property from places for people.
We have been clearing the place out and have discovered the place is in a very bad state of disrepair. Damp is throughout the property to the point where whole walls are black with mould and door frames are rotting away.
We have notified everyone we have been asked to and due to no/little money in the estate we have had to pay for things ourselves like the funeral and clearance so far etc.
We arrived at the flat to find a letter from places for people advising us we have to fully redecorate the flat and make sure it's clear by the 13th of July.
With the damp and the lack of maintenance the property has received this is going to be impossible.
Also there are items like fitted wardrobes that are not on the tenancy but were there when she moved in.
I just wanted to check how liable are we for this flat? It needs a lot of repair doing and with the damp there is no point in decorating as there is literally mould/damage/rot on every wall of the property inside.
Also the letter detailed charges we would get for anything left inside. We have cleared out the majority of the property but we cannot afford to move any fitted wardrobes etc especially when they were already there. Is this something we will have to pay?
This has all happened very suddenly and we already find ourselves 1,000's down and can't afford anymore while trying to do what's right.

Thanks for any advice

Steven

[Deleted User]

They can't charge you, just the estate.

AdrianC

You do not need to spend money on removing fitted wardrobes - they can be removed quickly and simply with minimum tools. The doors will remove easily, and the rails are screwed to the walls/floor/ceiling.

Or just do what the previous tenant did, and leave them...

A packet of sugar soap, and an hour or two washing the walls down will probably remove most of the mould, even if you go no further than that.

As _Shel says, the estate is liable up to the maximum value of it. Then... the landlord are out of luck. There is no comeback on you. You can pay if you wish, as you've paid for other of your late mother's expenses, but you do not have to.

Norman_Castle

StevenDal wrote: »

We have notified everyone we have been asked to and due to no/little money in the estate we have had to pay for things ourselves like the funeral and clearance so far etc.
We arrived at the flat to find a letter from places for people advising us we have to fully redecorate the flat and make sure it's clear by the 13th of July.
With the damp and the lack of maintenance the property has received this is going to be impossible.
Also there are items like fitted wardrobes that are not on the tenancy but were there when she moved in.
I just wanted to check how liable are we for this flat?

You are not liable for the flat or any other debts. Hand the keys back by July 13th. They and others can pursue your MILs estate but if there are no assets that would be pointless.

StevenDal

Thanks for the advice. I was reading up on the issue on the internet and saw how the local council send letters out (usually with large values) for clearing out and decoration etc but it was unclear as to who was liable for this. So just to confirm when they send these letters they are trying to claim from the estate and not the next of kin?

AdrianC

StevenDal wrote: »

Thanks for the advice. I was reading up on the issue on the internet and saw how the local council send letters out (usually with large values) for clearing out and decoration etc but it was unclear as to who was liable for this. So just to confirm when they send these letters they are trying to claim from the estate and not the next of kin?

Yes.

If there's assets in the estate, the bills must be settled before any "inheritances".
If there's no assets, the deceased is simply insolvent.

StevenDal

Sorry should have clarified when I said about removing the wardrobes and saying can't afford to. It was more about:
1) they were already there and didn't want to get billed for removal by leaving them there
or
2) removing them and then getting billed for removing something that was part of the tenancy.

Just trying to speak to them and find out what is and isn't in the tenancy is proving a nightmare and they don't seem to know themselves but are keen to point there will be a charge for removing there items/not removing MIL's items.....

AdrianC

I cleared my father's P4P flat last year - and they wanted damn near completely empty... Carpets and underlay out. Fitted wardrobes out. Cooker out. He'd been responsible for the fitting of all those when he moved in...

They went, but I didn't wash-down too hard or re-paint (even though both were desperately needed). It almost certainly wasn't up to their scratch when the keys were handed back, tbh. I just took an executive decision that that was as much time, effort, hassle as I wanted to put in (with a 7hr round trip), so anything else would be paid... No bill ever arrived.

StevenDal

Thanks Adrian. We spoke to the HMRC and declared the small amount of money in the bank (about £100-200 at most) and they said the amount was too small and there is essentially no inheritance tax due and we don't need a letter of adminstration/probate. Other than a few ornaments and furniture there is nothing of value really.

AdrianC

So even if a bill does arrive, you just reply saying that the estate was insolvent. The value of those few assets has been more than spent on what you've already covered.

Silvertabby

Be prepared for them trying to bully you into paying up. Just stand firm, and state (in writing) that the estate is insolvent.

If you receive a bill addressed to 'the executor' then just return it with a letter stating that there is no executor... as the estate is insolvent.