Places for people rented flat

steampowered

You have no contract with the landlord, so aren't liable for anything.

However, any assets owned by the estate should be used to pay the estate's creditors, before anything can be paid to the beneficiaries.

Anything of value in the estate (bank accounts? property?) should be used to pay creditors. If that is only £100, that's all they get.

Silvertabby

steampowered wrote: »

You have no contract with the landlord, so aren't liable for anything.

However, any assets owned by the estate should be used to pay the estate's creditors, before anything can be paid to the beneficiaries.

Anything of value in the estate (bank accounts? property?) should be used to pay creditors. If that is only £100, that's all they get.

They won't even get that - it would go towards the priority debt of funeral expenses (even if family make up the shortfall).

markin

Check for cash in the mattress, and bottom of draws.


You must be able to see bank statements and the income and out goings, rent, bills, and estimate of food costs to see if it was all spent or cash hidden.

Silvertabby

markin wrote: »

Check for cash in the mattress, and bottom of draws.


You must be able to see bank statements and the income and out goings, rent, bills, and estimate of food costs to see if it was all spent or cash hidden.

Actually, that's a good point. When a friend's MIL died, they found a couple of £K in little stashes in her spare handbags. Seems she had always complained about not being able to manage on her State pension, so family members would take it in turns to do a fortnightly 'big shop' for her. They assumed that she had been saving up for her 'old age'.

parkrunner

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?

They are happy if either pays. They know that many people won't know the law and pay the debt themselves.

Norman_Castle

StevenDal wrote: »

So just to confirm when they send these letters they are trying to claim from the estate and not the next of kin?

Yes. They or other creditors don't know the estate is insolvent until you tell them. Either tell them when you return the keys or by email if they are difficult to contact.
At the end of a tenancy they like properties vacated in a clean and tidy condition to reduce their costs and so it can be re-tenanted easily. In this case that is not possible. They cannot charge you for not doing this.