Mum has just passed - confused about utility bills etc while the house is still under her name

martin2345uk

Thanks all. This is a great board, sound advice and not snippy like some sections on here can get. 😊

BooJewels

I saw that house insurance was covered earlier - if you're keeping the same policy, but it takes on 'unoccupied' status after a period of time, please ensure that you read the policy document carefully as to what exactly that limits, to be sure you have sufficient cover.  My parents' house was unoccupied, but remained fully furnished for a while when Dad went into care and the terms of his usual contents policy were unacceptable to us - they didn't cover things like damage by squatters and break-ins if anything 'valuable' was left in.  All the very things you'd need to be covered in that situation.

I took out a proper specialist 'unoccupied property' policy - expensive, but we felt it was right for us, as the house was large and packed to the rafters with stuff and it has taken us 18 months to clear it, due to domestic circumstances and Covid.

So please actually read the policy to ensure that you're sufficiently covered and to see if there are any endorsements - like weekly visits required, heating on with a thermostat etc. etc.