Executor of deceased tenant?

gld73

Is there a way to find out who the executor of a person's estate is?

As background - My tenant died 4 months ago. His partner stayed with him towards the end it turned out, but wasn't on the tenancy and has her own place (though I don't know the address). A couple of weeks afterwards I contacted her to ask what her plans were - I didn't know her, hadn't known she'd been staying with him, so had written to the flat in case she was still there (she was). I said she was welcome to take over the flat and sign a new tenancy agreement, but she told me she had her own place and would be moving back to that, but the money she was inheriting was paying for a new kitchen so she couldn't move back there yet - and anyway, had to sort out all his things in the flat. I wrote to serve a S21 on the tenant / executor at the flat address, saying to the partner this was just a formality to end the tenancy, but I wouldn't be hounding her out on the exact date if she still needed time. Don't know if she even read it or forwarded it on to a solicitor or anyone (I suspect not). She asked for a few extensions to keep the flat on while she sorted through things, so I agreed before eventually having to nudge her to really go home full time.

A few days ago she left for the last time and sent me a text saying she and the family had everything they wanted from the flat and it was all just rubbish left, but I'd have to clear it as she didn't have time. Annoying, but I've done that, and as I now have the flat back, I need to give the meter readings, update the council etc showing the change from my tenant (or his estate) back to me.  I think the tenant's estate will cover the bills to the electricity supplier and anything else provided to the flat in the tenant's name up to the date I got the property back, but although I know the partner is a (or the) beneficiary of my tenant's will, I don't know who the executor is.  Is that something organisations like electricity suppliers deal with themselves, or do I need to let them know the executor? 

Now the partner has gone, she's not interested in giving me any information that may result in her getting a bill or a lower inheritance.  (Just to be clear, I'm not after money from the executors myself, it's so that the estate pays the bills to other organisations for the period where the tenant's belongings were still in the flat and his partner was sometimes / often / usually staying there). Thanks.

SeniorSam

Send a request for a copy of Probate and the Will to the Probate office. That will show the names of executors and beneficiaries which may help. I believe the cost is only £3 and anyone can ask for a Probate copy. That is assuming Probate was granted. Its a start anyway.

Keep_pedalling

There is a good chance probate was not required. A small estate with no property can often be wound up without going through probate as banks will release money without is from current and savings accounts. If that is the case you will struggle to find out who they were.

Presumably you still hold your tenant’s deposit? did she pay the rent for the 4 months she was living there?

gld73

The tenant's deposit (same as one month's rent) is held in one of the approved schemes. It won't cover all the waste removal and cleaning costs and replacement of items she took which were part of the original flat inventory (i.e. not the tenant's belongings), but I don't have any expectation that I'll be getting anything back over the deposit. I just want to make sure I don't end up with the bills for the last 4 months.  She (the tenant's partner) paid for 2 months rent out of the 4 months between his death and me getting the flat back, this was once the bank gave her access to the funds in his bank account a few weeks after he died.

I've no idea what the value of his estate would have been. He earned a much higher salary than me, but lived in this small 1 bed rented flat (his annual salary was more than the flat is worth, I did find it odd he lived there!) and his partner said there wasn't much left. Whether that means he has money elsewhere and so will be subject to probate - and she just had access to his current account in the meantime - I don't know, his partner says not, she said it was all left to her and now it's all gone. She had gone on a bit of a spending spree according to the neighbours (of the flat - I don't know her permanent address), so may have used up a small estate below probate levels.

gld73

Forgot to say, I'm in Scotland, as that may have slightly different executor arrangements?

Marcon

SeniorSam said:

Send a request for a copy of Probate and the Will to the Probate office. That will show the names of executors and beneficiaries which may help. I believe the cost is only £3 and anyone can ask for a Probate copy. That is assuming Probate was granted. Its a start anyway.

You don't need to send a request - you simply buy online for £1.50 if the will has been through probate in England/Wales: https://www.gov.uk/search-will-probate

gld73 said:

Forgot to say, I'm in Scotland, as that may have slightly different executor arrangements?

Contact the Commissary Department, Edinburgh Sheriff Court, 27 Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1LB.

If the utility bills etc were in the tenant's name, then you are not responsible for them, nor are you responsible for doing anything about trying to track down the executors (if there was a will), however much you might be pressured to do so by the council, electricity supplier or whoever.