Home insurance during probate + lodgers

ben5053

Hi All, 

My mum recently passed away, she had 2 lodgers (a law student on a via and her husband) who were introduced through a friend. She charged them minimal rent and they helped around the house and kept her company. 

Anyway, i need to insure the house and the current insurers are quoting £900 per year, they were charging her £450. 

Online comparison sites start at £170 but then as i don't own the house they all wont ensure as it will be unoccupied.  I have no intention to chuck the lodgers out and stated it on the comparison but its obviously not the normal situation. 

Any advise welcome - not sure what steps to take, 

poppystar

Firstly see a high street insurance broker who will have far more experience than you as an individual with regard to this situation. I used APlan who are now Howdens. Tell them the situation clearly and then the onus is on them to find a policy that matches, too easy on your own to be caught out by conditions in the small print. 

Secondly for this type of insurance £900 a year is actually quite reasonable. 

p00hsticks

ben5053 said:

Online comparison sites start at £170 but then as i don't own the house they all wont ensure as it will be unoccupied.  I have no intention to chuck the lodgers out  

I'm not sure I follow - are the lodgers (who presumably now become tenants with all the legalities that entails) remaining, or is the property unoccupied ?

GrumpyDil

I think op is letting the loggers stay. OP, the bigger problem is that the lodgers will likely become tenants which will cause a whole raft of issues 

ben5053

Thanks all, so how does this work for people who had live in carers? they immediately become tenants upon the death? 

ben5053

p00hsticks said:

ben5053 said:

Online comparison sites start at £170 but then as i don't own the house they all wont ensure as it will be unoccupied.  I have no intention to chuck the lodgers out  

I'm not sure I follow - are the lodgers (who presumably now become tenants with all the legalities that entails) remaining, or is the property unoccupied ?

p00hsticks said:

ben5053 said:

Online comparison sites start at £170 but then as i don't own the house they all wont ensure as it will be unoccupied.  I have no intention to chuck the lodgers out  

I'm not sure I follow - are the lodgers (who presumably now become tenants with all the legalities that entails) remaining, or is the property unoccupied ?

I was hoping they could stay until we get probate and can sell the property. It feels wrong to make them homeless but it appears i might not have a choice? 

Brie

Maybe post of the rental board and ask when lodgers become tenants?

Voyager2002

Have you done a search for landlord's insurance?

Emmia

ben5053 said:

Thanks all, so how does this work for people who had live in carers? they immediately become tenants upon the death? 

I think they'd normally move onto other employment quickly, not hang around as they'd no longer have someone to provide care for, and wouldn't earn any money.

Realistically what are the plans for the house? Sale? If so, you'd be better asking them to leave soon, to avoid the issue of them becoming tenants and all the legal requirements that involves.

theoretica

p00hsticks said:

ben5053 said:

Online comparison sites start at £170 but then as i don't own the house they all wont ensure as it will be unoccupied.  I have no intention to chuck the lodgers out  

I'm not sure I follow - are the lodgers (who presumably now become tenants with all the legalities that entails) remaining, or is the property unoccupied ?

See about halfway down this page - they become tenants after 2 years, but do get some more rights immediately after resident landlord passes.

https://england.shelter.org.uk/professional_resources/legal/renting/change_of_landlord/tenants_rights_when_a_landlord_dies

poppystar

If she is a law student on a visa then I doubt they could be considered live in carers, especially if the husband potentially does not have a work visa There is a difference between lodging and helping out and actually being carers.