Do outstanding utility bills die with the deceased?

terryw

brightonman123 wrote: »

i cant see any power firm taking a dead person (or their estate) to court- the PR would be horrendous..

mind you, how would it have been paid if Granpa had lived on..?

Within the last month, a mobile phone company sued the mum of a young girl who had died in tragic circumstances for rental for the remainder of the contract because the mum had signed as guarantor. Ok, technically due but pretty damn poor. The PR made them relent and cancel.

terryw

brightonman123

seems profit has overtaken common sense, these days.

magoogy

my mum died last october and as she didnt leave any savings or estate we had nothing to pay.... we actually got any credit due to her back from british gas too - this was to be paid to the estate, whereas her electricity was in arrears and we just had to send a copy of her death certificate....

terryw

magoogy wrote: »

my mum died last october and as she didnt leave any savings or estate we had nothing to pay.... we actually got any credit due to her back from british gas too - this was to be paid to the estate, whereas her electricity was in arrears and we just had to send a copy of her death certificate....

Did your mum live with you? This appears to set off the problem according to the web link. If the deceased lives elsewhere then if there is no estate then the debt can't be claimed, but if the deceased with someone, then , some utility companies appear to be asking the others in the house to pay the bill.

This comments in this thread are the first time that I have come up against this.

terryw

stimpo

If the deceased person lives alone the balance is paid from the estate. Anything that cannot be covered by the estate will be written off.

If the deceased person does not live alone then it is for the remaining people to pay the bill