The family need to know that:

• we need a copy of the death certificate;
• housing benefit ceased when the tenant died; and
• the rent account can’t be ended until the Council has vacant possession.

The tenant’s family are not expected to pay rent whilst they are sorting out a tenant’s flat but any rent arrears could be charged against the tenant’s estate (if any).

Family members may have taken on a big challenge in sorting out a tenant’s flat and it can help support them to let them know that they can leave furniture for the next tenant or that we can help by clearing unwanted items left behind.  The family can also get a free furniture collection for charity if the furniture can be reused.

It can also help sometimes when family know that the sooner the flat is handed back to the Council the sooner it will be re-let to someone in housing need.

Remember to add an expected end date to the tenancy when we have been told someone has died.  Do this even if you think someone might succeed to the tenancy (in which case the termination reason would be SUC or NSS rather than deceased).  

Afterwards, update the arrears action page on Northgate with the DECD code adding in the date of death and noting if it was Covid-19 related in the drop down.