Tenant advice please?
 

Hi,

My cousin passed away yesterday, not leaving any will. She's a council tenant and they expect the house to be given up empty. The problem is there are no other relatives or friends but me, as her next of kin, she has left only enough money to cover the most basic of funerals and I do not have the funds to pay for house clearance. I do not drive but my friend will help me take all of her clothes and personal belongings away, but I simply cannot empty the house. Will they take me to court?

Re: Tenant advice please?
 

Sorry for your loss

Are you executer of the estate or have probate?? one would think if you are not named as such you can not be held responsible

Re: Tenant advice please?
 

They might well as they need the property to house someone else, which will cost them not only the clearance, but the loss of income until it is cleared.

Can you see if there is anything that may be worth selling to use to pay for house clearance. Metal items may be worth something just in scrap. Other than that, often the council is cheaper for bulky waste collections.

If not, maybe a local charity may take stuff they can sell or use. Have a trawl of the web for ones that help getting formerly homeless people set up with at least a few sticks of furniture, crockery, utensils & cooking equipment.

Re: Tenant advice please?
 

I have no idea. She died, I'm sorting out her funeral etc. She was a pensioner on basic state pension. She had nothing really.

Re: Tenant advice please?
 

Your obligation as executor is to see that outstanding debts are paid, but these must be paid from the estate's own resources. You are not obliged to spend your own money to clear the house and the council cannot come after you if you don't.

If the council has to clear the house, they may well sue the previous tenant (or their estate in this case) for recovery of the costs, but if the deceased's estate can't pay, then the debt has died along with them.

As always however, don't take an amateur internet lawyer's word for it, phone the CAB and ask them.

Re: Tenant advice please?
 

Would have thought you would have needed to be involved in the paperwork if it was officially you

Re: Tenant advice please?
 

That's the soundest of advice, if the CAB can't help phone one in a different town, many are excellent in my experience but some are not so good

Re: Tenant advice please?
 

Watch it at least 6 times, and then it may makes sense..........

Oh sorry, I thought the title was “Tenet advice”.........

Re: Tenant advice please?
 

good advice if it was hehe

Re: Tenant advice please?
 

Off topic posts removed.
Also closed as you should be seeking proper legal advice.

In future if you have an issue, we have a report feature, not a "be your own moderator" feature.