After › The home, a tenancy and online accounts
The home, a tenancy and online accounts
A home left empty, a tenancy that continues and online accounts all need attention soon after a death. Here is a sensible order, and where to check the rules.
The official pages we opened say little about the home or online accounts, so this page gives practical steps and points you to the right organisation for each rule. Where the law matters, check it or ask for advice.
Securing the home
- If the person lived alone, lock up, and check windows, gas, water, heating (frozen pipes) and perishable food.
- Take valuables, documents and spare keys somewhere safe. Keep a list of what you move.
- Redirect or collect post. Royal Mail offers redirection for a fee. Ask for the person's name to be put on the suppression lists to cut junk mail.
- Tell the home insurer. Many policies limit cover if a home is unoccupied for 30 days or more. Check your policy wording.
- Do not give away or sell belongings until you know who is entitled to them. See the rules without a will and probate.
Utilities and council tax
Tell the gas, electricity, water, phone and broadband providers. Take final meter readings and ask for the account to be closed or moved into the name of whoever stays. Tell Us Once informs the local council about council tax benefits and Council Tax Reduction, but GOV.UK says it does not tell utilities. A property that is empty after a death can be eligible for a council tax exemption or discount; ask the council what applies, because rules differ by nation and area.
If the person was a tenant
Tell the landlord, council or housing association soon. Tell Us Once does not cover private landlords or housing associations, and GOV.UK says it informs the local council about council housing. The tenancy does not usually end the day the person dies. Rent remains due until the tenancy legally ends, and the executor or administrator normally deals with ending it. Whether a partner or relative can take over (succession) depends on the type of tenancy, the date it started and the nation. Ask the landlord or Shelter for advice before you act. Do not clear the property or hand back the keys until you have confirmed the legal position.
Living in the home yourself
If you lived with the person, speak to the landlord or housing officer before you do anything else. You may have a right to stay or to take over the tenancy, and rules differ for joint tenancies, council tenancies and private tenancies. Keep paying the rent while you check.
If the person owned the home
GOV.UK says to update property records if the person owned property. Do not sell until you have the legal authority, if it is needed (see probate and confirmation). Property owned jointly as joint tenants passes automatically to the survivor. Keep the mortgage paid, and tell the lender. Keep the property insured and maintained.
Digital accounts
Online accounts hold photos, money, subscriptions and memories. In sensible order:
- Do not log in with the person's password without checking the terms of the service; you may be breaking them, and some providers lock accounts. A legitimate route is to use each company's own process for deceased users.
- List accounts: email, social media, cloud photo storage, online banking, shopping, streaming and subscriptions, PayPal, crypto and gaming accounts.
- Check the person's phone and email for subscriptions and direct debits. Cancel those that are charging money.
- Many large providers have a form to memorialise or close an account. They usually ask for a death certificate and proof of your relationship. Each provider's rules differ, so look for "deceased user" or "legacy" on their help pages.
- Save photos and files you want to keep before an account closes.
- Watch for identity theft. Notifying credit reference agencies is a sensible step; ask your bank or Citizens Advice how.
Next
Tick the remaining items off on the checklist, and look after yourself on the bereavement support page.
This is general information, not legal advice. Rules differ between England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and they change. Check the official pages linked at the bottom of each page, and ask a solicitor or Citizens Advice about your own situation. Last checked November 2026.