Clearing a home after someone dies

Clearing the home of someone who has died is one of the hardest practical jobs after a bereavement. Every drawer holds a memory, and it can feel both urgent and impossible. This guide explains who can make decisions, what to do first, and how to find good homes for belongings without being rushed or ripped off.

Key points

• The executor (or administrator) is in charge of the person’s belongings, not simply the next of kin.
• Secure the home and tell the insurer before anything else.
• Look for the will, papers and valuables before any clearing starts.
• Don’t give things away too soon. Debts may need to be paid first.
• Check any clearance firm is a registered waste carrier, or you could share the blame if your waste is dumped.
• There’s usually no council tax on an empty home until probate is granted in England and Wales.

Who can clear the home?

The belongings are part of the person’s estate. The person who deals with the estate is:

• the executor named in the will; or
• if there’s no will, the administrator, usually the closest relative, who gets their authority from a grant of letters of administration.

In Scotland the executor’s authority comes from confirmation, and in Northern Ireland from a grant of probate or letters of administration. See do I need probate? for how this works in each nation.

Before a grant, the executor can still take sensible steps to protect the home and its contents. Selling or giving away items, though, is best left until you know who inherits and whether the estate can pay its debts.

If the home was jointly owned, talk to the surviving owner before doing anything. If the person rented, contact the landlord, council or housing association early. Rent due until the tenancy ends comes out of the estate, and family members don’t have to pay it unless they were a joint tenant or guarantor.

First steps: secure the home

1. Lock up and collect keys. Change the locks if you don’t know who has keys.
2. Tell the home insurer. The Financial Ombudsman Service says most policies restrict cover, such as for theft or escape of water, once a home is empty for a set period, usually 30 or 60 days. Ask the insurer to continue cover or arrange unoccupied-property insurance.
3. Deal with utilities. Take meter readings and tell the energy and water suppliers. In winter, ask the insurer whether the heating must stay on low or the water be drained to avoid burst pipes.
4. Sort out the post. Arrange for post to be redirected to the executor, and register with the free Deceased Preference Service to reduce junk mail and help prevent identity fraud.
5. Cancel deliveries and services, such as newspapers, meals or care visits.
6. Use Tell Us Once (England, Scotland and Wales) to tell the council and government departments.

Search for papers and valuables

Before anything leaves the house, go through it carefully. Look for:

• the will, and any letter of wishes;
• bank and building society statements, pension papers, share certificates and Premium Bonds;
• insurance policies, including life insurance;
• property deeds, tenancy agreements and mortgage papers;
• bills and credit agreements, which show debts;
• cash, jewellery, watches, art, antiques and collections;
• phones, laptops and tablets, which may hold photos and account details (see digital legacy).

Keep a simple list and photos of anything valuable. The estate must be valued at the date of death for probate and Inheritance Tax, and a record also helps avoid family disagreements later.

Don’t give things away too soon

GOV.UK advises executors to place a notice in The Gazette giving creditors two months to come forward, and not to distribute the estate until that time is up. If you hand out assets and the estate then can’t pay a debt, you may have to pay it yourself. The will may also leave particular items to particular people.

It’s fine to put small keepsakes aside for family, but agree it with the executor and keep a note. Read more in dealing with debts after a death.

What to do with belongings

Using a house clearance company

A good firm can save weeks of work. To choose well:

• Get two or three written quotes after they’ve seen the property.
• Ask what happens to items: how much is sold, donated, recycled or sent to landfill.
• Ask for credit for anything they’ll resell, and remove valuables and papers first.
• Check their waste carrier registration. In England, search the Environment Agency’s public register or call 03708 506 506. In Wales use the Natural Resources Wales register, in Scotland SEPA’s register, and in Northern Ireland the NIEA’s.
• Get a receipt showing the business name and what was taken.

This matters because everyone who hands over household waste has a legal duty of care to check it’s going to an authorised person. The government’s code of practice warns you could face prosecution or a fixed penalty if you don’t take reasonable steps.

Council tax, rates and bills

Keep paying anything that protects the home, such as insurance and any mortgage, from the estate where you can.

The emotional side

There is no right speed. Some families clear a home in a weekend; others need months.

• Do it together if you can, and take breaks.
• Make a memory box for each person, with photos, letters and small objects.
• Photograph things you can’t keep. Many people find that keeping the picture is enough.
• Include children in choosing a keepsake if they want to be involved.
• Expect strong feelings, including guilt about letting things go. That’s normal.

If it’s too much, ask a friend, a professional declutterer or a clearance firm to help, and see our guide to coping with grief.

Next steps

• Understand the legal side: do I need probate?
• Sort out money owed: dealing with debts after a death
• Online accounts and devices: digital legacy after a death
• Keep track of everything with our when someone dies checklist.
• Find support: bereavement support services.