Utilities, services and other regular bills

You should also find out if the estate owes money to the company, or if a refund is due to the estate.

This should be relatively straightforward. Most (if not all) companies have procedures in place to deal with deceased customers.

Checklist

After checking the deceased’s documents, you should have a picture of the deceased’s regular bills and services.

For example, remember to contact providers of the following services, where applicable:

1. Gas
2. Electricity
3. Water
4. Car insurance
5. Buildings and contents insurance
6. Home telephone
7. Mobile telephone
8. Internet
9. Council tax (see our guide “Council tax after the death of an owner”)

Writing a letter

A phone call may do, but we recommend writing a letter to each service provider.

Enclose a copy of the death certificate and request its return.

Advise the company of the full name of the deceased, the account or reference number(s), the date of death and who is dealing with the estate. Request the amount due to – or from – the company, if anything.

If appropriate, you may ask for the account to be frozen. Utilities such as gas and electricity you may wish to continue, even if the property in question is unoccupied. If there is a surviving joint account-holder, you can request for the account to be transferred into his or her sole name.

Debt or refund

If there is no surviving joint account-holder and the account is to be stopped, money may be due to or from the estate.

If the estate owes money to the company, this is a debt which should be deducted from the value of the estate.

If the company owes a refund to the estate, this should be added to the value of the estate.