Ending a tenancy after a bereavement

Advise the local manager or telephone one of Bield's offices to inform us of your loss.

• Edinburgh Office 0131 273 4000
• Glasgow Office  0141 270 7200
• Dundee Office 01382 228911

As well as initiating the process of terminating the tenancy, completing a termination of tenancy form confirms the details we need, such as the Executor of the estate, which will help us settle the housing affairs of your loved on. All further correspondence will be made with them. 

Do this

• Online
• On paper - download the form from this site, or ask your local or area manager for a copy.

A death certificate is needed for us to end the tenancy. If you have a problem in giving us a copy of this, please let us know. 

Do this 

• By email - hello@bield.co.uk
• Give to local or area manager 

If the deceased claimed housing benefit, you will need to inform the local authority housing benefit team that they have passed away.

Payments of housing benefit will stop immediately.

If the benefit was paid directly to Bield, there may be a delay in finalising the account. Housing benefit in some areas can take a prolonged period to confirm whether, or not, any monies are due back to them. Unfortunately, we cannot finalise an account until this is concluded.

It is appreciated that this is a difficult time and you will have many things to organise, therefore, a period of two weeks is offered to assist you to clear the property, from the date of death.

If you need longer, a daily charge will be applied, which we will inform you of in a letter confirming the end of the tenancy. 

Advise local authority services, such as Council Tax, Housing Support, Community Alarm Responder Services, and utility providers of the death. Utilities might include

• Electricity
• Gas
• Telephone, TV and Internet

Remember to apply for any compensation which the deceased may be due for any improvement they made to their property in accordance with the Right to Compensation for Improvement Scheme. 

Comply with any conditions attached to any permission for alternations that the tenant applied for during their tenancy. 

• Remove all furniture and carpets
• Remove the cooker unless this belongs to Bield
• Contact social work to organise the uplift of any specialist equipment
• Leave the key for any pre-payment meter installed within the property
• If a keysafe box has been installed outside the property, please ensure this is left open and the local manager is made aware of the code for this
• Collect and return all keys from key holders.

The local manager will be able to give you information relating to local services that may be able to assist you in cleaning / uplifting items from the property. Please be aware that Bield may apply a charge if the property is left in a state of poor repair, or items are left within the property. Please contact us to discuss any issues you may have, our colleagues are happy to provide guidance relating this. 

If the deceased lived within our general needs or amenity accommodation, arrangements can be made with the area manager or property officer. We will work with you to agree on a method of return that is a convenient option for you.

If the deceased lived within our retirement housing developments the keys can be returned to the local manager. If you are unable to return them directly to the local manager, please discuss this with them or the area manager to agree on a convenient method of return.