What happens to energy and water bills in a rented property when someone dies
This guide covers a rented property left empty after the death of its sole tenant: how the tenancy ends, who pays the bills until it does, the landlord's position, and the meter readings to take when the keys go back. If the person owned their home, read energy and water bills in a property they owned instead.
Does a tenancy end when the tenant dies?
No. A tenancy does not end on the date of death, and it continues until it is formally brought to an end. For every day it continues, rent, energy and water charges keep accruing.
There is one exception. Where the person died without a will and without a named executor, the tenancy passes temporarily to the Public Trustee, an official government role. In Wales, the tenancy then ends automatically 1 month after the date of death. In England, the landlord must instead apply to the Public Trustee before reclaiming the property, so there is no automatic end date (GOV.UK). Contact the energy supplier and the water company promptly regardless, because charges keep accruing until the tenancy actually ends.
In the more common case, where there is a will and a named executor, the executor takes over the tenancy and works with the landlord to bring it to an end. The estate remains liable for rent and utilities during that period. Ending a tenancy is one of the practical jobs the role brings, alongside everything else what an executor of a will does covers. Where there is no will, whoever applies for letters of administration takes on the same job.
Who pays the energy and water bills until the tenancy ends?
The deceased person's estate pays the energy and water bills until the tenancy formally ends, and the landlord pays from the handover date onwards. Energy and water charges do not die with the person.
The estate is the sum of everything the person owned. As the executor or administrator, you are responsible for making sure any outstanding bills are eventually settled from the estate's funds. You are not expected to pay them from your own pocket unless you choose to.
Who pays what, and from when:
Charges up to the date of death: debts of the estate, settled from estate funds.
Charges between the date of death and the end of the tenancy: ongoing expenses of the estate, including everything used during a notice period.
Charges from the day the keys are returned: the landlord's, on the empty property.
The tenancy deposit: an asset of the estate, returned once the landlord has assessed the property and agreed any fair deductions.
Ending the tenancy does not close the other accounts in the person's name: broadband, mobile contracts and the TV Licence each need their own call, and what happens to bills when someone dies covers those.
How do you tell the energy supplier that a tenant has died?
Contact the energy supplier whose details appear on the most recent bill and ask for the bereavement team. That team flags the account and pauses standard collection procedures, so no late payment charges or debt collection activity happen while the estate is being managed.
Once notified, the supplier will typically do three things:
Close the deceased person's account: a final bill is issued up to the point of notification.
Open a temporary account: it is held in the name of "The Estate of [Full Name]" and covers ongoing charges while the tenancy is being wound down.
Issue a closing bill: raised once the tenancy ends and the keys are returned to the landlord.
The estate's account covers the period between the date of death and the date the tenancy formally ends. After that, the supplier will usually open a new account in the landlord's name for any period the property sits empty.
Cancelling the direct debit at the bank does not close the energy account or stop the charges, so tell the supplier as well as the bank. See direct debits and standing orders after a death.
How much notice do you have to give on a periodic tenancy after a death?
The notice period on a periodic tenancy after a death is the one written into the tenancy agreement, commonly 1 month or 2 months, and energy, water and rent charges accrue for the whole of it and remain the estate's responsibility. There is no separate statutory notice period that applies just because the tenant has died. The personal representative must give whatever notice the tenancy agreement requires, and by law that notice cannot be less than 4 weeks (Protection from Eviction Act 1977, section 5; Shelter Legal England). A landlord can still choose to accept less notice through mutual surrender, which the next section covers.
Handing the keys back early does not stop the charges on its own: the estate's obligations end from the date agreed with the landlord, not from the date the property is emptied.
The landlord's position matters here, because it usually works in your favour:
Rent during the notice period: payable by the estate until the tenancy formally ends, not until the date of death.
Getting the property back: a landlord who wants to re-let has an incentive to agree an early end date, because the tenancy runs until both sides end it.
Mutual surrender: most landlords will agree to end the tenancy early by mutual surrender, before probate is complete, when it suits both sides to hand the property back promptly.
Condition of the property: the landlord assesses the property and agrees any fair deductions before the deposit goes back to the estate.
What happens to the water bill while the rented property is empty?
The estate is responsible for water bills until the tenancy formally ends and the keys are returned, and the water company bills the landlord after that. Water charges follow the same logic as energy.
Notify the water company promptly. Water companies are usually flexible about payment timing while probate is under way.
Leave the water supply connected for the final weeks of the tenancy, even in an empty property. Turning it off and on again can cause problems, and frost damage during a vacant period before handover could complicate the return of the deposit.
When should you take the final meter readings?
Take the meter readings on the day the keys are handed back to the landlord, and photograph the meters at the same time. That reading is the line between what the estate owes and what the landlord owes.
A photograph gives you a clear record of the final usage figure and avoids any later dispute about what the estate owes versus what falls to the landlord.
If the property has a smart meter, the supplier can access an accurate reading remotely, without anyone needing to visit the property.
How do you get the tenancy deposit back after a death?
The tenancy deposit is returned to the estate once the landlord has assessed the property and agreed any fair deductions. This is one area where things can take longer than families expect.
Most government-authorised tenancy deposit schemes require a Grant of Probate naming the executor before they will release the deposit. If probate has not yet been obtained, there is sometimes another route:
Deposit Protection Service: can provide a Next of Kin Declaration and Indemnity Form as an alternative, which may allow the process to proceed without waiting for the full grant.
Every scheme: contact it early to find out exactly what documentation it needs, because requirements differ between schemes.
If the scheme does insist on the grant, how to apply for probate sets out the application step by step.
How do you end the tenancy and hand the keys back?
Strictly speaking, the tenancy can only be formally ended once probate has been granted and the executor has legal authority to act. In practice, most landlords will agree to end the tenancy early by mutual surrender, before probate is complete, particularly when it is in everyone's interest to vacate and hand back the property promptly.
Once the end date is agreed in writing, the practical steps are:
Clear the property: remove the deceased person's belongings before the agreed final date.
Clean the property: arrange cleaning, because the landlord assesses the condition before agreeing any deposit deductions.
Read the meters: take gas, electricity and water readings on the day the keys are handed back.
Return the keys: hand them over on or before the agreed final date.
Once these steps are complete, the estate's obligations for rent and utilities end from that agreed date.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if your landlord dies is the mirror of this guide: the tenancy does not end, and the landlord's personal representative takes over the landlord's side of it. Keep paying the rent and ask them in writing where to send it. A new owner must give their name and address within 2 months of taking over (Shelter England).
No. If a partner, flatmate or family member continues to live in the rented property, the utility accounts can usually be transferred into that person's name, and the tenancy may be assignable or succeed to them depending on the agreement. Ask the landlord to confirm the position in writing before the tenancy end date.
No. Rent, energy and water charges up to the end of the tenancy are liabilities of the deceased person's estate, and the executor settles them from estate funds. You are not expected to pay them from your own pocket unless you choose to. Keep every receipt for the probate accounts.
The estate stays liable from the date of death until the tenancy ends, including the notice period, commonly 1 or 2 months. Without a will or a named executor, the tenancy passes to the Public Trustee. In Wales it ends automatically 1 month after death. In England, the landlord must instead apply to the Public Trustee to end it (GOV.UK).
Strictly, yes: the tenancy can only be formally ended once probate has been granted and the executor has legal authority to act. In practice, most landlords agree an early end by mutual surrender before probate is complete. Confirm any such agreement in writing, with the date from which no further rent is due.
This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Individual circumstances vary. If you are dealing with an estate, consider taking advice from a solicitor who specialises in probate. For other guidance specific to your circumstances, speak to a funeral director, Citizens Advice, or a regulated financial adviser.