Letter to a landlord after a tenant dies: free template

Quick answer: Send this letter to the landlord, letting agent or housing association when a tenant dies. It tells them about the death and asks what kind of tenancy it is and how it ends, the rent owed or paid in advance, where the deposit is protected, and how to arrange clearing the home and returning the keys. Tell Us Once doesn't tell landlords: GOV.UK says you contact landlords and housing associations yourself, and to ask the landlord about rent the person may have paid in advance.

When to send it, and who to

• Who it goes to. The landlord or letting agent named on the tenancy agreement or rent statements. For a council home, Tell Us Once tells council housing services, but write to the housing office as well about ending the tenancy.
• When. As soon as you can, so rent doesn't build up longer than it needs to.
• Someone else lives there. If a partner or family member lived with the person, they may have the right to stay. Say so in the letter, and see our tenancy guides before agreeing anything.
• Private tenancy in England. Since 1 May 2026 most private tenancies in England are assured periodic tenancies with no end date. GOV.UK says a tenant ends one with 2 months' notice in writing, given on the rent day or the day before, unless the landlord agrees in writing to less. Rent is still due during the notice.
• Council Tax. If the executor or administrator is liable for the rent and the home has been empty since the death, the Class F Council Tax exemption can apply. Our Council Tax letter asks for it.

The letter (free to copy)

Copy it into an email or a document, replace every [bracket] with your own details, and delete what doesn't apply.

[Your name]
[Your address]
[Date]

[Landlord or letting agent name]
[Address]

Subject: Tenancy of [property address]: [full name], deceased

Dear [landlord's name / Sir or Madam],

I am writing to tell you that your tenant [full name] died on [date of death]. I am the [executor / administrator / person dealing with the estate]. [No one else lived at the property. / (Name) also lives at the property.]

Please confirm the type of tenancy, whether it has ended or how it can be ended and the notice you need; the date rent is paid up to, and any rent owed or paid in advance; where the deposit is held, with the deposit protection scheme's name and reference; and how you would like to arrange clearing [name]'s belongings, the final inspection and returning the keys.

Please don't remove or dispose of any of [name]'s belongings without agreeing it with me first.

Yours faithfully, [name]

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What to enclose

• A copy of the death certificate, if the landlord asks for one.
• The tenancy agreement or the tenancy reference, if you have it.
• Nothing that commits you personally: don't sign a new agreement or guarantee in your own name.

Don't send original documents unless the organisation specifically asks for them. Keep a copy of the version you actually sent, the date, the reference number and the reply.

Common mistakes

• Handing back the keys before you have agreed the end date. Ask the landlord to confirm in writing when the tenancy ends.
• Paying rent from your own money. Rent owed is a debt of the estate.
• Forgetting the deposit and any rent paid in advance. Both may come back to the estate.
• Letting belongings be thrown away. Items of value belong to the estate; agree in writing how and when the home is cleared.

Frequently asked questions

Does a tenancy end when the tenant dies?

Not always straight away. It depends on the type of tenancy and on whether someone else lived there and has a right to stay. The letter asks the landlord to confirm the tenancy type and how it can be ended; see our private and council tenancy guides.

Who pays the rent after a tenant dies?

Rent the person owed is a debt of the estate, paid from the estate's money. Don't pay it yourself unless you have agreed to take on the tenancy.

Does Tell Us Once tell the landlord?

No. GOV.UK says you contact landlords and housing associations yourself. For a council tenancy, Tell Us Once tells council housing services, but you should still contact the housing office.

Will the deposit be returned to the estate?

Any deposit due back is the estate's. The letter asks where it is held and how it will be returned after the final inspection.

Related guides

• Private tenancy after a death
• Council tenancy after a death
• Who executors need to contact after a death

More free letter templates

• Letter to a bank after a death
• Date-of-death valuation letter for shares and investments
• Letter to creditors after a death
• Letter to a pension provider or employer after a death
• Executor letters to beneficiaries
• Beneficiary receipt template
• Letter to HMRC after a death
• Letter to DWP after a death
• Council Tax letter after a death
• Letter to a utility company after a death
• Letter to a mortgage lender or home insurer after a death
• Life insurance claim letter after a death
• Letter to DVLA after a death
• First letter to a beneficiary from an executor
• Estate accounts template and layout
• All probate letter templates

Sources

• GOV.UK: Organisations you need to contact and Tell Us Once
• GOV.UK: Identify the person's assets and debts
• GOV.UK: Renters' Rights Act overview for tenants (England), updated 1 May 2026
• legislation.gov.uk: Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) Order 1992, art. 3, Class F (England)

General information for England and Wales, not legal advice. If the estate is complex, disputed or may not be able to pay its debts, take advice from a solicitor.