We recently received a media enquiry from the Guardian about a situation where a council tenant had sadly passed away, and family members were applying to access the home.

As the late tenant left no will, and had not provided the council with a next of kin, it is required by law that a Grant of Representation is presented to the council before anyone can administer the estate. Providing ID doesn’t fulfil this legal requirement.

This requirement exists to ensure that the right people are granted access to the estate in situations like this where the deceased has not legally stated who they would like to administer their estate.

The process to receive a Grant of Representation can take some time, and the council had reassured the family that the tenants' belongings would be stored for a longer period so that the family had time to obtain the documentation. 

There are steps that can be taken to make the process of loved ones accessing your estate easier during what is a difficult time, such as leaving a will or if you are a council tenant providing us with a next of kin.

This story has been published by the Guardian. 

A spokesperson for Cambridge City Council, said: “We know this is a difficult time for the family, and it is important to the council that the process of retrieving the belongings of their loved one is not made any harder than it already is.

"Officers aim to make the process of accessing the estate of a deceased loved one as straightforward as possible, but we have to balance this alongside ensuring we follow the correct procedure. We have now received notification from the family that they have received their Grant of Representation, so the situation is thankfully now being resolved.

"Council officers are in direct contact to agree an appropriate time for the family to have access. Officers have agreed not to move the contents until the family has been able to visit, which we hope provides reassurance that the council is providing support to the family as far as possible.”