When someone dies and leaves a house, the family is often left with a quiet, empty home full of memories, and a long list of decisions. Probate can take months. The house still needs heating, checking and insuring, and the council tax clock is ticking. Here's what happens to the costs while you wait, and your options for the home in the meantime.
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Key takeaways
- You can market the house before probate, but usually can't complete until it's granted.
- No council tax is due until six months after probate, and the premium is delayed for 12 months.
- Standard insurance often lapses after 30 days empty, so arrange unoccupied cover.
- An empty house still costs money every month, and burst pipes are a real winter risk.
- Agree any plan for the house with all the beneficiaries first.
Contents
Can you sell a house before probate is granted?
You can put the house on the market and agree a sale, but you usually can't complete until probate is granted, because the executors need legal authority to sell. Many families use the wait to clear the house, arrange repairs and choose an agent.
Do you pay council tax on an inherited house?
Not straight away. Richmond Council explains that homes left empty after a death receive a full 100% exemption from Council Tax immediately following the date of death, right up to six months following the grant of probate.
After that, the normal council tax bill applies. Inherited homes are also protected from the second home and empty home premiums for a while. The House of Commons Library lists properties where the occupant has died, from the date of a grant of probate among the 12-month exceptions from the second home premium.
Richmond Council's worked example shows how the stages fit together:
- Until probate and for six months after: no council tax.
- Six to 12 months after probate: the normal bill, with no premium.
- More than 12 months after probate: the premium can apply, which can double the bill.
Check your own council's rules, because the details are applied locally.
Is an inherited house still insured?
Often, not properly. The person who died may have had home insurance, but standard policies usually expect a home to be lived in. Confused.com notes that most standard policies state the home must not be unoccupied for 30 days or more, and lists waiting for probate as a common reason people need specialist unoccupied cover. Tell the insurer about the death as soon as you can, and ask what cover continues.
What does an empty inherited house cost each month?
Even with a council tax exemption, an empty home keeps costing money: energy to keep it warm, water, insurance, and regular checks. MoneyExpert warns that vacant homes are more likely to be targeted by burglars, suffer burst pipes or uncontrolled leaks. A single burst pipe in winter can do thousands of pounds of damage before anyone notices.
What are your options while you wait?
- Leave it empty and checked. Visit weekly, keep the heating on low, and arrange unoccupied insurance.
- Sell as soon as probate allows. Use the wait to prepare the house and line up an agent.
- Let it on a tenancy. Possible once the executors can legally let, but a tenancy makes a later sale much harder.
- Let it on short stays while it sells. Once the executors have authority, and the lender, insurer and any other beneficiaries agree, short stays can cover the running costs, with viewings always first.
What should executors agree before doing anything?
Executors act for all the beneficiaries. Before letting the home or spending money on it, agree the plan with every beneficiary, in writing if you can. If anyone disagrees, take legal advice before going ahead.
Frequently asked questions
Do I pay council tax on a dead relative's house?
Not until six months after probate is granted, as long as the home stays empty and isn't sold or transferred.
Can I sell a house before probate?
You can market it and agree a sale, but completion usually has to wait for probate.
Does the house insurance continue after death?
Tell the insurer straight away. Standard cover often restricts or ends once a home has been empty for about 30 days.
Can we let the house while waiting to sell?
Only once the executors have legal authority, and everyone involved agrees. Short stays keep the house free for viewings.
How long does probate take?
It varies. Plan for months rather than weeks, and budget for the house's running costs in the meantime.
Related guides
Sources
This is general information, not legal, financial, tax or insurance advice. Market figures are averages as of the date shown above and change every month. Speak to a qualified professional before you act on anything here.