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UnexpectedPassing.com

Beyond Wills & Estate Planning
  • Home
  • First Steps
  • Death Planning
  • Funerals, Etc.
  • Financial Details
  • Real Estate
  • Digital Footprint
  • Subscriptions
  • Shared Stories
  • Checklists
  • About Us & Site Policies

Utilities & Maintenance

Utilities

Utilities and maintenance are additional considerations - similar to safety and security - after the death of a loved one. Whether or not someone continues to live in the dwelling,  necessities like electricity, oil, water, sewage, etc. need to be continued until such time as the home is no longer the legal jurisdiction of the deceased or their estate. 


It is most helpful if the deceased provided a pre-death planning document. We encourage everyone to consider such a document, similar to our planning document "When I Leave You" .


All utilities will need to be listed in this document, including:

  • Utility Name
  • Account Number
  • Username & Password for online access (including any security question answers for the online account)
  • Information on how the utility bills are paid - by automatic debit from a checking      account? By credit card (automatically?)? By check?


There may be many more depending on the individual and the location, but the type of utilities will include at least the following:

  • Monthly maintenance or Homeowner’s Association (HOA) fees
  • Electricity or "hydro", as it is called in Canada
  • Gas
  • Oil (used for heating in the northern U.S.)
  • Water
  • Sewage
  • Garbage Collections (sometimes included in property taxes, sometimes billed      separately)
  • Recycling (sometimes included in garbage collection and sometimes separate)
  • Telephone/land line
  • Telephone/mobile (Hot Spot? Tablets? Other Mobile/Internet Devices?)
  • Cable Television Access
  • Alarm System(s)


Again, depending on the timing and what is needed to clear the dwelling, some of these may be cancelled at the death of your loved one - telephone, mobile, and cable for example.


However, heating/cooling systems, alarm systems, and electric are best retained until such time that no one is visiting or working in the house (like home and liability insurance as well).

Essential Details to Provide For Either a Mortgage or a Rental Property

  It is always best if you preplan and leave complete information about your mortgage or rent for your Executor/Executrix


If you use a planning document, we suggest that you include contact information on your home's mortgage


If you are a renter, you should provide contact information on your rental agreement

Maintenance & Help Services

Homeowners know that upkeep of a residence is necessary. Often, we hire professionals to help us with maintenance jobs. 


In your pre-death planning documents, it is also important to include a list of those companies/individuals/apps that you have hired or used to assist you with this upkeep. 


Some examples of common maintenance include (although this is by no means a complete maintenance list):

  • House cleaning person/service
  • Window cleaning service
  • External house cleaning
  • Lawn maintenance
  • In northern climates, driveway plowing and/or sidewalk shoveling
  • Sprinkler system service and maintenance
  • Pool cleaning and maintenance
  • HVAC maintenance contracts
  • Handyman (or woman) or Caretaker
  • Plumber
  • Electrician
  • Personal aide or nurse

While your list will be unique to you and your lifestyle, you will want to leave the following information for your Executor/Executrix or the Person-in-Charge. He or she will need to know  these necessary details to cancel these services at the appropriate time.  


  • Name and Contact details
  • Terms of contract/service
  • Location of contract or service agreement, if applicable
  • Frequency of service

More on Real Estate

Home Security

The Police should be notified  if the deceased was living independently. Irrespective of whether or not someone will continue to reside in the home, for security purposes let the police know of the death. 

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Mortgage or Rent

Whether the deceased owned or rented or owned the home, mortgages and rental obligations still need to be paid and settled. 

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Other Real Property

What about rental or investment properties? Vacation homes? Timeshares?

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First Steps

Death Planning

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Step-by-step guide to what to do first. Calls, paperwork, Care Arrangements, etc.

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Death Planning

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Death Planning

Personal Information

Detailed guide to prepare or fulfill final wishes

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Funerals, Etc.

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Bank acounts, investments, pensions, property, etc.

Next hurdle -how to handle financial records and accounts

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Digital Footprint

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Social Media & Digital Presence

What you need to know to protect and eliminate the deceased's digital presence

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Subscriptions

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Digital Footprint

Magazine Subscriptions, Memberships and more

Don't forget subscriptions, memberships and more...

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Shared Stories

Shared Stories

Shared Stories

Funny, helpful, special stories others have shared to help you through the process

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Checklists

Shared Stories

Shared Stories

For each section, download and personalize a ped checklist

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When I Leave You & Real Estate Checklist

When I Leave You - Our preplan document


Real Estate Checklist

When_I_Leave_You (pdf)

Download

Real Estate Checklist (pdf)

Download

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