Arranging someone's energy account after they've passed away

We know this is a difficult time and we'll do what we can to help you get things sorted. You can get in touch with our bereavement support team or notify us online and make sure you have a few things to hand.

How do I get everything in order?

1. Make sure you have everything

This includes:

• Details of the person who has passed away - their address, the date they died and their Customer Reference Number (if you can find it).
• An up-to-date meter reading for the property.
• Details of whoever's responsible for getting all the affairs in order - their full name, address and phone number. This will probably be the executor if there's a will, or the administrator if there isn't.

We'd also like to know if you expect to get a grant of probate or administration, and when this might be. (That's the right to make decisions about the deceased's property.) But you don't need this before you can get in touch with us.

2. Get in touch

To close the account or put it in another name, you can notify us online or call our bereavement support team.

Or write to us at:

British Gas
PO Box 227
Rotherham
S98 1PD

If you decide to write to us, please include the information we asked for above. We'll also need a certified copy of the death certificate and what you would like us to do with the account. (You might need us to close the account or put your name on the account.) But make sure you only send us a certified copy of the certificate - we can't return anything we get in the post.

How can I find out more about handling an estate?

To find out about all the legal rights and responsibilities of being executor or an administrator, have a look at the government's website.

What do I do if the person who's passed away owned the property?

We'll tell you everything in more detail when you contact us, but here's a brief overview of some of the things that you can expect to happen in different situations.

If there's someone else still living in the property

If they're already named as an account holder, we'll just change the name on the account.

If they're not:

• They'll need to get in touch.
• We need either their verbal or written consent before we can put the deceased's estate account into their name.
• We'll make the appropriate changes.

If the property is going to be sold

• We need a meter reading from as close to when the customer passed away as possible. If you can't get this, we can use a current meter reading or estimate the reading based on previous readings from the property.
• We'll send a bill. We'll send the bill to the solicitors or whoever's dealing with the account. This bill is to give you the information you need to apply for a grant of probate.
• We'll put a hold on the account. We don't want you to get any unnecessary contact from us. But we will contact you from time to time for updates on what's happening with the property.

If someone has inherited the property

Then they'll need to set up a new account for the gas and electricity. Please contact our bereavement support team and we'll sort this out.

If the property has a pay as you go meter

We'll have to open a new account in the new account holder's name. Get in touch with our bereavement support team to order a new card for your meter.

The current card might be collecting debt, so if you get a new card you won't have to pay off any debt that you're not responsible for.

What do I do if the person who's passed away rented the property?

• Let us know when the person's passed away.
• Send us an accurate meter reading when the keys are due to be given back.
• We'll close the account and send a final bill to whoever's dealing with the deceased's estate account.