Letters of administration are the official document that gives a person, called the administrator, the legal authority to deal with the estate of someone who has died without a will. They do the same job as a grant of probate does for an executor. GOV.UK says that if there’s no will, the closest living relative can apply.
At Wigwam
We’re sorry for your loss, and we’ll take it step by step with you.
Storing the belongings. You don’t have to wait for the letters. Whoever will apply to be administrator can rent a unit in their own name straight away, so the home can be cleared while the paperwork is under way. A solicitor can confirm how the estate repays them.
If they already rented a unit with us. Nothing needs to happen straight away: the storage carries on and the belongings stay safe. Before we give anyone access or change the agreement, we’ll usually ask to see the death certificate and the letters of administration (or a grant of probate). If the estate won’t need either, call us on 0800 2545585 and we’ll talk you through it.
When you’re ready to close the unit, email us an end date. Notice is normally 14 days, and we refund any unused days once the unit is empty.
Related terms
Related questions
- What happens to a storage unit when the person renting it dies?
- Who pays for storage while an estate is being sorted out?
Further reading
- GOV.UK: Applying for probate