Lead Tenant died – issues with deposit refund from OpenRent and death certificate

[Auracha]

Hi all,

I’m posting here for guidance on a tricky deposit/refund situation with OpenRent after the lead tenant died. Here are the key facts and what I’m hoping to figure out:

-Deposits: The full deposit was transferred directly from the co-tenant (that’s me) to the landlord via OpenRent.
-Death: My friend and co-tenant passed away on 30 December 2024.
Rent payments: Since January 2025 (through to 10 October 2025, end of contract), the co-tenant has continued paying rent in full by direct debit from my company account.
Payment source: I have also paid from my company account to OpenRent for rent/deposits as needed.
-Incident and repair: My friend’s girlfriend broke the contract and damaged landlord property, then left on 28 June 2025. I took responsibility and organized repairs to fix the flat for my landlord.
-Landlord response: The landlord is happy with the repairs and is willing to refund the deposit. However, OpenRent requires viewing the deceased person’s death certificate before processing anything.

Question: Are there any other viable routes to resolve the deposit refund if we do not have the deceased’s death certificate?

-What I’m hoping to understand or get advice on:

-Are there alternative documents OpenRent or the landlord can accept in place of the death certificate (e.g., a coroner’s certificate, death notice, obituary, executor documents, probate, a legal statement from the next of kin, or a signed declaration)?
-What is the correct process to recover the deposit when a lead tenant has died, especially when the other tenants (including me) are still involved in rent payments and property upkeep?
-Could the landlord or I use a power of attorney or executor arrangement to release funds without the death certificate? What about a letter from the deceased’s estate or next of kin confirming the refund is authorized?

• Any tips to speed up the OpenRent verification step without compromising security?
• Has anyone else faced a similar situation and found a workable resolution, especially avoiding delays due to missing death certificates?

Context you might find relevant:
-The remaining tenancy responsibilities fall on the surviving tenant
-The landlord is satisfied with the condition of the property after repairs.
-There’s a potential complication around claims for damage caused by the ex-guest (the girlfriend) and how that interacts with the deposit.

If you’ve navigated this kind of scenario (death of a co-tenant, deposit refunds, or OpenRent processes), I’d appreciate hearing about:
which documents insurers/agents accepted in place of a death certificate,
any steps you took with OpenRent to validate ownership or authority to refund the deposit,
any advice on expediting the verification and processing times.

Thanks in advance for any guidance or personal experiences.

[Karl11]

I’m confused, does the executor or next of kin not have a copy of the death certificate? Can they not apply for a copy of it as the next of kin or executor?

[David240]

Sorry to hear about that.

If you paid the deposit but part of it was on behalf of the deceased then their estate may have a claim on their share of whatever gets returned.

tbh as you have taken over responsibility for paying the tenancy rent payments, I don’t know why you need to tell OR about the death at all (you weren’t seeking to surrender the tenancy or not pay rent because of the death). Why can’t you just end the tenancy in the normal way, get them to return deposit to you (as you paid it originally) and you deal with the estate/executor separately. OR and the tenancy deposit scheme are acting on behalf of LL so should do as LL instructs. So try getting deposit back in the normal way. If LL content with repair why would they be withholding any part of deposit for it? But how you apportion any reduction is between you and the estate.

@mod_harry may be able to explain what are acceptable documents. Contact the executor and get a copy of the death certificate. Or if you have the details you can get a copy yourself for a small fee, they are public documents

(Google ‘how to get copy of death certificate ‘)

Ps as tenancy not ended the estate will have been responsible for their share of rent payments and you may be able to claim from the estate, potentially, and may wish to ask. If executor chose not to surrender tenancy to avoid rent that was their choice after all. (Sorry if this seems harsh but you need to consider your own financial interests).

Good luck

[David122]

Were you both named as joint tenants in the contract? Were you listed as contributing to the deposit in the Prescribed Information?

I believe that OR use Mydeposits. You could ask the latter whether they would allow you to release the deposit in full to the landlord. If so you could ask him to pay you the equivalent amount directly. I have no idea whether this would work though.

[Colin3]

A death certificate is a public record ,anyone can apply for a copy of it Google where to.

[Auracha]

Thanks for all the helpful replies so far. Quick update on our situation and what we’ve done/are doing:

Lead tenant: Watt was the lead tenant (the reason I put him in that role was because he lived in the flat year-round with his girlfriend, and he managed the tenancy in practice).I’m a co-tenant.

Deposit: I paid the full deposit myself originally; Watt did not pay the deposit.
Occupancy/role: I’m the co-tenant who imports produce for his restaurant connections, and I travel a lot for work. Watt effectively ran the tenancy day-to-day as lead tenant.

Watt’s death: Watt died on 30 December 2024. OpenRent is now requesting a death certificate as part of their deposit refund process.

Records access: The OpenRent portal currently only shows records up to 2023; I’ve ordered an official death certificate copy (hard copy by £16, 2nd class) and expect delivery around 5 December 2025.
Contract end date: Our tenancy contract ends on 10 October 2025. I’m hoping to recover the deposit before Christmas, once the death certificate is presented and verification is completed.

What I’m doing / planning to do next:
Submit death certificate: I’ll provide the official death certificate to OpenRent as soon as I have it, to satisfy their verification requirement.

Explore alternatives: If OpenRent allows alternative documentation, I’ll ask what else they’ll accept (e.g., executor documents, probate letter, a letter from Watt’s estate/next of kin, or a legal declaration). If anyone has successfully used alternatives, please share your experiences.

Clarify of ownership/authority: I’ll request a clear path for deposit refund given that I was the initial payer and Watt has passed away. Any guidance on how to demonstrate rightful entitlement to the deposit would be appreciated.

Timeline: I’ll post an update once the death certificate is received and OpenRent confirms what additional documents they need and the expected refund timing.

If anyone has faced a similar situation (co-tenants with a lead tenant who passes away) and successfully navigated OpenRent’s verification without a death certificate, I’d love to hear what worked for you. Specifically:

Thank you again for the support. I’ll post another update once I have the certificate and a clearer path from OpenRent. Wishing everyone a smooth holiday period.

[David122]

Thanks, but are you named as a tenant on the tenancy agreement? Also, can you prove you paid the deposit and are you named on the deposit prescribed information?

You should be aware that there is legally no such thing as lead tenant and co-tenant. All named tenants have equal status.Deposit schemes use the term as a convenience to mean the person they will normally refund the deposit to.

[David240]

Assuming you are named as a joint tenant on tenancy agreement you will have been jointly liable for rent and I can’t see why OR wouldn’t allow you to claim the deposit if LL agrees- they have been holding it for you and Watt/Watt’s Estate but it is no business of theirs how the deposit is apportioned once returned to either you or Estate. If Watt was still alive they would still have returned to one or other of you…they received one payment and have no knowledge of how it was funded between you.

Re establishing entitlement, that’s between you and Estate but assuming you have records of paying the deposit originally the Estate would have to show the deceased contributed to claim any part of it. You have already helped cover a potential debt to the estate by covering the rent in the intervening months, so if you point that out, and in the absence of any evidence Watt contributed to deposit funds, I’m not sure why estate would try to claim any part of deposit.

Good luck

[Auracha]

Yes i do have name as co-tenant in the written contract. I fix all the damage for my landlord too.

[mod_harry]

Hi @Auracha,

I’m very sorry to hear about the loss of your friend and co-tenant.

I can see you’re already in touch with our customer service team who are in the best place to assist you here.

We have a defined process in these such cases where the lead tenant has passed away and is not able to receive the deposit funds at the end of tenancy. The first step is for us to verify the death for which we require a certified or interim death certificate. Once we have this, our team will be able to guide you through the rest of the process.

Once again, I am very sorry for your loss.

[Auracha]

Thanks for your respon @mod_harry

The link shows evident 1 room in the property damage because of the third party who are NOT in “Contract Agreement”

[link removed]

I’m currently dealing with the end-of-tenancy deposit after the lead tenant’s passing, and I’m seeking guidance and support from OpenRent on possible alternatives and timelines.

Key points:

-End contract date: 10 October this year.
-The lead tenant’s passing has affected deposit recovery timelines. OpenRent’s verified process requires a death certificate (certified or interim) to proceed.

-I’ve been in contact with my landlord, who has been cooperative and supportive throughout.

Notes about the landlord:
Landlord at 72 Flat 3 Gloucester Place has been very generous and responsive. I’d recommend him to others for his cooperation and fairness.

-The total repair costs incurred due to damages caused by a third party connected to the lead tenant are over £3,000.

-I’ve shouldered these costs to protect the property and the tenancy, and I’m seeking guidance on recovering my deposit in light of these expenses.

Documentation and next steps I’ve pursued:

I’ve ordered a second-class document to support the process, with an expected arrival on 5 December 2025.

Delivery options and costs I’ve noted:
1-day delivery: approx £50 (including VAT)
2nd-class delivery: approx £16
I did try to obtain a faster resolution when possible, but cost considerations matter to me.

If anyone has experienced a similar situation and found effective paths or timelines, please share your experiences. I appreciate any practical advice on how to move this forward with OpenRent.

Thank you for your support during this difficult time.

[Auracha]

Before fix : [link removed]

This is some picture on the date i return keys to my landloard. I paid rent full amount direct debit from my company to Openrent account. The full deposit transfer from my account too. If he has money, he would has transfer himself wouldn’t he.

[Auracha]

Why i can’t see your post ?

[Karl11]

I think it’s pointless in detailing what you have above. Openrent’s job is to prove that you are entitled as a co-tenant to claim the deposit. Once they are happy, having seen the death cert for example, then it will be between you and the Landlord to argue about how much of the deposit is split between you and the landlord. There will be an arbitration process via the deposit company to aide with this.

[Auracha]

I I forgot to upload the picture before i fix the flat for my landload. The third party (girlfriend of the lead tennant) has damage the property. I took responsibility on behalf of the lead tennant. That why my land lord agreed to return the full deposit to me. I will uploae the cost further if there is still the problem with the deposit.

[Auracha]

I am sending dead certificate 4 days ago and respond to email templete. Name in system change to me but i still can’t claim money back for my landlord. Openrent ask me to respond to email templete which i did. I has been waiting for my deposit from 10 Oct 2025 Can you please respond to my email. I wish this is not going to delay over X’mas. I am looking forward to hear from you sooner thanks.

[David240]

@mod_harry for you to answer/chase up on @Auracha ‘s behalf please

Best

[mod_harry]

Hi @Auracha

I can confirm we’ve received your email and will respond as soon as possible, thank you for your patience here.

[Auracha]

@mod_harry Why no one respond to my email yet?

[Auracha]

Do you know how long they’re nprmally take? How come they respond here not to my email. What should i do next?