If there has been a death in the household
Your housing rights might change if someone you live with dies. Having lived in your home for a long time doesn’t automatically give you the right to stay there.
The key issues that will affect your rights are:
- whether your home is rented or owner-occupied
- whether you have signed or been named in any legal documents relating to the property, such as an occupation contract, title deeds, or a will
- whether you have succession rights or rights under the rules of intestacy (this will depend on how you are related to the person who died and where you were living at the time of their death).
If the owner dies
If you live with the owner of your home and they die, your rights will depend on whether your name is also on the title deeds and whether the person left a will or not. If there is no will, special rules of intestacy will apply. This situation can be complicated – you’ll probably need help from a solicitor, who will be able to check the title deeds for you, the terms of any will, how to find out if there is a will, and on the rules of intestacy.
If a contract-holder dies
If your home is rented and someone living with you dies, there are two main questions you have to ask to work out whether or not you can continue to stay there:
- was your name on the occupation contract?
- and do you have succession rights?
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This page was last updated: July 31, 2026
The information contained on this site is updated and maintained by Shelter Cymru and only gives general guidance on the law in Wales. It should not be regarded or relied upon as a complete or authoritative statement of the law.
