If a tenant dies
The death of the tenant does not automatically terminate the lease agreement; instead, the lease continues with the estate on the same terms as before. The responsibility for fulfilling the terms of the lease agreement (for example, rent payment and careful maintenance of the apartment) is immediately transferred to the tenant's estate.
The lease ends only when the estate terminates the lease agreement. If the estate does not want to continue the lease, it is advisable to terminate the lease as soon as possible. The notice period is one (1) calendar month calculated from the last day of the calendar month in which the estate terminated the lease. During the notice period, the estate is responsible for fulfilling the obligations of the lease, such as paying the rent.
If the deceased resident is not the main tenant of the apartment, the lease agreement does not need to be terminated. In that case, please inform Heka of the tenant’s death through our Resident Portal (Service requests – Notify moving out).
Continuing the lease
If the deceased tenant had leased the apartment together with another person, this person has the right to continue the lease instead of the estate if the lessor has no good reason to object to the continuation. The following also have the same right to continue the lease:
- Spouse or partner of the deceased tenant
- Child of the same family
- Parent of the deceased tenant or parent of the deceased tenant’s spouse or common-law spouse
Other persons cannot continue the lease. Continuing the lease is an exception to the tenant selection of ARA apartments.
In all cases, a prerequisite for continuing the lease is that the tenant who wants to continue the lease has lived in the apartment before the death of the deceased tenant. Heka checks the housing information from the housing register.
The continuation of the lease must be reported within three months of the tenant’s death. The notice immediately ends the estate’s responsibility to fulfil the lease terms and transfers the responsibility to the person who submitted the continuation notice.
The estate must terminate the lease agreement in writing. Termination requires:
- Written notice of termination signed by all the parties to the estate. If not all the parties sign the notice of termination, termination requires that a power of attorney from all parties who did not sign the notice be attached to the notice. The power of attorney can be delivered to Heka’s customer service during the notice period.
- An extract from the personal register that indicates the parties to the estate. The extract can be delivered to Heka’s customer service during the notice period.
- An extract from the population register that shows the tenant’s date of death. The extract can be delivered to Heka’s customer service during the notice period.
- Heka can be notified of the continuation of the lease using the same form with which the death of a tenant is reported. In a case where the lease is continued, a notice of termination is not required.
- If the estate is found to be without means in the estate inventory and the estate has arrears of debt, the estate must deliver the estate inventory to Heka’s customer service.
If you are a Heka resident and the notice concerns the apartment in which you live, notify Heka of the matter through the Resident Portal.
If you cannot use Heka’s Resident Portal, please report the tenant’s death using the form below.