If my mother recently passed away and my brother and I found her house to be in disarray, are my brother and I legally responsible for cleaning up the property?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
If my mother recently passed away and my brother and I found her house to be in disarray, are my brother and I legally responsible for cleaning up the property?
She rented her home.
Asked on May 13, 2014 under Estate Planning, Pennsylvania
Answers:
M.T.G., Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 10 years ago | Contributor
I am so sorry for your loss. More facts are needed here to understand what you mean but the estate has the same responsibilities as your Mother would to comply with local laws etc., if you mean is her property a danger (like trees downed) or garbage needs to be removed, etc. Now, if the renters were the ones who caused the damage the Personal Representative of the estate has the right to sue them for damages in a breach of the rental agreement. The PR also needs to upkeep the property as best you can - "maintain assets of the estate" - prior to sale as well. Good luck.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.