Call Today: 212-233-1233

Access to a House After Death

access to house after death

If your loved one died and you lived with them, you still have access to the house after their death. You can continue living in the house and cannot be removed from the house without a court order. But if you are not on the lease or on the deed, you will not have access to the house indefinitely. You will eventually be evicted from the property.

If someone is living in the house after the death of a loved one and you would like to access it, you can request access from the occupant or if your request is refused, get a court order to access the house. However, if your loved one died alone, his death must have been reported by a neighbor or relative to the police, and the police must have come to seal the house or the apartment after removing your loved one’s body from the house. In this case, you’d like to know, ‘how can you access the house after death?’

In New York, once the apartment or house is sealed, you can access the house after death by filing a petition to examine the residence with the Surrogate’s Court in the county where the decedent was a resident. This examination is limited to finding important papers, such as the will of the deceased, insurance policies in the name of the deceased, and a deed to a burial plot in which said deceased is to be interred. Once an Order to Examine the Residence is issued, the Surrogate’s Court directs the New York Police Department to allow you limited access to the house for the purpose of finding the above-mentioned important papers, to make an inventory of the contents of the premises, and to take clothing for the burial of the deceased loved one.

Here is more information about access to a house sealed by the police.

If your loved one has died and you would like access to the house after death, we, at the Law Offices of Albert Goodwin, are here for you. We have offices in New York City, Brooklyn, NY, and Queens, NY. You can call us at 212-233-1233 or send us an email at [email protected].

Attorney Albert Goodwin

About the Author

Albert Goodwin Esq. is a licenced New York attorney with over 17 years of courtroom experience. His extensive knowledge and expertise make him well-qualified to write authoritative articles on a wide range of legal topics. He can be reached at 212-233-1233 or [email protected].

Albert Goodwin gave interviews to and appeared on the following media outlets:

ProPublica Forbes ABC CNBC CBS NBC News Discovery Wall Street Journal NPR

Client Reviews

Verified feedback from our clients

Mr. Goodwin is everything you want in an attorney: professional, honest, thorough, and genuinely caring. He always explains things clearly, so I understood exactly what was happening and what to expect next. His attention to detail and persistence really stood out. Looking back, I feel lucky to have found him. He guided me through the whole process expertly, and I deeply appreciate all his hard work. Would definitely recommend him to anyone needing legal help.

Sarah M

Legal Services

Thanks to Mr. Albert Goodwin's hard work and smart thinking, I finally won my case, which has been a long time coming. He figured out solutions that no one else could see. I'm really impressed by his strong ethics - something that's rare these days. As my lawyer, he went above and beyond what I expected. I'm so grateful I found him and would definitely recommend him to anyone needing legal help.

Lawrence H

Legal Services

From our first meeting, I knew I was in great hands with Albert and his associate Katrina. They handled my case with incredible skill and efficiency, even though they took it over from another firm. What impressed me most was how quickly Albert responded to my questions with honest, clear answers - no sugarcoating, just straight talk. They managed a huge workload under tight deadlines, and their fees were very reasonable for such high-quality work. Beyond his legal expertise, Albert's wit and personality made a difficult process much easier to handle. I'm deeply grateful for their hard work and would absolutely choose them again. If you need legal help in New York, you won't find better representation than Albert's firm.

Adam F

Legal Services

VIEW MORE
New York State Bar Association Member Badge New York City Bar Association Member Badge American Bar Association Member Badge Avvo Rated Attorney Badge