What happens to the tenancy if the last household member dies?

Prepare for the Certified Occupancy Specialist (COS) Exam with a comprehensive set of flashcards and multiple-choice questions. Each question includes hints and clear explanations to help you master the material. Ensure your success on the COS test!

Multiple Choice

What happens to the tenancy if the last household member dies?

When the last person listed on the lease dies, there is no longer an eligible household to occupy the unit, so the tenancy ends. This is not a transfer to a relative, nor does it automatically continue on a month-to-month basis. The landlord must formally terminate the lease and document the death and the end of tenancy in the unit’s file. Proper documentation ensures the unit can be re-rented according to program rules, and it handles the disposition of the security deposit and any final rent owed. If there were surviving household members who qualified, they would pursue a separate succession process, but with no remaining members, ending the tenancy is the appropriate action.

When the last person listed on the lease dies, there is no longer an eligible household to occupy the unit, so the tenancy ends. This is not a transfer to a relative, nor does it automatically continue on a month-to-month basis. The landlord must formally terminate the lease and document the death and the end of tenancy in the unit’s file. Proper documentation ensures the unit can be re-rented according to program rules, and it handles the disposition of the security deposit and any final rent owed. If there were surviving household members who qualified, they would pursue a separate succession process, but with no remaining members, ending the tenancy is the appropriate action.

More practice questions