Tenant Died, Not Sure What to Do Next

[Andrew Merritt]

So weird situation, but I was just informed that one of my tenants in my duplex passed away today.  She had a 9 year old kid.  I guess the police contacted her next of kin in another state to come pick up the kid.

Not trying to be selfish at all, but I'm not sure what my next steps are in this situation.  I'm guessing I'll need to hire some people to clear all of her stuff out of there and clean it up, but I'm not sure.  Do any of you have experience with this situation?

[Nathan Gesner]

There's a good chance you can reach family members or friends. Work with them to resolve the situation.

If they abandon the property, you'll have to deal with it according to state law.

This is an example of why it's important to keep an emergency contact on file for every tenant and keep it updated. I've been thinking of creating a short statement like, "In the event of my demise, incarceration, or disappearance, I authorize ____________________________ to remove my possessions on my behalf."

I would actually go to an attorney to draft something, but you get the idea. I've had a couple tenants pass away and several incarcerated and we've had to track down family to remove their belongings. It would be easier if I asked them for contact information when they sign the lease or any time they sign a renewal.