Inheriting a property? - Richard Kendall Estate Agents

Inheriting a property? Here’s everything you need to know.

Inheriting property can be both a blessing and a challenge. Whether it's a cherished family home or an unexpected asset, navigating the legal, financial, and emotional aspects requires careful consideration. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you understand the essentials when inheriting property.

The probate process

Before inheriting a property, the deceased’s estate typically goes through probate. This legal process confirms the validity of the will and appoints an executor to distribute assets, including property.

Inheritance tax

In the UK, inheritance tax (IHT) may apply to estates above a certain threshold. It's crucial to determine if the property is subject to IHT and understand any reliefs or exemptions that may apply.

Title deeds and ownership

Upon inheritance, you’ll need to transfer the property’s ownership. This involves updating the title deeds with the Land Registry, which ensures legal ownership rights.

Mortgage and financial responsibilities

If the property has an outstanding mortgage, you’ll need to address repayment options. Seek advice on handling financial obligations related to the property.

Wills and intestacy

Whether there’s a valid will or not affects how the property is inherited. Understanding intestacy rules is crucial if there’s no will.

Executor’s role

Executors have legal responsibilities to administer the estate, including the property. They ensure debts are settled, taxes paid, and assets distributed as per the will.

Property valuation

Obtaining a professional valuation helps assess the property's market worth. This informs decisions on selling, renting, or retaining the property.

Family discussions

Inherited property can stir emotions and family dynamics. Open communication and clarity on intentions can help mitigate potential conflicts.

Maintenance and insurance

Property upkeep and insurance are ongoing responsibilities. Ensure the property is adequately maintained and insured to protect its value.

Selling or renting

Decide whether to sell, rent out, or occupy the property. Each option has financial and personal implications, so consider your long-term goals.

Seek professional advice

Navigating inherited property involves legal, financial, and personal considerations. Consulting with legal and financial professionals ensures you make informed decisions tailored to your circumstances.

For more advice, contact our expert team today

What Our Customers Say...

Richard Kendall Estate Agents have been handling the sale of my property. Mandy has been my main contact. We've been extremely unlucky with buyers due to their personal reasons but throughout it all Mandy has dealt with everything with complete professionalism. She updated me with extreme regularity and I never felt I couldn't contact her. The agency certainly earned their very reasonable fee. Linda 21/10/2025

Karen at Richard Kendall was excellent in helping us through the process of buying a house. Her communication was regular and clear, and she was always on hand to deal with any queries or questions. Johnathan 21/10/2025

Absolute professionalism dealing with my house sale. Such efficiency, care and expertise. I would like to say a special thank you to Amanda Dyson at the Pontefract store who went above and beyond. You made a massive difference to the whole process. Thank you C 21/10/2025

We would like to say a massive thank you to Donna and Suzanne at the Ossett Branch for all their help during our house sale. It was a very difficult and stressful time for us due to a lengthy chain with plenty of complications and without them to reassure and guide us along we wouldn’t have made it through. Also we’d like to thank Karen at the Wakefield branch for her efficiency and help with our purchase. We can highly recommend Richard Kendall Estate Agent for both buying and selling properties. Christine 21/10/2025

A seamless process from start to finish. Everything was taken care of professionally and in a timely fashion. I would highly recommend Richard Kendall Estate Agents and a special thank you to Alison for making selling our property easy.I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Joanne and Richard Kendall Estate Agency. Hazel Holdsworth Greg 21/10/2025

My agent was Sarah she was great . Always kept me well informed , always pleasant and very professional . I like that Richard Kendall always answer the phone, all the agents are easy to talk to and very helpful at all times . I would recommend them to family and friends .Their whole team were nothing but professional excellence from beginning to end with our property being processed from market to completion in a little less than 6 months. Special thanks to Cathrine and Shireen for their care and attention to detail with excellent communication at every stage of the process. THANKYOU ALL Team Wakefield. Consumer 21/10/2025

Couldn’t have asked for a better experience buying a house for the first time, Liz was lovely and kept in touch with us regularly. Thanks so much for all your help. Rebecca 21/10/2025

We have never sold a house before and had heard that it can be a very stressful process. In many ways it was, but the whole experience was made much more bearable and positive due to the great service provided by 2 wonderful ladies - J and D. They provided great service, kept us updated, were both cheerful and up beat and encouraging when viewings were slow, and offered helpful advice and guidance. When a purchaser was eventually found, they were in regular contact with the buyers and solicitors and helped to move things along. Great team work. Claire 21/10/2025

I've sold both my Mothers and Sisters house with Richard Kendall Ossett branch. Excellent company, very professional, polite and friendly staff, nothing too much trouble. All the staff was very helpful and Lucy kept us informed and updated on all stages of our sale. Would definitely recommend this company, and would use again Brian 21/10/2025

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