Deceased Credit and Liability Search

There are a few providers of credit and liability reports for deceased people, such as Equifax or Experian who can provide a comprehensive Credit and Liability Search to help you pay all creditors prior to distributing the estate. 

You can then arrange Section 27 Insurance to protect you, other executors, personal representatives, trustees and beneficiaries from claims from unknown creditors.

How to Request a Credit Report on a Deceased Person

You can request a statutory credit report from Equifax if you are the executor or administrator of the estate.

Here is the process:

1. Visit the Equifax Statutory Credit Report webpage and register an account in your name.

2. Once you have been approved for an account you can request a copy of the report for a deceased individual. If you need help during this process, here is a their helpline number - 0800 014 2955.

3. You will be asked to provide the following information:

   • A copy of the death certificate.

   • Documents confirming the name of the executor of the estate (for example, grant of probate or other applicable document).

   • A government-issued identity document confirming the estate executor's identity (for example, passport including the perforated page or driving license including the back).

   • A document confirming the estate executor's address (for example, licensed bank/credit union/mortgage statements, credit card statements (no store cards), utility bills, landline/broadband bills, evidence of entitlement to a state or local authority-funded benefit).

4. Equifax will also require additional details about the person whose report you're requesting a copy of. They ask that you include:

   • Their full name (and maiden name or previous names if applicable).

   • Their date of birth.

   • The last address they lived at.

   • Any other addresses they'd lived at during the past six years - please list each full address separately, including postcodes.

How does a Liability Search help you?

Professional Executors, Administrators, Deputies or Attorneys are duty-bound to identify and settle estate debts and liabilities. If the deceased has any liabilities that are not clear at the time of passing, any creditors can claim payment from the Legal Representative or funds paid to beneficiaries. 

To help identify estate accounts to mitigate against the risk of missed debts or liabilities and assess potential solvency before applying for the Grant, our Liability Search performs an electronic check of digital credit data held by Equifax. The Liabilities Search is quick, precise and easy to understand, including information on;

• Bankruptcy, CCJs, and IVA

• Previous Names, Previous Addresses and Financially Connected Persons

• Open and closed current accounts, credit cards, mortgages, pay day loans and more.

The completed Liabilities Search will be available in 24 hours. It will identify the account provider, account reference, and account open and closing dates so you can better understand the decead's financial status and make relevant enquiries to prevent debt accrual. By identifying account providers, the report also helps signpost potential estate assets and savings

• Protection for Executors from the risk of missed liabilities

• Reduced administrative effort and greater efficiency in identifying estate creditors

• Compliments the Financial Asset Search to offer a complete picture of estate affairs.