Not pay deceased family members bills

[Hound456]

A family member has died and my siblings and I are the only relatives they had.
We have been left a house which has sold but we are waiting for probate to be granted so the sale goes through.
I contacted relatives energy supplier and explained they were deceased , nobody is living at the property but correspondence could be sent to me. I was told outstanding bills had to be settled when probate was granted.
I've since had a quarterly bill but they are asking for payment.
It's not loads of money but I would prefer not to have to pay it from my own money.
I've argued that I was told bills would be issued on probate being granted ,this seems to have changed.
What I suppose I'm asking is can they do this? Or are the company trying it on?They are saying account is in my name but I never agreed to that. When letters come they are addressed to my deceased family members estate c/o me. Can anyone offer any advice ?
TIA

Hi all thank you for your replies and advice.
There was no will but as only surviving family members everything comesto my siblings and I.
I spoke to company yesterday and asked why I was suddenly on the bills when I had never said I would be .
Apparently my relatives account has been closed (!) So they have put it in my name .
I've stated that I want my name removed and the account should not have been closed.
The account is in credit so this is being applied for this quarter. As the house is sold pending probate I am hoping there will not be another bill.

TightDiamondShoes · Yesterday 07:12
The debts die with the person. Of course the energy company would be happy if you paid - would help their cash flow. 😉 But you absolutely must tell them to jog the fuck on - or email your deceased relative.

Actually this is not entirely false. My exw nana is not paying her gas bill just £20 a month as that’s all she wants to pay despite her usage being £200 a month and that was the price before the increases and she won’t let them in the house to read it. She must owe thousands and it pisses me off. All her money is cash and she’s never worked all her life and had 9 kids on the state. When she dies there will be no money per se but I know she has a fortune stashed as a another family member has the cash. So who would the gas company chase when she has no will?

People who play the system boil my piss

Oh and she’s had the £400 off her bill, £150 council tax and getting the £600 winter payment as a pensioner but she says that’s my Xmas bonus!!

She’s not getting £600, the winter fuel payment is £300 for this year only. It’s normally £200.

Your wrong sorry see gov.uk she’s in the £600 category

I was wrong, I apologise. But she’s over 80, her pension’s a pittance - £141.85 a week. How can you begrudge her being warm?

I don’t begrudge her being warm in the current climate but she has never paid what she has needed to for her whole life.

Ignore the companies chasing money for now, they can wait for their money! Once probate is sorted, the money to pay any bills comes from that and then leftover money is divided between you and your siblings, or whatever their will stated?

My concern was that as it's my name if it's not sorted it would affect my credit score

@Hound456 its not something on your credit file unless they take you to court so I wouldn’t worry. I’m sure it wouldn’t be legal in a small claims court