How to Cancel or Transfer a Landline After a Death
If the person who died had a landline, the provider needs to be told. You can choose to cancel the line or transfer it into your name if you still need it.
Last reviewed: 4 April 2026
What to have ready
- ✓Landline phone number
- ✓Account number (if known)
- ✓Deceased’s full name
- ✓Whether the landline is part of a bundle (broadband, TV, mobile)
- ✓Whether a surviving household member wants to keep the line
Phone script
You can read this aloud when you call. Placeholders like [full name] are filled in automatically when you use AfterLoss.
I’m calling to report the death of the account holder for landline number [number]. Their name is [full name]. They passed away on [date of death]. I am the [executor/administrator] of the estate. I’d like to [cancel the line / transfer it to the surviving household member].
What to ask for
- –If cancelling: the effective cancellation date and any final charges
- –If transferring: how to transfer the line and number into the surviving household member’s name
- –Whether the account is part of a bundle, and whether each service can be handled separately
- –Whether there is any credit on the account
- –If equipment needs returning (e.g. BT TV box, BT Smart Hub)
- –Written confirmation of the changes
Watch out
Ask the provider what options are available (cancel, transfer, or keep temporarily) and whether any charges apply. If the landline is bundled with other services, cancelling one may affect the price of the others. Ask about this before confirming.
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