Losing a close loved one is one of life’s most difficult experiences. Amid grief, you suddenly face a long list of practical tasks that can feel overwhelming. Which authorities do you contact? Who handles the estate? How do you clear and clean the home?
This guide gives you a clear overview of every step that needs to be taken — from the first hours after the death through to the final clearing of the estate (Danish: dødsbo). The guide is aimed at residents in Southern Denmark (Sønderjylland), but the steps apply throughout Denmark.
The first 24 hours after death
1. Call a doctor
If the death occurs at home, you must contact the on-call doctor (phone 70 11 31 31 in Region Syddanmark). The doctor will come and issue a death certificate, which is required for all subsequent steps. If unnatural death is suspected, the police are contacted instead.
2. Contact a funeral director
A funeral director (Danish: bedemand) helps with practical matters like transporting the deceased, planning the funeral or cremation, and paperwork with the church and municipality. In Aabenraa, Sønderborg, Haderslev, and Tønder, several local funeral directors are available.
3. Inform close family
Before formal authority notifications, immediate family should be informed. This is humanly important and may also influence practical choices about the funeral, finances, and estate.
The first week: official notifications
4. Report the death to the probate court
No later than 14 days after the death, it must be reported to the probate court (skifteretten) in the judicial district where the deceased lived. For Southern Denmark, this is Retten i Sønderborg. The court decides how the estate is to be handled — e.g., as private probate, executor estate, or spousal allowance.
5. Access to the home
Until the probate court has made its decision, nothing in the estate may be touched or removed — not even by close family. This includes furniture, jewelry, and documents. Do not break this rule — it can cause problems in the estate accounts.
6. Notify bank, insurance, and authorities
- Bank: Accounts are frozen until the probate court rules
- Pension funds and insurance: Possible payouts
- Borgerservice (citizen service): Health card, passport, driver’s license
- SKAT (tax authority): Notified automatically via the civil register
- Housing association or landlord: Termination of lease
- Utility providers: Electricity, water, heating, internet
After the probate court has ruled
7. Sort and document belongings
Once the probate court has given the green light, you can begin to sort and distribute the deceased’s belongings. We recommend:
- Photographing all valuables before anything is removed
- Making a list of items with assessed value
- Deciding what heirs want to keep, what is sold, and what is disposed of
- Saving all important documents (will, bills, contracts)
8. Clearing the estate
Once sorting is complete, the home must be cleared. This involves removing all remaining furniture, contents, and waste. Many people choose to hire a professional company — especially if the home is large, or if heirs live far away.
At Trygrent in Aabenraa, we offer complete estate clearing across all of Southern Denmark — from Esbjerg in the west to Sønderborg in the south, all the way up to Odense.
9. Cleaning the home
After clearing, the home must be cleaned thoroughly — especially if it will be sold or rented out again. This includes:
- Thorough cleaning of all rooms
- Kitchen and bathroom descaled and disinfected
- Windows polished
- If applicable, bio-cleaning if the deceased remained for an extended period
- Odor removal with ozone treatment
Special situations
Death at home without witnesses
If the deceased remained undiscovered for several days or weeks, specialized bio-cleaning is required. Standard cleaning is insufficient — there may be health hazards and odors that only professional methods can remove. Read more about bio-cleaning here.
When heirs live far away
Many families in Southern Denmark have children or heirs living in Copenhagen, Aarhus, or abroad. Coordinating clearing and cleaning from a distance can be difficult. A local company like Trygrent can handle everything — from inspection to handing over the keys.
When the estate has debt
If the deceased had debt, the heirs may choose to renounce the inheritance. Speak with a lawyer or directly with the probate court before making any decisions.
Checklist: 10 things to remember
- Call a doctor or on-call doctor
- Contact a funeral director
- Inform immediate family
- Report the death to the probate court (within 14 days)
- Notify bank, insurance, and authorities
- Lock the home and don’t touch belongings until the court rules
- Sort and document after the court’s decision
- Book professional clearing and cleaning
- Hand over keys to housing association, landlord, or buyer
- Seek psychological support through your doctor or municipal grief counseling
Local help in Southern Denmark
At Trygrent in Aabenraa, we specialize in all the practical tasks that follow a death. We offer:
- ✅ Estate clearing — from apartments to large houses
- ✅ Cleaning and bio-cleaning — even after extended decay
- ✅ Furniture disposal to second-hand or recycling stations
- ✅ Emergency help 24/7 for special situations
- ✅ Discreet service in unmarked vehicles
We cover all of Southern Denmark, the Triangle Region, and Funen — from Aabenraa, Sønderborg, Tønder, and Haderslev to Kolding, Vejle, Esbjerg, Fredericia, Middelfart, and Odense.
We are here for you
We understand it’s not easy to handle all the practical tasks while you grieve. That’s why we are available around the clock — with empathy, respect, and discretion.
📞 Call Trygrent at +45 66 56 63 16 — or email info@trygrent.dk. You’ll get a free, no-obligation quote, and we can often be on-site the same day.