A horrified woman whose mum died this week claims a callous housing association worker told her to clear her home immediately when she reported it just 24 hours later.
Samantha Ash rang Catalyst Housing on Friday to tell them her mum Maria Keeble had passed away the previous day - but told Mirror Online she was shocked to be told to hand over the keys straight away.
Widow Maria, 77, had lived in the same home in Willesden, North London, for 38 years, and accumulated decades of possessions of memories.
Samantha, an only child, said she was still traumatised by her mum's death when she made the call, and was left was reeling from the conversation, which was overheard by a friend.
The housing association has now apologised for the distress caused and said this is not its usual policy.
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Samantha was told that Maria's estate will be liable for the rent while she clears the home.
She said: "I was really shocked, I wondered how someone could do that.
"I explained that my mum had just passed away and I was notifying them.
"She said I need to clear the house now. I said 'what do you mean now? Surely you have to give us a couple of weeks leeway', but she said 'that's not our policy'.
"There's no way on earth I can get it clear.
"She said people take advantage and take months to clear homes."
And Samantha, who was 10 when her parents Maria and Martin moved into the house, said: "I just broke down, I just thought how much stress am I going to have to go through?
"I have the funeral to sort out first, that's the priority.
"Now I've got all my friends here trying to help me."
Samantha's pal Denise Weir, who was in the car with her during the conversation, which was on loadspeaker, told Mirror Online: "Samantha was trying to do the right thing.
"Her mum only died yesterday. She (the Catalyst Housing) officer said 'you need to come in and hand the keys in'.
"I was like 'wow', I was quite gobsmacked."
The housing association later confirmed that next of kin have 28 days to clear the home, with rent being paid from the deceased tenant's estate for this period.
If there is no money, it said costs are written off.
A statement from West London-based Catalyst Housing said: “We are sincerely sorry for the distress caused.
"It is absolutely not our policy for next of kin to immediately hand over keys or to start paying rent on their relative’s property.
"We apologise if this was the impression given in the phone call, and have since spoken to Samantha to reassure her and to explain the policy.”
