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What to do after a death, accident or crime in the apartment

4 August 2026 · 7 min read

Foto: Pixabay

An ambulance in the backyard, a police blockade in front of the entrance to the house, whispering neighbors in the stairwell – many Berliners experience such moments at some point in their own neighborhood. What happens afterwards, very few know. The short version: First, the emergency services and the police secure the scene, after the official clearance, responsibility lies with the tenants, heirs or landlords – and cleaning itself belongs to the hands of specialists for hygienic reasons.

For all parties involved, this begins a process with clear, but hardly known steps. An overview of responsibilities, processes and the questions that arise in this exceptional situation.

The first hours – what happens after an emergency in the apartment

After a death, a serious accident or a violent crime in an apartment, the emergency services and the police are the first to arrive. Their tasks are clearly divided: the emergency services take care of medical measures, the death is usually determined by a doctor of emergency medicine, and the police check whether there is a case of negligence or a crime. In such cases, the place of the incident can be temporarily closed – for example for evidence preservation or because the public prosecutor’s office orders an autopsy.

For relatives, roommates or landlords, one thing applies above all in this phase: patience. The rooms may only be entered or changed when the investigating authorities have officially cleared them. Anyone who intervenes too early risks trouble with the authorities and may also destroy evidence in the event of a dispute. Only after clearance does the actual organizational work begin – and with it the question of who has to take care of the condition of the apartment.

Who is responsible – tenant, landlord or property management?

With the approval by the police, the administrative responsibility largely ends. From this moment on, the contract parties are again responsible for the condition of the apartment. In practice, this means: landlords must ensure that an apartment is again in a rentable, hygienically impeccable condition. Tenants or heirs are subject to this obligation if they continue to use or terminate the apartment. Property management companies come into play if common areas such as stairwells or basements are affected.

In any case, meaningful early, factual communication is advisable. Anyone who suddenly finds themselves in the position of having to hand over an apartment as a member of the family should inform the property management or the owner promptly in order to clarify deadlines, access points and agreements. Conversely, landlords do not necessarily have to bear costs and organization alone: depending on the circumstances, the estate or existing insurance policies may be considered for this purpose.

Why self-cleaning is risky

The impulse is humanly understandable: After a stressful event, many relatives or tenants want to take care of things themselves – out of shame, out of a sense of duty or to save costs. Experts advise against this. It is safer to Experienced crime scene cleaners in Berlin To entrust this work to. The reason is obvious: blood and other body fluids can transmit pathogens, and the load rarely remains limited to the visible stain. Fluids seep into carpet floors, floorboards and upholstered furniture – places that normal household cleaning does not reach.

In addition, there is the problem of odors: what is not completely removed becomes noticeable over weeks and can permanently affect an apartment. Specialized service providers assess the situation on site, work with appropriate protective equipment and professional disinfection procedures and are also ready for deployment on short notice – often a call is sufficient for an initial assessment.

This is how a professional crime scene cleaning works

Many affected people are afraid of the first call because they do not know what is coming their way. A professional special cleaning follows a largely standardized process:

First contact: The reason for the deployment, location and initial situation are discussed by phone or e-mail. Many providers are available 24 hours a day.
Assessment on site: If necessary, the apartment will be inspected in advance to realistically assess the effort and procedure.
Protection of the area: The work area will be blocked and prepared so that no load is carried into other living spaces.
Cleaning and disinfection: Affected surfaces, furniture and hard-to-reach areas are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.
Professional disposal: Contaminated materials – such as carpet remnants, upholstery or waste – are disposed of separately and safely.
Final check: At the end, it will be checked whether the room can be used or handed over again safely.

This transparency helps in an upsetting situation: whoever commissions it knows from the beginning what steps will follow and when the apartment will be usable again.

Image of Matilda Wormwood on Pexels

Costs, insurance and legal questions

The costs of a special cleaning depend on the individual case – from the size of the object, the degree of wear and tear and the necessary effort. Serious providers therefore prepare a cost estimate in advance, instead of giving flat prices. The invoice does not have to automatically be taken over by the person who issued the order: after a death, the costs can be paid from the estate, and depending on the circumstances, residential building or household insurance may also be considered – for example, if an accident or damage to the trigger was the cause.

In case of legal questions – for example regarding the distribution of costs between heirs, tenants and owners – it is worth consulting a specialist in case of doubt. This article does not replace legal advice, but can serve as first orientation: In practice, the question of costs is usually clarified more quickly and easily than those affected expect in the acute situation.

Discretion counts – the human way of dealing with an exceptional situation

In addition to all organizational questions, such a situation is above all one thing: humanly difficult. Neighbors ask questions, there is gossip in the stairwell, and relatives suddenly have to take care of things they never expected. There is no official obligation to inform the neighborhood about an incident – discretion takes precedence. What is told in the house is decided by the affected persons themselves.

Professional service providers are aware of this sensitivity. They usually work discreetly, without much fuss, and treat personal information confidentially. Especially after a suicide or a violent crime, this respectful approach is not a side issue but an essential part of the service – it takes a part of the burden off those affected.

Frequently asked questions about crime scene cleaning in Berlin

Four questions that people affected in such situations are particularly often concerned with.

As a tenant, do I have to pay for the cleaning after a death myself?

This depends on the individual case. Often, the costs are paid from the estate, in some cases insurance companies or the landlord at least cover part of them. An early agreement with the owner or the property management creates clarity here.

Can I clean the apartment myself after an accident or death?

Purely legally, there is nothing in the way according to the police clearance. However, for health reasons, it is advised against this, because contamination with blood or bodily fluids is hardly recognizable to laymen and cannot be reliably removed with household means.

How quickly should a professional cleaning take place?

As soon as possible. The longer a contaminated room remains untreated, the stronger the odors set in and the greater the hygienic risks. Many providers are available 24 hours a day and can already assess by phone which steps are necessary.

Who informs the neighbors or the house about the incident?

No one has to do this officially. There is no obligation to provide information to the neighbors – whether and what you tell in the house is up to you. Also, commissioned cleaning companies work discreetly and without recognizable company labeling on the vehicle at your request.

A death, an accident or a crime in your own apartment raises questions that hardly anyone voluntarily deals with. If you know the basic steps – from police clearance to responsibilities to professional cleaning – you retain the ability to act in a difficult situation. And if you entrust the responsibility for the rooms to professional hands, you create space for what is more important than any cleaning plan in such moments.