If you’re going to be leaving a house unoccupied – whether it’s for a few days or a few months – then there some key things you should do to keep things safe and secure.
Use this post as an essential checklist for what to do when leaving a house unoccupied.
If you have any specific questions about your property, particularly regarding risk management or home insurance, our friendly team is always happy to help. Get in touch by calling 0208 290 9086 or emailing personal@anthonyjones.com.
How Long Will The House Be Unoccupied?
If you’re going away, then your house may be unoccupied for a few days, or a few weeks. You’ll certainly have to take some steps to protect your property, but you probably won’t have to do anything too elaborate.
It’s only if you know your house is going to be unoccupied for an extended period of time that you’ll have to take special measures to keep things safe. For example, if you inherit a house, or if a relative passes away and you need to sell their home, then the property could be left unoccupied throughout the entire probate process.
Does Home Insurance Cover Unoccupied Homes?
Please note that most home insurance properties only provide cover for occupied homes. If the home’s going to be unoccupied for 30 days or more, you may need to get specialist insurance to cover the extended period.
If You’re Only Going Away For a Few Days or a Few Weeks
- Secure your property. Make sure all the doors and windows are locked. If possible, place your valuables in a safe.
- Look for any signs of damage before you leave, focusing on pipes, gutters, roofing, and locks. Repair anything in advance to make it less likely that anything will go wrong while you’re away.
- Ask your neighbours if they can keep an eye on your house while you’re gone. They don’t need to keep a round-the-clock watch, but they could at least look out for any unexpected visitors. You could also ask them to take your bins in, or to park a car in your driveway, to make it less obvious to opportunistic thieves that you’re not around.
- Ask a friend or a family member to check in on your house every few days. If you’ll be away for an extended period, you could ask them to house sit for you. That way, they’ll be able to act the moment anything goes wrong. This could also prevent your home insurance from being invalidated if you’ll be gone for more than a month.
- Get a smart doorbell with a camera. Some models can send you automatic notifications if they detect any suspicious activity.
If The House Will Be Unoccupied For One Month or More
You might consider turning the gas, electricity, and water off to keep your unoccupied property extra safe. Doing so can protect your property from fires and floods, though there are downsides to disconnecting your utilities.
First, it’s worth knowing that it can cost money to disconnect your supplies, and to reconnect them again. Also, there are numerous situations where you might want to keep an unoccupied house supplied with gas, water, and electricity.
If you don’t heat a house through the winter months, for example, it can cause the pipes to freeze, which will increase your flood risk. If tradesmen will be visiting the house for renovations, then they will probably need an electricity supply to do their work. Plus, if you’re planning on selling the home, then a well-lit and well-heated house will be more appealing to potential buyers than a cold, dark, empty husk.
Read our full guide to disconnecting gas, water, and electricity in an empty property.
Get Specialist Insurance For Your Unoccupied Home
Finally, as we mentioned above, most home insurance properties will not provide cover if your home’s going to be unoccupied for 30 days or more.
If you’ve got property that will be unoccupied for an extended period – whether it’s a second home, a holiday home, or a house you’ve inherited that’s going through probate – then we can sort you out with specialist insurance to give you all the cover you need for the unoccupied period.
For more information, and a free quote, get in touch by calling 0208 290 9086 or emailing personal@anthonyjones.com.
