There are risks to leaving a house unoccupied at any time of the year. Yet it can be particularly risky to leave a house unoccupied over winter.
In this post we’ll discuss some essential steps you can take to keep an unoccupied property safe through the winter months.
Is Your House Going Through Probate?
If you’ll be leaving a property unoccupied over winter as part of the probate process, there are two important things to consider:
- Probate can often take considerably longer than you expect.
- Most home insurance policies are voided if homes are left unoccupied for a set period of time, which can be as little as 30 days.
So, if your unoccupied property is going through probate, as well as taking the below steps to secure your property, you should also consider getting specialist probate home insurance. This will ensure the property’s covered for a range of risks for as long as it the probate process takes to complete.
First of all, check whether the deceased had an insurance policy in place and whether the property is still covered now it’s unoccupied. Bear in mind that even if an insurance policy is in place, there is a likelihood that the existing insurer is not the best solution to provide ongoing insurance for an unoccupied house.
If you have any questions about keeping your property safe, 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.
What to Check on The Outside of Your House in Winter
Take a look at your roof, your guttering, your brickwork, and any other areas of your home’s exterior where problems might take root. Look out for loose tiles, or any holes in your roof. Clear your gutters and drains. Check for cracks in the brickwork.
If there’s anything that needs fixing or maintaining, do so before you leave your home unoccupied, to help prevent floods, leaks, and potential structural damage.
Protecting Pipes in Unoccupied Properties
People often wonder if they should turn the water off in an empty property. There are pros and cons to doing this. Yes, when there’s no running water in your home, there may be less risk of flood. But if you’re leaving your home unoccupied over winter, leaving the water on, and occasionally turning the heating on, can help prevent frozen pipes and other problems.
For more on whether you should turn water off in an unoccupied property, see our blog – is it a good idea to turn the water off in an empty property?
To protect your pipes and prevent flooding while your home’s unoccupied over winter:
- Check your boiler’s condition, and get it serviced if need be.
- Set your heating to come on for a few hours every day, to a temperature of around 12°C to 14°C.
- Open the cupboard doors under your sink, to encourage the flow of warm air.
- Consider insulating any exposed pipes, such as those on the exterior of your house, and those in the garage or loft space.
Read our full guide to warming your unoccupied home over the winter.
How to Prevent Break-ins in an Unoccupied Home
There are steps you can take to protect your home from break-ins while it’s unoccupied over the winter:
- Invest in new security systems, including CCTV, alarm systems, and automatic floodlights. You could also get a smart doorbell, so you can remotely check on anyone who visits your house while you’re away.
- Set some lights, or a TV or a radio, to come on automatically at set times each day. This will make it look like someone’s home, which could deter thieves.
- Ask neighbours to keep an eye on your home, and to take care of the telltale signs that nobody’s in – such as piled up post and left out bins.
- Use Royal Mail’s Keepsafe service to hold all of your post while you’re away.
Make Sure Your Home Insurance Still Covers You
As we mentioned above, most home insurance policies are voided if homes are left unoccupied for a set period of time, which can be as little as 30 days.
Check your home policy wording to ensure that your policy will cover you for as long as your home’s unoccupied. If necessary, you could spend the occasional night at your unoccupied property, to ensure it’s not “unoccupied” for too long. Or you could ask someone else to do this for you.
However, if your property will be unoccupied for an extended period, it might be best to get specialist unoccupied home insurance.
If you have any questions about keeping your property safe while it’s unoccupied, our friendly team is always happy to help. Get in touch by calling 0208 290 9086 or emailing personal@anthonyjones.com.
