Leaving a property empty for a short or long period of time can increase your level of risk in the eyes of an insurance company and this can have a financial impact on the price you pay for home insurance. Yes, you need insurance in place, but there are also other little tips and tricks that you can do to protect your home from damage. According to MoneySupermarket.com, there are around 700,000 empty properties in the UK, that are left empty for various reasons. (1)
Don’t Invite Unwanted Attention
An empty house left unattended for a long period of time is almost an invitation for crime and vandalism, especially if it’s not within close proximity to a neighbour or within clear sight from the road. Whether you return to find a shed broken into or windows smashed, there are some steps that you can take to hopefully deter any unwanted attention from your unoccupied home.
Sealing all windows and doors with high-quality locks and asking a family friend or neighbour to keep an eye on your property while you’re away, can help deter vandalism and theft. It’s important though to make sure whoever is checking on your home, whether it is yourself or a friend, that you vary your times and visits so that anyone watching the property can’t predict when you might return.
The chance that someone will try to break into an occupied property is far less than if the property is clearly empty.
Gas, Electric and Water
Before you leave a property empty for a long period of time, it’s important that you turn off the gas, electric and water supply at the source. A small gas leak or water leak can quickly turn into a major problem when it is left unchecked while a property is vacant.
The most important one of all is water. A small leak due to a burst pipe can cause significant damage and some insurance companies will refuse to pay out on a claim if you have forgotten to turn off the water. A flood will destroy your flooring, any carpets or furniture, drywall and any appliances. To turn off your main water supply, locate the valve, which might be located in your garage, in the garden or underneath your kitchen sink. It should be clearly labelled- water.
Next, make sure you unplug any electronic equipment such as refrigerators, making sure they’re empty and clean, electric ovens, heaters and any other devices that may cause damage in the event of a power spike, surge or lightning strike. (2) Unplugging computers, routers and modems, is also highly recommended while you’re away.
Don't Announce Your Holiday or Travel Plans
A really good piece of advice, is to resist the twenty-first century temptation of broadcasting your travel plans online. Sharing each and every moment of your life on social media can leave you open to crime, especially if you're planning your next holiday or trip overseas. (3) Social media over-sharing also applies to venting your anger or frustration if you're in the process of selling or buying a property or you're a landlord looking for new tenants. If people are aware that your home or property is going to be left empty for a long period of time, this information in the wrong hands, can lead to theft and damage, so keep this type of information on a need to know basis only.
Unoccupied Home Insurance
If you're going to leave a house empty for more than 3 months at a time, it’s important to inform your home insurance provider or better still, take out a short term unoccupied home insurance policy with a specialist non-standard insurance provider. As the level of risk is increased while your property is left unoccupied, if you do have standard home insurance already, it will not necessarily be sufficient or even valid in the event of a claim.
Lighthouse Home Insurance is a UK provider of short term unoccupied home insurance for UK homeowners. With customers from all walks of life, such as landlords between tenants, homeowners with a property awaiting sale, to those with a second/holiday home in the UK, Lighthouse Home Insurance offers competitive unoccupied home insurance that doesn't break the bank. From 3 to 12 months cover, to find out more, please click on the link below:
Unlike other providers, Lighthouse Home Insurance does not require you as the homeowner to personally check back on a property in order to comply with the insurance terms and conditions. They only require a friend, family member or even a neighbour to check on the property on your behalf, which helps to make your life a whole lot easier.
Sources:
1. https://www.moneysupermarket.com/home-insurance/unoccupied/
2. http://www.goodhousekeeping.co.uk/consumer-advice/consumer-rights/how-to-keep-your-home-safe-while-you-are-away
3. http://www.moneysupermarket.com/c/news/five-ways-to-protect-your-home-before-your-holiday/0014437/