How to Care for an Unoccupied Property

The United Kingdom has approximately 700,000 properties without inhabitants in them. Many times, this is because the property is up for sale. Sometimes it is because the house is undergoing renovations. Other times, the property is empty because the owners are sick or have moved into an assisted living facility. So, we thought we’d ask some expert help and got Ian Beevis of propertytoinsure.co.uk to provide advice on how to care for an empty property.

The Role of Home Insurance

Regardless of why your property is empty, you need to carry insurance on it. What if someone breaks in? Do you have the funds to fix any damage that they do? Or, what if inclement weather strikes and a tree falls on the living structure? That event could be quite a large expense.

Know Your Terms

Many people have home insurance on their property and believe that it is sufficient. However, this is usually not the case. Some insurers wash their hands of a property if it has been empty for longer than a month. Therefore, if something happened, you would not receive compensation from your regular insurance plan.

Turn to Specialists

Your regular provider may be able to help you if you speak to them. However, they will likely not give you the amount of coverage that you need. Instead, turn to a specialist for buildings and contents insurance if your property will be empty. They can help you by providing you with unoccupied home insurance.

Areas of Coverage

What can you expect from such a plan? Typically, you are covered in the event of theft, fire, flood or storm. In addition, you have some liability protection as well. However, make sure to discuss any exclusions before you sign on the dotted line. For instance, you may not have protection against malicious damage. And, while you may be covered for theft, there could be limits on that coverage.

Leave the Property Protected

If you are planning to leave your property, make sure it is in good shape. Most companies will not insure you if the house is run down. In addition, you must have locks on your doors and windows to discourage anyone from entering the property without permission. The company you work with often tell you that you must take out anything valuable. They will also ask you to drain the water system, take precautions against pipes bursting, turn off the power and come back to check things out on a regular basis.

In addition, you should take steps to make it look like the property does have inhabitants. It is not a bad idea, for example, to have a few lights on a timer so that they turn on and off during the day. You can also leave a car in the driveway if you would like.