Planning a holiday? Protect your property.

Worried about house insurance for an unoccupied property?

If you are planning a holiday, you need to protect your property. Preparing your home ahead of your holiday can help you avoid issues with your home insurance.
Owning a listed building is a privilege, but it comes with unique responsibilities—especially when it comes to insurance. If you’re planning to leave your property unoccupied for an extended holiday, it’s essential to understand how this affects your house insurance and what steps you can take to minimise risks.
In this article, we look at how you can mitigate the risks of returning to a burgled or damaged property if you have left your property empty.

Unoccupied property

If you are leaving your property empty for longer than three or four weeks, it might fall under the category of “unoccupied property”. Most standard house insurance policies define an unoccupied property as one left vacant for 30 days or more. However, some policies may specify shorter periods, even as little as two weeks, so it’s crucial to check your policy wording.
Inform your insurer of any planned long holidays because your policy could be invalidated if you fail to do so, creating difficulties in the event of a claim. You may need to consider getting unoccupied house insurance or unoccupied property insurance cover if you plan to be away for extended holidays. For listed properties, which are often older and more vulnerable to issues like damp, theft, or fire, insurers tend to impose stricter conditions.

Increased Risks for Listed Buildings

Listed buildings are often constructed with materials and techniques that differ from modern homes. This makes them more susceptible to certain risks when unoccupied. For example, they may be prone to leaks due to aging roofs or pipes, and their heritage features, such as antique fixtures, can be targets for theft. Additionally, fire risks can be heightened if older electrical systems are not regularly inspected. Unoccupied properties are also at risk of vandalism, particularly if it’s evident that no one is home.

Social media

Avoid posting photos of your holiday on social media until you return home. A study showed that 1 in 12 burglaries took place after details of the homeowners’ holidays were posted on social media.1 In the event of a claim, your insurer could consider you as failing to take reasonable care of your property if they find out you have drawn attention to your holiday and consequently, your empty property.

Turn the water off

Turn off your water supply from the stopcock. A leaking tap, washing machine, or dishwasher can result in an “escape of water”, causing significant water damage in your home.

Maintenance review

Address any issues like leaks or broken windows before leaving. Small problems can escalate into costly repairs when unattended. In colder months, ensure the heating is set to a low temperature to prevent frozen pipes, which can lead to water damage.

Lock windows and doors

Entry through windows accounts for around 15% of burglaries in the UK.2 Remove keys from locks and keep them out of sight. Check that all your doors and windows are secured, including garages, sheds, and patio doors. Inform your insurer if you have changed the locks on your windows or doors, or installed a cat or dog flap, as this could mean your policy needs updating.

Unplug electrical appliances

With around 8,000 domestic fires caused by electrical faults every year,3 switching off electrical appliances can reduce the risks of a faulty connection or electrical cord generating heat and causing a fire. Older properties often have wooden floors, curtains, and rugs which can be highly combustible. Taking the time to unplug appliances can provide you with peace of mind, protect your property, and potentially save on energy bills.

Test smoke alarms

We recommend you test your smoke alarms before you set off on your holiday. Press the button on the alarm until the alarm sounds off. If it doesn’t make a sound, or it beeps intermittently throughout the day, you need to replace the battery.

Post and milk

Arrange for your post to be delivered to a neighbour or be regularly collected. If you have milk delivered let your milkman know you need to reschedule or temporarily cancel the delivery. Stacked-up milk bottles and piles of mail could show burglars that your house is unoccupied.

Regular inspections

Arrange for a trusted neighbour or professional service to check on the property every few days. Some insurers require evidence of periodic inspections for unoccupied homes.

If you have any questions regarding your thatched or listed home insurance, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team.

Alternatively, email us at:

heritageclientsupport@lloydwhyte.com

What matters to you, matters to us

1. https://medwaypremierhomes.com/blog/8-things-that-could-invalidate-your-home-insurance/20619#:~:text=For%20most%20insurers%2C%20it%20isn,properly%20locked%20and%20secured%20too.
2. https://medwaypremierhomes.com/blog/8-things-that-could-invalidate-your-home-insurance/20619#:~:text=For%20most%20insurers%2C%20it%20isn,properly%20locked%20and%20secured%20too.
3. https://www.firesealsdirect.co.uk/advice-centre/6-most-common-causes-of-electric-fires/#:~:text=On%20average%2C%20there%20are%20around,and%20checks%20are%20carried%20out.

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