If you’re leaving your home or a rental property unoccupied for an extended period this winter, there are a few things that you can do beforehand to prevent any accidents in your property and to deter any break ins.
In 2023, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) revealed that nearly 3 in 10 home insurance claims were denied. One of the reasons may be because a home insurance policy usually only covers the property being unoccupied for around 30 days, anything over that time period may mean that the property is not covered.
However, we are going through some of our handy tips on how to prevent common claims and what to do if your property will be unoccupied for an extended amount of time.
Heating
When it comes to the heating in the property, burst pipes are one of the most common insurance claims. Whilst you may come back to your property and find that your pipes are frozen due to the cold weather.
Setting your heating to a low temperature or having it on a timer means your house is being warmed while you’re away. Therefore any colder weather can decrease your chances of frozen pipes that can lead to burst pipes.
Additionally, a larger job could be to drain your pipes completely before you leave. Then on your return, they will need refilling. Therefore you will have to wait around before you’re able to turn the heating back on.
Check your roof and gutters
Whether you’re leaving your house unoccupied or not, clearing your roof and gutters regularly is important. A build up of leaves and moss can cause blockages or waterlog in your gutters. As a result, flooding of water can cause water damage to your property or a leak through your roof.
Especially with the UK experiencing more storms and extreme weather, heavier rainfall can cause more damage than you expect.
Don’t encourage pests
A pest infestation is one that many unoccupied property owners want to avoid – it can be quite an expensive job to clear them out paired with the potential damage that they can do to your property.
Before you leave the property, make sure there is no rubbish inside, outside and surrounding the property. Make sure the outside bins are empty and there isn’t anything that animals could use as shelter.
The property itself, check there are no holes or damaged brick work that pests can use to enter the property.
Lights on a timer
To give the illusion that the property is occupied and to deter break ins, put your lights on a timer. It could be a good idea to turn the lights on in the evening for a few hours. People are less likely to break in if it looks like someone is in. You don’t necessarily need to switch all the lights on throughout the whole house; just do a few different rooms.
CCTV & Smart Technology
CCTV Cameras and smart technology such as camera doorbells are a way of monitoring your property whilst you’re not there. If a person is planning on damaging your property, they’re less likely to do so if there are cameras but if they do, you will have video footage of it happening.
More modern technology can be linked to your phone and trigger notifications if they sense any movement, and you can even set off lights and an alarm straight from your phone.
If you’re having building work completed at the property, it’s a good idea to point cameras to any equipment or building materials left at the property. Construction materials have significantly increased over the last few years with plasterboards increasing by 115% since 2022 and concrete blocks, bricks, tiles and flagstones increasing by 6.3% in the last 12 months.
Unoccupied Property Insurance
If you’re planning to leave your house unoccupied to go on holiday for a few months, completing renovations on your home or rental property or the property is going through legal proceedings after someone has passed away, unoccupied property insurance is the insurance policy you will be looking for.
An unoccupied property insurance policy will cover you for damages, accidents, fire and theft whilst your property is left unattended. Policies can cover properties that are unoccupied for 3,6 and 12 months. You may think your home insurance policy will cover your property, however it’s best to check the terms of your policy as it usually only offers unoccupied cover for 30 days.
As an Insurance Broker, Mayfair Insurance have strong relationships with insurers and a wealth of knowledge in Unoccupied, Renovation and Probate Property Insurance. Get a no-obligation quote from a member of our team today, call 01234 242900 or complete our enquiry form.