Guide to maintaining and securing an unoccupied residential property

As it stands today, there are over half a million unoccupied properties right across the UK, the highest rate for over two decades. An empty home is not only a thieves paradise but is also susceptible to damages caused by adverse weather conditions, squatters sheltering in the property, and vandals maliciously damaging your most prized possession. If your property is going to be unoccupied for any length of time, you should take a look through our unoccupied section below.

The increased risk of an incident

If a property is left unoccupied it immediately increases in risk compared to a standard occupied one. Without regular visits, it can quickly become obvious that there is something different about your property. There are a number of internal and external risks that can impact such a property that we go over below.

Threat reduction

Reduce the threat to your property by making sure that you frequently visit and check that all security devices are still working correctly. You could also consider implementing timed lighting to make it appear that someone is at the house at different times of day, particularly after dark. Make sure that post is not left piled up in doorways and that the garden doesn’t become overgrown, as these are tell tale signs that a house is not being lived in.

The key points for the upkeep of an unoccupied home:

• Regularly property visits, checking all front and rear main access points, including windows.
• Leave the alarm on (if applicable)
• Give the impression the property is lived in and there has been activity – ruffle the curtains, remove any post from inside any visible doorway, have lights on timers, etc
• If you have a trusted neighbour, you could look to leave a key with them to carry out some activities on your behalf (only give a key out to someone you fully trust).
• In winter, drain down the central heating system – avoid frozen/burst pipes.

Protecting your unoccupied home

It is vital that you check your insurance policy to familiarise yourself with any clauses in your insurance contract. Some insurers will require the installation of specific high safety rated locks.

ADT are market leaders in producing and installing home security devices around the world. They have produced this useful guide to help you check the crime rate in your local area or the area that your unoccupied property is situated in. Naturally, there are no guarantees that a low crime area means you will not fall victim to a burglary, but if there is a higher crime rate in your unoccupied property’s area then you may wish to install some additional security to decrease the risk.

Many modern burglar alarms provide the option to link directly to the police should a break-in occur. If you are particularly concerned, or your property is in a high crime area, then investing in this additional service could certainly be money well spent.

Escape of water

If the water is left on then the escape of water can be a considerable risk to the property. Especially during colder months when the chance of a leak/burst pipe increases, the escape of water can lead to serious damage to the building structure and any contents left within. Considering there is limited access to the property, a leak could go undetected for a long period of time before being identified. Either shut off the water via the main stopcock or potentially look at fitting leak control valves that can detect a drop in pressure and automatically shut off the flow as a precaution.

Due to the escape of water forming a significant percentage of home insurance claims, there are products available on the market to try and prevent and mitigate any leak damage. There are providers who offer leak detection devices, including an ability to automatically shut off the water supply instantly.

Infestation

With the limited use of the property, it is essential to make sure nothing encourages any wildlife, incest or pests to visit the property. Make sure all door and window seals are in place and intact. No access can be gained by birds through roof cavities etc. Prevention is definitely easier than cure in these circumstances. More information on dealing with vermin and infestation can be found at the citizen's advice website here. There are also a number of major companies who can deal with infestation before the problem gets out of hand, such as Rentokil.

Neighbourhood watch

If you can’t be there to watch your property then enrolling in a neighbourhood program (if available locally) can be your eyes on the property. Providing your contact details and instructions on what to do it any activity is seen at the property can head of any events before they occur.

More information on neighbourhood watch schemes can be found on the dedicated OurWatch website.

Property maintenance

Some of the top telltale signs that a property has been left unoccupied for some time are an overgrown garden, the buildup of mail and newspapers, flaky external paintwork and broken glass. It is recommended that you maintain the property on a regular basis to avoid giving off any impression that your property is vacant.

This could be done by yourself or if you don’t have the time or availability to regularly attend the property, you could also look at specialist services. Simply hiring a gardener to maintain the property gardens etc can maintain the visual quality of the property and also provide the impression that the property is fully maintained and occupied.

Squatters

Anyone who has gone through the process of trying to remove squatters from their property will know the time and financial cost of doing so. On top of this, there is the often considerable cost of repairing the property after the squatters have been evicted. Maintaining your property security is essential to reduce the opportunity for squatters to see your property as a potential target.

For more information on squatters rights and other squatting matters, you can visit the Government website here.

Using technology to maintain security

With the prices of security systems reducing every year, why not look at the possibility of installing a security system that allows you to monitor the property remotely via CCTV. There are many affordable and easily installed systems that can now be accessed via smartphone. Allowing you to check in on your property at any time and from any internet enabled device. This can also reduce the impact of any issues as a daily check can spot potentially costly issues being addressed early on.

High-value items left at unoccupied properties are incredibly tempting to thieves and will often not be fully covered under unoccupied property insurance. If your property is unoccupied it may be worth removing any valuables and storing them somewhere safe, to decrease the risk of damage or theft.

For more information on home CCTV, you can view an article on the independent website Which.

Why do many insurers not like covering an unoccupied home?

As we have discussed, the unoccupied property is a higher risk scenario for an insurer to cover and with the variety of potential issues that could impact the property, the chance of a claim is much higher than an occupied property. Insurance companies based their businesses on risk profiling and as such, many will see an unoccupied property as too high a risk to cover without charging an enhanced premium. Some insurers may decide to withdraw an offer of insurance altogether as they prefer to concentrate on other types of cover. At  CoverBuilder we have a panel of insurers we use who underwrite our  unoccupied property insurance policies.

Claim refused

If you do leave your property unoccupied for longer than the allowed time stated in your current insurance policy then this can lead to serious consequences at the point of claim. The point of claim is when you need the insurance most, so to be told that the cover is not valid due to you not following the policy conditions and therefore the claim will not be paid is the nightmare scenario – but very possible outcome. Insurers are well within their right to cancel and remove the offer of cover as you have failed to adhere to the policy and withheld a material fact that impacts the policy. This leads onto the importance of having a specialist unoccupied home insurance cover.