Guide · Vacant property
Empty property over winter: a checklist for owners and agents
An empty house, shop, church or office is at its most vulnerable between November and March. Frozen pipes, damp, break-ins and fires all get worse when nobody is there to notice. This checklist covers what to do before the cold sets in, and how to keep the insurer on side.
Why empty buildings fail in winter
Escape of water is one of the most common serious insurance claims in unoccupied buildings. A pipe in a cold loft or an unheated back kitchen freezes, splits, and then thaws; water runs for days before anyone opens the door. Add condensation and mould in rooms that are never aired, a boiler nobody knows has locked out, post piling up behind the door, and a building starts to look abandoned to anyone who is watching.
Start with the insurance policy
Most UK home and commercial policies change once a property has been unoccupied for a set period, commonly 30 days and sometimes 60. Cover for escape of water, theft and malicious damage is often reduced or removed unless conditions are met. Typical conditions include regular recorded inspections, the water turned off at the stopcock or the system drained, the heating kept on a minimum setting, valuables removed and the property kept secure. Read the wording, tell the insurer the property is empty, and write down what they require.
The winter checklist
- Water. Turn off at the stopcock unless the heating needs it. Drain down if the building will be unheated. Lag exposed pipes in lofts, garages and outbuildings. Isolate outside taps.
- Heating. If the system stays live, set a constant low temperature rather than a timer, have the boiler serviced, and make sure the fuel or gas supply will not run out or be cut off for non-payment.
- Electrics. Decide what stays on. Fridges, chargers and old appliances are fire risks for no benefit. Leave supplies to alarms, heating controls and any monitoring equipment.
- Damp and ventilation. Open trickle vents, leave internal doors open, and check gutters and downpipes before the autumn leaves block them. A dehumidifier on a drain hose helps in a building that stays closed for months.
- Security. Change the locks if keys are unaccounted for, fit timer lights, redirect the post, keep hedges cut so windows are visible, and ask a neighbour to report anything odd.
- Fire. Test smoke alarms, remove piles of paper and fuel, and make sure the fire brigade and your keyholder could get in.
- Paperwork. Keep a dated inspection log with photos, the insurer's conditions, and the contact details of whoever holds keys. This is what you will need if something goes wrong.
What remote monitoring adds
Inspections tell you what has already happened. Sensors tell you while it is happening. A leak sensor under the stopcock, a temperature sensor in the loft, a door contact on the back door and a smoke detector that reports off-site turn a fortnightly visit into a building that reports its own problems the moment they start.
Our vacant property monitoring uses a 4G gateway, so the building needs no broadband or phone line, and the alert history can be downloaded as evidence for an insurer. It is available anywhere in the UK from £50 a month plus VAT, with the hardware yours to move to the next empty property.
Who this applies to
- Homes empty between a sale and completion, or while probate is settled
- Rental properties between tenancies or awaiting refurbishment
- Second homes and holiday lets closed for the winter
- Churches, halls and estate buildings used only occasionally
- Shops, offices and units waiting for a new tenant
Frequently asked questions
How often should an empty property be inspected?
Check your policy wording. Many UK insurers ask for regular recorded inspections once a property has been unoccupied for more than 30 days, and some specify the interval. Whatever the policy says, keep a dated log with photos; that record is what an insurer will ask for after a claim.
Should I drain the water system or leave the heating on?
Either approach works if it is done properly and matches your policy conditions. Leaving the heating on a low constant setting keeps pipes above freezing but relies on the boiler, the power and the fuel supply all staying on. Draining down removes the freezing risk but needs to be done by someone who knows the system, and the property will feel colder and damper.
Does remote monitoring replace inspections?
No. It fills the gap between them. An inspection every fortnight cannot see a pipe that burst the day after the last visit; a leak sensor can, and the alert history gives you and your insurer a record of what happened and when.
Not sure what the building needs?
Tell us where it is and how long it will stand empty. We will come back with a sensible plan, whether or not that includes monitoring.