Empty properties - advice

While your property remains empty, below are our top 10 basic recommendations of things you ought to do:

1. Inspect your empty property frequently.
2. Keep front and rear gardens well maintained. This will avoid complaints from neighbours and gives the perception the property is occupied and well-maintained. 
3. Reduce the risk of it being broken into by removing post regularly, installing blinds or hanging net curtains in the windows rather than leaving curtains closed and ensuring any equipment and renovation materials are securely locked away out of site
4. Turn off your mains water, electricity and gas. 
5. Drain all water systems down to avoid floods or in winter months set the heating to come on for short intervals to reduce the risk of burst pipes.
6. Keep all toilets, sinks and waste traps filled with water – don’t let them dry out especially in warmer weather. 
7. Stop up or cover with mesh or wire wool all unnecessary gaps to reduce access points for rats and mice.
8. Quickly remove all rubbish and waste from the property to remove attraction or harbourage for vermin or other pests.
9. Keep your property insured with a specialist empty home insurance policy. Most home insurance policies do not cover properties that are empty longer than 30 days, so ensure you have the correct cover. It is rare, but long-term empty properties have been affected by arson in the past, so you are strongly advised to pay for a specialist empty property insurance policy.
10. Finally, do all that you can to bring your empty property back into use as quickly as possible. This will be better for your pocket and better for the local area. Empty properties can deteriorate very quickly, blighting areas and reducing its value and sometimes nearby properties too. 

Last updated: ‎19/03/2025 10:52