Planning a sabbatical, a few months abroad, or an extended trip with the family is exciting. But it also means leaving your home sitting empty for weeks or even months. And an empty home comes with its own set of risks, from burst pipes and overgrown gardens to post piling up on the doormat for everyone to see.
Most of us spend plenty of time sorting visas and packing lists, but not nearly enough time thinking about the house we’re locking up behind us. Here’s a room-by-room, task-by-task look at what you’ll want to sort before you go.
Get Your Post and Deliveries Under Control
A letterbox stuffed with takeaway leaflets and unopened envelopes is one of the clearest signals that nobody’s home. Royal Mail’s redirection service will forward your post to another address for up to 12 months, which is a good starting point. You can also ask a neighbour or friend to pop round every few days to clear the letterbox and pick up any parcels left on the step.
Cancel any regular deliveries you won’t need, like milk, newspapers, or subscription boxes. It’s a small thing, but packages sat outside a front door for days will attract attention you don’t want.
Sort the Garden and Outside Spaces
An overgrown lawn and weeds pushing through the drive are another dead giveaway. If you’re heading off for more than a few weeks, arrange for someone to mow the lawn and keep the front looking lived-in. A local gardener on a fortnightly visit won’t cost much and will make a real difference.
A timer on a porch light or a motion-sensor light at the back of the house will also help deter anyone poking around after dark.
Check Your Insurance Cover
Here’s where a lot of travellers get caught off guard. Most standard home insurance policies have an unoccupancy clause. This means your cover may be reduced or voided entirely if your home is left empty for more than 30 to 60 consecutive days, depending on the policy.
If you’re going away for longer than that, you’ll need to look into empty home insurance specifically designed for properties left unoccupied for longer periods of time. These specialist policies cover risks like fire, storm damage, escape of water, and theft, which standard policies often exclude once a property has been sitting empty beyond the allowed period.
Check your current policy wording before you book anything. If it doesn’t cover long absences, arrange the right cover well before your departure date so there’s no gap.
Set Your Heating on a Timer
This one catches people out, especially if you’re leaving over winter. Frozen pipes can burst and cause thousands of pounds worth of damage. Most insurers expect you to keep your heating ticking over at a low temperature, usually around 15°C, to stop the pipes from freezing.
If you’d rather turn the heating off completely, you’ll likely need to turn off the water at the stopcock and drain the system. Either way, decide before you leave and make sure someone knows which option you’ve gone with.
Ask Someone to Check in Regularly
Even if you’ve sorted the post and the garden, it helps to have someone visit the property every couple of weeks. They can check for leaks, make sure everything’s locked up, and just keep an eye on things. Many insurance policies for empty homes actually require regular inspections as a condition of cover, so this isn’t optional in a lot of cases.
Give your trusted person a spare key, a list of emergency contacts (plumber, electrician, your insurer), and the alarm code if you have one.
A Quick Pre-Travel Checklist
Before you head to the airport, run through these final tasks:
- Unplug appliances you won’t need (kettle, toaster, TV)
- Turn off the water at the stopcock if you’re not keeping the heating on
- Take photos of each room for your records
- Leave your itinerary and contact details with a neighbour or friend
- Double-check all window and door locks
Come Home to the House You Left
A long trip should be something you enjoy, not something you spend worrying about what’s happening back home. The good news is that most of the prep is simple and can be done in a weekend.
Sort the post, get someone to visit regularly, check your insurance, and make sure the heating’s covered. Do those four things and you’ll have a much better time away, knowing your home is looked after while you’re gone.