What makes a house unoccupied?

In order for a property to be considered unoccupied, there must be basic furniture, working appliances, and cooking utensils — enough to show that someone lives there. Policies typically cover unoccupied properties for 30-60 days. If a property remains unoccupied for longer, additional insurance might be required.

What counts as unoccupied?

When it comes to insurance, an unoccupied property is a property that no-one is currently living in, and potentially has been left empty for a prolonged period of time.

What is a unoccupied house?

An unoccupied home is one that is ready to be used as a residence, meaning that there is furniture in place and utilities are set up. On the other hand, a vacant house typically doesn't have any personal property contained within it.

What makes a house vacant?

A property is vacant when there is no personal property inside the home to allow for someone to live there. If there is a bed, a chair and table where a person could sleep and eat (and it is their intention to return) then it is no longer “vacant.”

What's the difference between vacant and unoccupied?

Unoccupied: without occupants, but not devoid of furniture or other furnishings. Vacant: having no tenant or contents; empty, void. The difference between the two is a matter of time and intent.

9 steps to prepare your property before you leave it empty

How long can a house remain unoccupied?

Most standard home insurance policies allow your home to be empty for up to 60 days per year. If you leave your property unoccupied for longer than this, you may not be covered.

Does it cost more to insure an unoccupied house?

Unoccupied property insurance tends to be more expensive than standard home insurance. This is because vacant properties are considered a higher risk by insurers. Unoccupied properties are more likely to be damaged by: Vandalism.

Why do people leave houses vacant?

Landlords who choose to leave their Properties Empty

General neglect of a property no longer in use. Property owners abandoning their homes in troublesome neighbourhoods. Property owners who may be unaware of or unable to access the assistance available in order to make a home habitable.

How do you prepare a house to sit empty?

Can I buy a house and leave it empty?

Generally, there are no set-rules in place that state how long you can leave your unoccupied property vacant for. However, it is important to note that most standard home insurance providers will only cover an empty property for 30 to 60 days.

Do you have to insure an empty house?

Yes you can! It's important to get insurance for an empty house to make sure you're covered should anything happen whilst you're not there. Empty property insurance will provide you with the level of insurance you need to manage the risk proposed to your property whilst it's unoccupied.

Can I insure a house I don't live in?

Put unoccupied home insurance cover in place

Before you leave your home unoccupied, make a call to your current home insurer to let them know. Some insurers will provide full temporary cover for an additional cost or offer reduced cover for the same cost.

How often does a house need to be checked for insurance purposes?

In order to minimize the risk, insurance companies often require a home to be checked in on every 48-72 hours. The exact period of time varies by insurer, so be sure you know what your home insurance policy requires.

What is unoccupied building?

Unoccupied building means a building that is unattended and is not actively used as a place of residence or business, or is frequently open or unsecured so that unauthorized admittance may be gained without damaging any portion of the property.

What class is an unoccupied house?

Empty home insurance for your main residence

As insurance companies consider a property to be unoccupied if it's empty for more than 30 days, the level of cover included in empty property insurance usually changes at this cut-off point, with further changes the longer a home is left vacant.

What do you do when you leave your house for 4 months?

How do you secure an unoccupied house?

What temperature should you keep an empty house in the winter?

As a general rule of thumb, leave the heat on and set your thermostat between 55 and 60 degrees. Digital thermostats are a great fit for vacant homes or vacation rentals that are temporarily used.

Are empty houses harder to sell?

The short answer is yes, empty houses usually do take longer to sell than homes that are occupied or staged, and research has shown that empty houses also sell for 6 percent less, on average. There are a number of factors that contribute to this: Price becomes your primary marketing strategy when the home is empty.

Why would someone buy a house and leave it empty?

The Main Reason to Choose to Sell a Home Vacant

If the seller's home is simply too messy to show while the sellers live there or they are unwilling to keep it in turnkey condition for showing purposes, they should move out before putting the house on the market. The reasons for messy homes are varied.

Is it better to stage a house or leave it empty?

Staging Doesn't Make Much Difference in Expensive Markets

Studies have shown that empty homes in high-cost real estate markets like San Jose sell for under 1% less than staged houses. Since you probably won't make the money you spend on staging back, it's better to leave your home empty.

Can you insurance a derelict property?

Most providers will not insure or may reduce cover for properties which are left unoccupied for more than 30 days at a time. Cover from insurers who specifically deal with unoccupied properties is catered towards risks particularly common when a building is left vacant.

What happens if a house is left empty?

Long term empty

Property that is both unfurnished and unoccupied beyond the one month exemption is subject to full council tax rates. If the property has been continuously empty for more than two years, a 100 per cent levy will be added.

Do you have to pay bills on an empty house?

If the property remains empty and unfurnished after one month, the full council tax becomes due and you will have to pay the full charge. You can find out more by reading our policy on empty and unfurnished properties (PDF).

What do you do when you leave your house for a month?