Unoccupied Property - Services

June 2012

Your unoccupied property insurance policy will have clear terms and requirements in respect of water and heating systems, in order to provide you with the insurance protection you need for your empty house.

This will usually consist of a requirement to either drain down the water and heating syustems of water and to isolate the water at the stopcock, or to maintain the central heating system to heat the property on a 24 hour basis, at a minimum tempterature (which may vary from one insurer to another).

Some insurers will not apply the water/heating warranty during the summer months. However, this does not mean that you have no risk during the summer. Freezing is not the only cause of escape of water (although it is one of the major causes). Pipes can develop problems and cause water leaks as a result of a variety of reasons, and you should therefore excercise great caution when making the decision on how to manage the water on your property.

My advice - If other systems do not rely on a permanent connection to mains water to prevent damage, then you are better off switching it off. By all means, when you inspect the property and want to make a cup of tea, then switch on the water to do so. However, even during the summer months, beware that your policy might have a heating condition applying 365 days per year.

Even if it doesn't, it is sensible to manage your own risk as far as possible by exercising common sense. As with all of your services. If you aren't using them, switch them off.

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