Whether you are the landlord of buy to let property or the owner of your own home, an unoccupied property insurance quote might become necessary if the residence is going to be left vacant or unoccupied for longer than a typical period of 30 days.
The reasons for a special form of insurance cover may appear obvious, considering the greater risks and vulnerabilities of a dwelling where there is no one at home. Empty property might tend to act as a magnet for thieves and vandals. Minor maintenance problems and repairs might turn into potentially serious disasters if left unattended.
Unoccupied homes
Insurers of private homes might typically reduce the level of cover or allow it to lapse altogether, if the normally owner-occupied home is left empty for period longer than 30 days.
This might be the case if you are working in a different part of the country or even abroad for several months at a time. It might also be the case if you have called in the builders to make an extension or refurbish your home whilst you temporarily live elsewhere. Alternatively, you might already have moved into a new home whilst your former residence remains on the market for sale.
In any of these – or other – circumstances where your home is being left empty for longer than 30 days, you may wish to ask for a separate, standalone unoccupied property insurance quote.
Unoccupied let property insurance
Very similar principles apply if you are the owner of let property.
An empty, untenanted property might attract the same unwelcome attention as any other vacant home and attention to minor repairs may be just as vital, too.
Otherwise tenanted property may be unoccupied whilst major work is being carried out on the building or because of delays during the change over of tenancies.
The latter may be relatively common in buy to let properties, so your landlord insurance broker may be able to advise a suitable provider of cover for those periods when your property is left empty. Although the necessary cover may standalone, you may find that your unoccupied property insurance quote is cheaper if bought alongside your normal landlord insurance policy.