If you are leaving a UK home empty for more than a normal holiday, check your home insurance before you go. Many homeowners assume their buildings and contents policy simply carries on as normal. Often it does not.

Important: 14-Day Checks and Overnight Rules Can Affect Cover

Some unoccupied-home policies require a documented internal and external inspection at least every 14 days. That is an inspection condition, not a universal rule that every home becomes uninsured after 14 days. For example, Homeprotect’s guidance sets a 14-day inspection requirement for specified cover, and says a missed inspection will not reduce or reject a claim when it did not cause or contribute to the loss. Other policies set their own terms.

Some policies also define whether a home is occupied by overnight stays. The Financial Ombudsman Service explains that policy wording varies; one published policy uses an overnight stay within each 30-day period as its definition. These are real examples, not terms that apply to every insurer. Check your own wording and ask your insurer or broker for written confirmation before you leave.

The Financial Ombudsman Service says most home insurance policies restrict cover for certain losses when a home is left unoccupied for a period, usually 30 or 60 days. The Association of British Insurers also advises homeowners to check their policy wording for restrictions when a home is empty for a long period.

That does not mean every insurer uses exactly the same wording. It does mean that longer holidays, hospital stays, probate delays, second-home gaps, working abroad, extended family visits and long winter trips need more planning than a quick weekend away.

This article is general information only, not insurance or legal advice. Always read your own policy schedule and wording, and speak to your insurer or broker before relying on any arrangement.

What Does “Unoccupied” Mean?

This is where homeowners can get caught out. In ordinary conversation, a house may feel “occupied” if it still has furniture, clothes, food in the cupboards and somebody checking in now and again. An insurer may take a different view.

The Financial Ombudsman Service notes that policies do not always define “unoccupied” clearly. Disputes can arise where a property is visited frequently but nobody is living there, or where a property is being refurbished and may not be habitable. Its guidance on unoccupied properties explains why the exact wording matters.

The safest approach is simple: do not guess. If your home will be empty overnight for a longer stretch, or if nobody will be genuinely living there, ask the insurer how your policy treats that situation.

Some policies use overnight stays to define whether a home is occupied. The Financial Ombudsman Service says wording varies: some policies require the home to be slept in overnight, while others refer to visits or furnishings. For example, one published home policy wording defines a property as unoccupied if it has not been occupied overnight at least once in the preceding 30 consecutive days. That is an example, not a universal rule; a single night away does not automatically invalidate every home policy.

A 14-day condition may be about inspections rather than the maximum time a home can be empty. For instance, Homeprotect’s current unoccupied-property guidance requires an internal and external inspection at least every 14 days for its Unoccupied and Unoccupied Plus cover, with a record kept. It also says a claim will not be reduced or rejected where a missed inspection did not cause or contribute to the loss. Other policies can set different intervals and consequences, so check your schedule and endorsements and get the insurer or broker’s answer in writing.

Why 30 Or 60 Days Matters

The 30/60-day point matters because it can change what the insurer will pay for if something goes wrong.

An empty home carries different risks from a lived-in home. A water leak may run for longer before anyone notices. Post can build up. A heating fault may go unspotted. Garden and bin routines can stop. Lights, curtains and driveways can begin to show that nobody is really there.

Some policies also require specific precautions once a home is unoccupied, while others may restrict particular types of cover. The Financial Ombudsman Service describes disputes over these terms in its guidance on unoccupied-property insurance. Check your own policy documents rather than relying on a general checklist.

The exact requirements depend on the policy. A neighbour popping in occasionally may be helpful, but it may not satisfy the policy if the wording requires something more specific.

When This Affects Ordinary Homeowners

This is not just a problem for derelict or abandoned properties. It can affect ordinary, well-kept homes.

Examples include:

  • a retired couple spending winter abroad
  • an owner staying with family after illness or surgery
  • a probate property waiting for sale
  • a second or holiday home between visits
  • a long cruise or extended trip
  • a homeowner working abroad for several weeks
  • a property being refurbished before the owner moves back in
  • a pet owner who has arranged daytime visits but no overnight presence

The practical question is not just “will someone check the house?” It is “does my insurer agree this arrangement is enough?”

Where A Live-In Sitter Can Help

A professional live-in sitter is not a substitute for insurance advice, and HHS cannot tell you what your insurer will accept. You still need written clarity from your insurer or broker.

What a live-in sitter can do is help keep the home closer to normal occupation while you are away. There is someone staying overnight, using the home in an ordinary way, noticing leaks or faults sooner, bringing in post, managing bins, opening and closing curtains, watering plants, and keeping pets in familiar surroundings where relevant.

For many homeowners, that is more reassuring than relying on family, friends or neighbours to call in. Informal check-ins can become awkward on longer trips, especially when pets, medication, gardens, deliveries or security routines are involved.

HHS is a managed professional live-in house and pet sitting service. It is not a public-profile marketplace. Homeowner and sitter profiles are not displayed publicly because HHS values client privacy. That matters when you are discussing travel dates, property routines and the fact that the home may otherwise be empty.

Questions To Ask Before You Leave

Before a longer absence, ask your insurer or broker:

  • How many consecutive days can my home be unoccupied under this policy?
  • How does the policy define “unoccupied”?
  • Does a live-in house sitter count as occupation for policy purposes?
  • Are there inspection requirements if the home is empty?
  • Are there heating, water, alarm or security conditions?
  • Is cover restricted for theft, malicious damage or escape of water after 30 or 60 days?
  • Do I need written confirmation or an endorsement for this trip?
  • Would a specialist unoccupied-property policy be needed?

Keep the answer in writing. If a claim ever arises, a vague phone conversation is less useful than a clear email or policy endorsement.

Why Privacy Matters Here

Long absences can involve sensitive details such as travel dates, property access and pet routines. If you arrange help, consider how that information will be shared. HHS is a managed professional service: homeowner and sitter profiles are not displayed publicly.

For longer trips, probate homes, second homes and high-value properties, that discretion can be as important as the practical care.

Planning A Longer Absence?

If your home may be empty for more than a normal holiday, start with your insurance policy and get clarity from the insurer. Then think about what the home actually needs while you are away: pets, security, heating, garden care, post, bins, deliveries and normal household rhythm.

If a live-in arrangement would help, HHS can discuss managed house and pet sitting for your dates.

Start with the HHS self-quote calculator for an initial guide, then contact HHS with your dates, pets, property type and any requirements your insurer has given you. You can also read our rates and homeowner reviews.