Holiday home owners will inevitably have quieter periods such as the winter months when occupancy rates are not as high as the summer season.This may not apply to owners of overseas properties that are fortunate enough to be located in milder climates, but it’s still essential to carry out maintenance checks on your property.   Many weather related insurance claims could be avoided if holiday home owners gave their holiday letting properties a winter health check before the worst of the weather hits.

Many holiday cottage insurance providers insist on certain security measures including door and window locks or shutters and bars that can sometimes clash with the character of the property but are nonetheless required.   Other policies may have restrictions on cover related to periods of unoccupancy, insisting that the property is checked weekly and not left uninhabited for more than 30 days.Some also insist that the central heating is programmed to operate and maintain a minimum temperature, even when the property is vacant, to prevent burst pipes and water damage. Complying with those requirements is easy enough in the UK, but much harder overseas.   For example, local  house insurance Spain policies often have these stipulations which can be inconvenient and expensive to implement if you are based in Britain.

No matter where your holiday property is located, getting the most comprehensive holiday let insurance cover as well as allowing time for preventative maintenance in the winter downtime is vital.If you have gas appliances winter is the time to arrange for a registered gas installer to service them and conduct an annual gas safety check.The same is true for any items of electrical equipment.  Ensure you can easily turn the mains water off and on and check for dripping taps, repairing them as required.Check that pipe lagging in any loft space and around water tanks is sufficient and inspect the roof for slipped slates or tiles and have repairs carried out where needed.