Leaving your property vacant

Winter is coming”¦

With the recent news, you may have found yourself having to close the office or your commercial property. If your premises are going to be vacant for an extended period of time over the winter months, there are some important factors you might want to consider:

• Leave your heating on a low temperature, we suggest around 15°C. If the heating is left too low existing water in the pipes could freeze. Alternatively, you could drain the plumbing system entirely but we would suggest that you seek professional advice to do this.
• Make sure your pipes are insulated, especially in unheated areas such as under floor and in loft space are insulated with high quality lagging to prevent bursts.
• Insulate any water tanks in lofts, unheated spaces or open-sided buildings.
• Check the gutters. Leaves and moss can easily block the guttering causing rainwater to overflow and damage the building. Also check that the connections on the guttering aren’t dripping and there are no cracks.
• Check the roof. Look for missing or slipped tiles. Ideally, check the inside of the roof while it is raining to make sure it is fully waterproofed and there are no leaks. Don’t forget to follow the duties and precautions under the Work at Height Regulations even if the person carrying out the work is not your employee.
• Have the property regularly visited and inspected – don’t forget to log these visits and report any issues.
• If in doubt, hire a professional to check.

When you need reassurance you can rely on Kerry London to be here to help you. Our team are available to assist you with any insurance related issues or concerns, simply get in touch on: 01923 603 651 or info@kerrylondon.co.uk.

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