Second home owners... what are you doing about your property?

[DareIask]

We haven't visited since September due to restrictions.

Becoming a little concerned as we've never left a property over winter and not sure what we'll go back to. There's no heating on, and although pipes freezing is unlikely I just worry about damp etc

Any experience anyone?

I know this is a privileged problem to have and I have no intention of starting a debate on second homes. Just empty ones

Thanks

@dressedupinyou

You might not want a debate about it but you can't control what people comment. Do you not feel shit that you have a property being left empty?

Maybe you should dispose of one of your homes, you don't need two.

Or maybe you could invite someone without one home, let alone two, to move it and keep an eye for you.

Yes I agree that you can't tell people what they can and can't discuss on a thread.

If you own a second home that sits empty, people will express views.

@HazyJuly some of the flats around me are second homes. I love it, quiet neighbours who aren't there often. I'm not jealous, its none of my business why they have a second home. Assume you don't buy any luxuries and donate most of your income to charity?

Which they're very welcome to do.

I was trying to say my post was to ask others for their advice, not start at goady post and a big debate about the rights or wrongs of having a second home.

If you want to comment carry on.

What kind of property is it? If it’s a flat or terrace, I’d imagine it’s fairly unlikely that the pipes would burst and if you have close by neighbours they would hopefully spot anything untoward.

Essential travel. Are you joking? Essential travel should not include travelling to a second home for any reason. Common sense should tell you that regardless of what the rules say either way. If you have an accident whilst travelling and need medical treatment including an ambulance you are using desperately overstretched resources.
Just stay at home and deal with the consequences when you can travel. Or write to the neighbours if you are friendly with them.

[quote Cherryade8]@HazyJuly some of the flats around me are second homes. I love it, quiet neighbours who aren't there often. I'm not jealous, its none of my business why they have a second home. Assume you don't buy any luxuries and donate most of your income to charity?[/quote]
I assume you don't live in a rural location where local services have been stripped back due to the fact that there are not enough permanent residents to keep them open? The fact that you are referring to flats makes me think not.

Maybe a local will have solved your problem already?

If you don't have local neighbours, id see if there's a lettings agency near by. They might be happy to visit for maintenance checks for a fee.

Also calling a local cleaning company, explaining the situation and paying for a clean plus a half an hour extra of their time to check the property might work. You can send keys by courier.

@AnyFucker

Maybe you should dispose of one of your homes, you don't need two.

Green eyed monster never a good look.

It's really not jealousy. If I had all the money in the world I still wouldn't own properties to leave them empty and just use whenever I felt like it. I only need one home and will only ever need one.

People who leave properties empty sicken me. I live in an area that is full of second homers, where whole blocks are mostly empty over winter and where people who live and work here can't find affordable accommodation because of the inflated prices and demand.

Second home owners destroy communities and local economies because they swan in for the weekend and then fuck off again. And recently have probably been turning up with fucking Covid too because they have been coming. London goes into tier 4 and suddenly those ghost blocks started looking a little busier.

If I had my way, every empty property and second home would be seized.

Please believe me, this is not jealously it's anger fuelled by a social conscience.

[quote Cherryade8]@HazyJuly some of the flats around me are second homes. I love it, quiet neighbours who aren't there often. I'm not jealous, its none of my business why they have a second home. Assume you don't buy any luxuries and donate most of your income to charity?[/quote]
I was born, raised and lived until recently in a picturesque national park village.

The 2nd home owners came.
Then online delivery came (they they order from Sainsburys etc- Friday evening is van chaos)

1 of the pubs closed
The shop closed (it was reliant in weekend income) . The post office went with it
The school closed as so many of the houses were 2nd homes

Now it is probably 50% second homes. Most families have left as there are no services. The village is dying. The 2nd homeowners complain that there is no community (yes honestly)

Yes I work 20% of my week pro bono and last year we donated almost £100k to charity.

Strangely, our insurance only allows our house to be unoccupied for up to 60 days. After that you have to drain the water system and switch off gas and electricity at the mains which seems madness in the winter where we live. Maybe your insurance is different. If your absence is because of Coronavirus restrictions we have been told that the policy will remain valid, even if left for longer. I hope that's the same for you.

@MargosKaftan

If you don't have local neighbours, id see if there's a lettings agency near by. They might be happy to visit for maintenance checks for a fee.

Also calling a local cleaning company, explaining the situation and paying for a clean plus a half an hour extra of their time to check the property might work. You can send keys by courier.

Thank you.

Will look in to it

@Speakeasy22

Strangely, our insurance only allows our house to be unoccupied for up to 60 days. After that you have to drain the water system and switch off gas and electricity at the mains which seems madness in the winter where we live. Maybe your insurance is different. If your absence is because of Coronavirus restrictions we have been told that the policy will remain valid, even if left for longer. I hope that's the same for you.

We have checked with the insurance and they have said the same... I just don't quite trust them though.

Hey op you are legally allowed to visit a second home for safeguarding and essential maintenance.
Obviously not overnight stays.
If its in the UK and drivable, might be worth going to chevk, put heating on once a day and all that.
Damps a big issue and the fusty smell of left all winter.
Good luck x

I thought you could for essential maintenance? My parents visited theirs for this reason.

If your 2nd home is in Norfolk please don't check on it and just hope it's better once restrictions are lifted...we get inundated with 2nd home owners at weekends at the best of times! Also word of warning police have been checking number plates and stopping any non-local ones to ask what they are doing and fining for non-essential travel round here! My friend has been told to carry her work documents at all times as has to cross a county to get to work...finally it's starting to be took seriously!

Insurance should be fine too as covid restrictions are in place.
Good idea to get someone else t keep an eye on it eg estate agent or other.

@Luvacuppatea

In a similar position. I’ve left the heating on a very low setting, hopefully enough to prevent any burst pipes, damp etc.. A neighbour has a key and pops her head around the door once a week to make sure all is ok. Is there anyone local to your property who could keep an eye on it OP?

Oh, a moment of sadness for me, about 'the neighbour'.

My elderly aunt was 'the neighbour'. She and her DH had bought the house decades before, in a small fishing village. The whole 8 house terrace was occupied, bar one. She could look out of her top window and see the working harbour, and the lights twinkling of a night.

In her 70s, she was widowed. This was in the early 2000s. The entire terrace was, by then, holiday homes. She sobbed to my mum on the phone one winter saying she'd looked out one night over the rooftops to the harbour, and couldn't see a single domestic light on.

Her key rack was a mass of 'spare keys' that second home owners had asked her to hold. After winter storms, she'd anxiously scan the roofs she could see with binoculars and call local tradesmen out to fix fallen tiles, etc.

So, if you're okay with the destruction if a local community with your second homes, employ a company to check out your house.

Don't rely on local residents.

Our flat has been closed since September. Apart from the usual (all perishables chucked, water off, everything unplugged and heating on 5 degree standby) we blocked the external postbox with a hardback book (overflowing junk mail is a giveaway that the house is empty) and redirected our post.
We gave one neighbour space in our garage for tool storage in return for contacting us in case of emergency. He’s a good egg.
Another extra annoying neighbour below (self elected building manager) has our email address. Sometimes those types are good to have around but I know he’d be in like a shot if I gave him a key... I’m half wishing a pipe WOULD burst on top of him, nosey bugger !
I’m sure essential repairs are allowed under travel guidelines. A burst pipe or broken boiler would need immediate intervention.

2anddone, you are 100% permitted for essential maintenance but not overnight stays obviosul eg not a holiday. It is in no one interest for a house to cause damage to neighbours properties etc through flooding or other which can happen with snow.
My parents rang someone and checked int he community and they said it was permitted and its on the gov. Website under the covid section on what you can do, if you wnat to chevk.
Good luck op as it's a difficult situation for everyone.

@AnyFucker

Maybe you should dispose of one of your homes, you don't need two.

Green eyed monster never a good look.

I could afford 2 more houses, but I haven't.

I can assure you I'm not 'jealous'.

@Miljea that's so sad. It's devastating to see what happens to thriving communities. 😞

I also think it is very bad form to ask a local and if someone asked me I would say no.

Pay someone.

Those who own second homes just need to accept some people dislike them and don't want them there. What they are doing is legal but a reasonable chunk of people - including plenty who could afford one - will not consider it a positive thing to do.

Lots of second homes in our tourist location.

Normal practice by 2nd home owners is to always leave a set of keys with a trusted neighbour (in case of emergency). So, all you need do is find a local person and offer to pay them to visit weekly, check the heating is working and no leaks, clear away any post etc. Inform your keyholder.

In a touristy area, local letting agencies offer that service and so do some "handymen".

If ypu don't already have a keyholder (or keys hidden in the garden) you'll have to post a set to whoever you pay for checking house.

Also word of warning police have been checking number plates and stopping any non-local ones to ask what they are doing and fining for non-essential travel round here!

Funny they haven’t managed to catch someone I know who decamped from London to their parents second home during the first lockdown and has carried on back and forth in the following months.