Insurance on empty property

[Pud2]

I own a flat which is a conversion in a house. There’s one other flat and we share the freehold. Our buildings insurance is shared and is for the whole property, ie, it doesn’t specify two separate flats.

My flat is going to be unoccupied soon and is on the market. As the upstairs flat will still be occupied, I’m wondering whether I need to advise the insurance company that downstairs flat is empty given that we insure it as one property and not two flats?

Speak to them and see what they say.

You will need to notify them. My husband recently inherited his mums property which was her flat downstairs and she rented upstairs flat out. We’ve just had the buildings insurancecquote through and the price has increased because his mums flat is currently unoccupied. Better to notify them and pay a small increase in premium than have to make a claim and finds the insurance isn’t valid.