Look after a second home, even when you are not there
Plain-language, sourced guides to caring for a holiday home or any property that sits empty: what to check, what to clean and what to leave alone.
Start with the absence routine →
Before you lock up
- Water and power, on or off, on purpose
- Food, bins and anything that can spoil
- Windows, shutters and doors
- A key with someone you trust
- A note of who to call if something goes wrong
Looking after a home you are not living in
The pillar guide: the main risks of an empty property, a sensible absence routine and what to do on return.
Cleaning a holiday property
A room-by-room approach for a home that sits empty, then fills up.
Damp, mould and humidity
Why closed homes get damp, what mould means and what public guidance says to do.
Cooling in summer
Keeping a closed house safe and dry through the hottest months.
Winter and storms
Freezing, wind and flooding: what public agencies suggest checking.
Security
How crime prevention bodies describe empty-home risk, and what helps.
Choosing a property manager
What to ask, what to put in writing and how to brief someone who holds the keys.
Utilities and bills
Which services to leave on, which to switch off, and how to keep bills paid.
Pool care basics
Safety first, then the water: what changes when a pool sits unused.
Pest prevention
Why empty homes attract pests and the prevention steps public guidance names.
Changeover cleaning
A repeatable turnaround between guests, with hygiene guidance from public bodies.
Eco-friendly cleaning
What eco-friendly cleaning can and cannot mean, and sensible lower-impact habits.