Utilities and Bills While You Are Away

The odd thing about owning a home you rarely visit is that the bills keep coming at full speed. Estimated invoices pile up, a tap drips for months, and one unpaid account can mean a service gets cut off just as the weather turns. Utilities are the least glamorous part of looking after an empty house and one of the most consequential.

This page is a general overview of managing electricity, water, gas, internet and local charges while you are away. It draws on public bodies for the ideas and keeps to the practical. It does not give legal, tax or insurance advice, it names no suppliers and it quotes no prices. Arrangements differ by country, supplier and property.

Why some services stay on and others go off

There is no universal answer, because each service protects the house in one way and exposes it in another. Think of the question for each utility as a pair: what could go wrong if it stays on, and what could go wrong if it is off?

Water. Left on, a failed pipe or fitting can run for as long as nobody is there. Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service's checklist for people going away advises turning off the water at the mains, noting that water leaking from pipes can cause electrical wiring to short out and start a fire (Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service: while you are away). Turned off, the plumbing is calmer, but some homes depend on water for other systems, and winter brings the opposite concern about frozen pipes, which winter and storm preparation discusses.

Electricity. The same fire service advises turning off and unplugging electrical devices that are not needed while you are away, and keeping working smoke alarms so that neighbours are alerted if a fire starts. But power may need to stay on for other reasons: alarms, a fridge you have chosen to leave running, a dehumidifier, or a heat setting to protect pipes. Each of those is a decision, not a default.

Gas. The fire service checklist says to turn off gas appliances that do not need to run. Any work on gas supply or appliances belongs to a qualified gas professional.

Heating and cooling. The Met Office says that if you are going away, you should leave your heating on low, and that you should know where your stop tap is and check it works every six months (Met Office: frozen or burst pipes). The balance with summer cooling is in cooling an empty house in summer, and the effect of heat and humidity on a closed home is in damp, mould and humidity in empty homes.

Internet and the things that depend on it

Internet access matters more than it looks. Cameras, smart alarms, remote thermostats and leak sensors usually need a working connection and electricity to report anything. The public guidance we read does not cover broadband, so what follows is our reasoning rather than a quoted rule: if a device is supposed to tell you something is wrong, check what it needs in order to do that, and what happens if the router loses power or the account lapses.

Our page on security for empty homes covers alarms and cameras in more detail.

Meters, readings and accurate bills

In the United Kingdom, the consumer charity Citizens Advice explains that a supplier needs regular readings from your gas or electricity meter to work out your bills, and that if you do not send readings, the supplier will estimate your usage. It suggests giving readings by phone, or by the supplier's website or app, and points out that a supplier may be able to help if you cannot get to the meter (Citizens Advice: how to read your gas or electricity meter). For an empty home, estimated bills are a particular risk, because nobody is on site to notice that the estimate bears no relation to a house using almost nothing.

Ofgem, the UK energy regulator, describes smart meters as meters that automatically send your electricity and gas readings to your supplier. It lists as benefits that bills are based on accurate readings rather than estimates, and that you do not need to submit readings yourself (Ofgem: get help with your smart meter). Ofgem also notes that a smart meter may stop recording energy use or stop sending readings to the supplier, so it is worth checking now and then that yours is still reporting. In other countries, the rollout, rules and terminology differ, and a smart meter is something to ask your own supplier about rather than assume.

Water works differently in many places. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggests a simple check: read your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used, and if the reading changes at all, you probably have a leak. It also notes that leak detection and flow monitoring devices can help identify leaks or alert you to irregular water use and reduce damage caused by leaks (U.S. EPA WaterSense: Fix a Leak Week). Those are general ideas, not product recommendations, and a qualified plumber or your water provider can advise on installation.

Taking a photo of every meter at departure and arrival gives you a record to compare against bills. That is a habit, not an official requirement, and it fits neatly into your arrival and departure checklists.

Paying bills reliably

The point of a payment arrangement for an empty house is that it works without you. Many providers offer automatic payment, online accounts or paper statements sent to another address. Which is available depends on the provider and the country, so ask each one. A few principles hold in most places:

Keep a list of every account: provider, account number, what it covers, how it is paid, and the date it renews or reviews.
Make sure each provider has a current contact for you, not only the address of the empty house.
Check that payment methods have not expired, since a lapsed card can quietly break an arrangement.
Look at statements regularly, even when payment is automatic, so you spot sudden changes.

Local charges, such as property taxes, waste or sewerage fees, and any rules specific to second homes or empty properties, vary widely by country, region and local authority. We do not give tax or legal advice. The local authority or your adviser is the right source.

Who the supplier should contact

If something goes wrong in a house you are not in, someone needs to be reachable. Utilities, alarm companies and neighbours all need a name and a number that actually gets answered. Many owners nominate a trusted neighbour, a relative or a professional. The Met Office suggests getting a neighbour to check inside your home occasionally if you go away. Whoever you choose should know where the water stop tap and electrical board are, and what they are authorised to do. For how to pick and brief a professional, see choosing and briefing a property manager.

Honest limits

This overview is general. The sources are from the UK and US, and your country, supplier and property may work differently. Leaving a service on or off can affect your insurance, your safety and your warranty, and we cannot assess those. Your insurer, local authority, utility providers and qualified professionals have the final word. For the bigger picture of managing a home from a distance, see looking after a home you are not living in.

Frequently asked questions

Should I switch off the electricity at the main board when I leave a holiday home?

There is no single answer. Fire services advise turning off and unplugging electrical devices that are not needed, but alarms, heating for pipe protection or a dehumidifier may need power. Decide item by item and ask a qualified electrician about the main supply.

How do I stop getting estimated bills?

Citizens Advice says suppliers estimate your usage when they do not receive readings. Ofgem describes smart meters as sending readings to the supplier automatically, and notes that a meter can stop sending them, which is why an occasional check is worthwhile.

How can I tell if there is a leak when nobody is there?

The EPA suggests checking the water meter before and after two hours of no water use, since any change probably means a leak. It also notes that leak detection and flow monitoring devices exist to alert people to unusual water use.

Do I need to keep the internet connected?

Only if something depends on it. Cameras, alarms and remote sensors often need both a connection and power to reach you, so check each device. We found no public guidance on broadband for empty homes, so this is a practical check rather than a rule.

The short version

For each utility, decide what stays on, what goes off and who finds out when something fails. Regular meter readings or a working smart meter keep bills honest, and a simple leak check catches silent water loss. Rules and arrangements vary by country, so your suppliers, insurer and local authority have the final say.