How to make sure your unoccupied rental property is insured
At some point your rental property may become unoccupied. An empty property could invalidate your policy or cover in the event of a claim, so here's how to make sure you're still covered if you have a Direct Line for Business Landlord Insurance policy.
How to make sure your unoccupied rental property is covered
Keep your insurer in the loop
Tell us about your specific circumstances and we'll confirm whether we can offer you cover if you don't yet have our Landlord Insurance, or if we can continue to cover you if you're already with us. Some of the reasons that a property may become unoccupied are listed below:
- you've just bought the property
- you've just inherited the property
- you are in between tenants
- you are redecorating and/or refurbishing the property
We understand that it may take a little while before the property is tenanted so we do ask that you take certain steps to reduce the risk of damage. As cover will be restricted when the property is unoccupied it's important to let us know when the property becomes tenanted.
We can check that you comply with the policy assumptions and ensure you get the benefit of the cover that you need for your rental property.
Carrying out renovations? Make sure you're still covered
With Direct Line for Business, if you're renovating your property in between tenancies, the renovations need to be minor, such as painting the walls or wall papering. Please note, we can't insure your unoccupied property if it's undergoing major renovations.
Make sure you comply with your insurer's conditions if your property is unoccupied.
It's a good idea to find out what conditions your insurer requires you to follow and then to carry them out. With Direct Line for Business Landlord Insurance, you need to let us know if your property becomes unoccupied during the term of your policy.
If your property has been unoccupied for 30 days, we won't cover damage caused by escape of water, malicious damage or theft and we require you to:
- turn off all services at the mains - except electricity if it's for any fire or intruder alarm system
- between 1 October and 31 March make sure your property is heated to a minimum of 10°C
- inspect your property (inside and outside) every 7 days
- remove mail and newspapers during each visit
- make sure the property is locked and secure against unauthorised entry
Find out more about Direct Line for Business Landlord Insurance.