Empty second home

Ursala

My second home will be empty for 3 months, and next year for 6 months, being lived in only part of the year. Can I just cancel my electricity contract and then rejoin after 3/6 months? thank you

thozza

Hi and welcome to the LPG, Heating Oil & Other Solid Fuels forum, the main energy forum dealing with mains electricity & gas where you are likely to get a better response is at https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/energy  

QrizB

Ursala said:

My second home will be empty for 3 months, and next year for 6 months, being lived in only part of the year. Can I just cancel my electricity contract and then rejoin after 3/6 months? thank you

You can try but there could be a termination fee of £100+ and then a reconnection fee of £100+.
You'd probably be better off keeping the contract and just paying the £90/yr standing charge.

canaldumidi

and have you checked your insurance pilicy. Cover for unoccupied periods may include requirements for heating. electricity and other stipulations. Or you may need specialist insurance. (or just take the risk and go uninsured).

MSE_ForumTeam5

We've moved this thread to the main Energy board

Curiousgirl1

Ursala said:

My second home will be empty for 3 months, and next year for 6 months, being lived in only part of the year. Can I just cancel my electricity contract and then rejoin after 3/6 months? thank you

Not really unless you disconnect it all then reconnect again once you want to use it again which is a major hassle. 

Just make sure you take meter reads before you leave & inform your energy supplier how long the property will be empty for. They may be able to put something in place so that they don’t send estimated bills for energy you haven’t used. 

Would recommend paying by direct debit if you don’t already to avoid any follow up letters. Standing charge will still be payable as the gas/electricity is still available to be used, you’re just choosing not to. 

Ultrasonic

canaldumidi said:

and have you checked your insurance pilicy. Cover for unoccupied periods may include requirements for heating. electricity and other stipulations. Or you may need specialist insurance. (or just take the risk and go uninsured).

And insurance aside, it would be sensible to consider heating in cold periods to avoid burst pipes. My sister twice had this happen in an outbuilding she didn't heat at all over the winter.

PennyForThem_2

If you can afford a 2nd home that is lying empty until you decide to take a holiday there you can surely afford the expenses it entails.

Uxb1

My second home insurance requires the heating to be left on - on a "frost protection" setting from the end of November to the end of March with the loft hatch left open. I also have lights in the evening going on as well.
Frankly the heating costs just maintaining it at around 5 Deg C for the really cold periods of just Jan and Feb next to nowt compared to the council tax......

dbks

Uxb1 said:

My second home insurance requires the heating to be left on - on a "frost protection" setting from the end of November to the end of March with the loft hatch left open. I also have lights in the evening going on as well.
Frankly the heating costs just maintaining it at around 5 Deg C for the really cold periods of just Jan and Feb next to nowt compared to the council tax......

May I ask, who do you have your second home insurance with?

Most insurance for unoccupied residential insurance, including second/holiday homes,  I have seen requires the heating left on permanently during those dates at a minimum of 11C or higher (or otherwise fully drain down the water system)

Uxb1

Hi there
Yes it's through the brokers A Plan - trading as "insurance for holiday homes"
I've just checked the policy documents and the minimum temperature specified time duration specified is 1st November to 31 March inclusive if you do not wish to drain the water.
Yes there is in my case a 10 Deg C lower limit that the thermostat of the heating system needs to be set to however there is this important extra clause for those system additionally fitted with a "frost stat" which I quote in full
Quote
Or; if the heating system as described above is installed and is additionally fitted with a "frost
stat" that is designed and installed to override all other heating controls, irrespective of their
functional status, then this may be set to operate at not less than 4 degrees
End Quote

Just in case I have a temperature logger (Elitech RC5+) in the house to prove my case should it be necessary
Actually my frost stat seems to keep it at around 7Deg C from the downloaded RC5+ data.

There another clause about in the event of a claim being required to supply utilities bills to verify compliance.
There is also an inspection clause of every 60 days by a responsible adult if it is not used during that duration.