Second hand house vacant for 2 months

suave.4u

Hi All,

So we managed to buy a 4 bed semi. We got the house keys today. Planning to do some renovations and have narrowed down on a good builder and advance handed over.

Now the Builder is away presently and work can commence only after two months. I am wondering what we can use the house for during that period (as quite a hefty mortgage starts anyways). It is an empty house presently.

Any ideas? Are there are day to day basis letting services we can use?

SupaCat95

First you need to talk to your builder. You dont specify the complexity of the renovations. Guessing plumbing and wiring and maybe windows.

I would possibly say friends and family to stay with. Not sure you can afford hotels. September might not be too bad for camping for the first two weeks.

Mrs OBumble

Air BNB is the classic day-to-day letting service. But I don't think they have much call for unfurnished places (guessing that's what empty means).

suave.4u

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122364047#Comment_122364047

We have another place, so that is fine. The new home would be vacant for 2 months, wondering what to do with it till then

suave.4u

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122364066#Comment_122364066

yeah the place is unfurnished. Can buy and put a bed etc. (something that isn't too costly)

Mrs OBumble

Summer camp venue?

Movie set?

Maybe a local small business might need extra summer storage space.

Whatever you do - notify your insurance company that its vacant, and follow their instructions- which may limit your options.

Flinty997

How confident are you that anyone who has use of it for 2 months will give it back after 2 months. That is the question..

drury..

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122364096#Comment_122364096

Insurance won't give you any instructions that's not how it works now

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122364517#Comment_122364517

If you ring up your insurance company and say "that house you covered for us, it's going to be unoccupied for two months while we wait for the builders" - then they WILL give you instructions about what they require you to do to maintain cover.

This could be anything from having someone do a drive-by inspection once a week, to emptying the water tanks and heating systems and shutting off the water at the street.

An exception might be if you have a building works policy, which will already have rules about what's allowed.

Flinty997

You'll be lucky to find an insurer who will give you anything other than 3rd party on a vacant house.

Surely the renovations are going to involve items other than what the builder is going to do? I’d use these couple of weeks to start ripping the place apart in preparation for the build, and viewing/picking out the stuff that is going into it afterwards, amazing how much time is spent picking tiles/ware/paints/furniture/kitchen/appliances etc. The more preparation/ordering done in advance, the sooner you will get in after builder is finished.

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122365898#Comment_122365898

InInsurers will insure anything provided you notify them.of the risk. They insure holiday homes that might be empty for 6-8 months and holiday mobiles homes

Usual clause us you check it every one to two weeks and shut off the water and empty the tanks.

Flinty997

I meant to say anything other than 3rd party insurance.

Its not been my experience that they will insure anything. They had to change legislation to stop them refusing to quote now you'll get stupid quotes instead.