Hi all, brand new here. We're newly retired and thinking of taking off for a few months soon, maybe 4 or more.
I'm just wondering about one issue though. We own our house and I rang the insurance company. I'm told that if we leave it vacant for more than 6 weeks the insurance lapses.
And of course if we leave it vacant we'll have lawns 3 feet long, a garden gone to rack and ruin and rats in the roof. Possibly burgled too.
What are others doing about this? Can you rent a house out for 4 or 5 months? Are there any other ways to overcome this problem that people have come across?
All suggestions welcome, we're scratching our heads about this little problem.
Our nieces and nephews (in their 20's) enjoy living away from Mum & Dad - for a while. Only once there was a party, but our neighbours were straight on to it.
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Possum; AKA:- Ali El-Aziz Mohamed Gundawiathan
Sent from my imperial66 typewriter using carrier pigeon, message sticks and smoke signals.
Insured with Youi , notify them when we are going away for 3-4 months , they note it - no increase in premium ....
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HAPPINESS is a journey, not a destination.
So work like you don't need the money,
Sing like no-one is listening,
Love like you've never been hurt &
Dance like no one's watching
Daughter lives around corner. Collects our mail and makes sure all is OK. Got a guy who mows other lawns in the street to mow the front. Have recently installed a front door camera / ringer from RING (got it at JBHIFI) that I can check movements at my front door via my iPhone/iPad. Motion detector system in house. A couple of our neighbours can see if our van is gone so they know if someone is lurking about our house, it's probably foe rather than friend. These neighbours have our mobile number.
We have most things that keep out honest thieves. Anyone thinks they deserve something you own more than you do, not a lot will stop them.
As others have already said ... welcome to the forum
Also, as others have suggested have someone to "look after the house" while you are away. If you have arranged for a family member, neighbour, etc to have a key and to collect mail and generally check the house this is considered as 'compliant' by insurance companies. Their main concern is that a house/residence is left unoccupied and unattended for periods of time.
Also, either call on the goodwill of a neighbour or family member ... or organise for a mowing bloke (eg Jim's Mowing) ... to keep the place looking neat and looked after.
Some also leave some old towels/sheets hanging on the clothesline so that it looks like someone is home.
Cheers - and just focus on the journey/s - John
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2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Auto - 2008 23ft Golden Eagle Hunter Some people feel the rain - the others just get wet - Bob Dylan
Hello and a very warm welcome petercr. When we had a home our son was living there. We sometimes do housesitting as does a few others on here. there is a classified section on here u can advertise. aussie housesitters have been good Too. Enjoy. Rocket n strop.
When I contacted my insurance about leaving house unattended they told the reason why they like you to contact them is so they can point out what step you should take to kept your home safe while you are away , With my insurance there is no problem hitting the road and leaving the home , Most people would or should do what the insurance people you should do to kept your home safe .
Some good ideas there, I didn't realise that having someone to collect mail etc was regarded as compliant. That's encouraging. And the house sitting isn't a bad idea either, though I do wonder about having some strangers coming to live in your house. Nice to see an Australian one as well.
Does anyone have any experience with house sitting, ie in your house? Did it work ok? No damage or other problems?
We were UN lucky ones. Tried 3 times. 2 through Agency's.
First one cost us over a grand in Decking plant replacements.
Second cost us several items of irreplaceable VERY old Crystals.
Sorry we dropped while cleaning?.
S'cuse me. WHY were YOU touching them. Locked in glass cupboard.
You Had to go looking for key in my bedroom to do so.
Third rubbed Di's car along brickwork under carport.
Wasn't us. we use hire car.
Funnily, the car is kept IN garage. with keys on Breakfast bar shelf for emergency's.
Some good ideas there, I didn't realise that having someone to collect mail etc was regarded as compliant. That's encouraging. And the house sitting isn't a bad idea either, though I do wonder about having some strangers coming to live in your house. Nice to see an Australian one as well.
Does anyone have any experience with house sitting, ie in your house? Did it work ok? No damage or other problems?
Hi, can only answer for us. We have house sat. Home was left as clean as when we arrived. Did the gardening and mowing, collected the mail, looked after the dog. Owner was very happy on return. On aussie housesitters u can c housesitters n can c a a reply from previous owners who they have housesat For. good luck.
Lock up house, turn off power except for fridges, next door collects mail and does lawns, keeps an eye on the place.....having had a house which I used to rent I would never let this one for short term rental...Insurance doesn't have any problem with us going away..............for long trips 4 mths or so , have friends who will gladly park their van up and look after things while they fish and go to beach...since we get a lot of visitors stopping by we have a spot for vans with power,water and dump point.........
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Checking out the places I drove past a thousand times................
Welcome to forums . Yep we invested in a few timing switches . Lights turn off and on over night . Two radios set off various times of the day. Family cuts lawns and collects bills and mail . Unfortunately we STILL have to pay bills ! I guess you could get a neighbors young bloke to cut the lawns for you ? But its too much for young ones these days ? Then get a local lawn guy around every fourtnight . Yes turn off HWS . Pool pump on timer ? Just enjoy . Im away from home at present . Actually have security cameras on TV areal and drive way I can access on my iPhone .
we go away for 6 mths at a time now that we are not on the road full time. AAMI insurance were informed and told us we were covered but the excess would double if we had a claim. We also had the power cut off - saving the daily service charge. We filled out a form for the local police. Paid to have front lawns cut and a neighbour kept an eye on the place. Our mail already goes to a PO Box so our son collects it, reads it and rings if it needed attention. A calendar in the van is marked with important dates for Insurance etc. though most re-newels are emailed.
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Jenny and Barry
2009 Roma Elegance / 2013 Colorado. Permanent travellers 2011-2015 now just travel for 4-6 mths
Thanks to everyone, all of your suggestions gratefully received.
We're probably a little different to the usual grey nomads. We've done some of the Australian outback, Simpson Desert type stuff, and I did a lot of it when younger. We live in country Vic.
But more recently we have spent some time in the UK on narrowboats on their canals (my wife is originally from Nottingham). We've fallen in love with Narrowboats and as we are retiring we're currently looking to buy one and spend the UK summers (if there is one) on their canal system. About 5 months at a time.
So it's summer in a boat over there then back to summer over here.
If 
- John
