Preparing your home for winter and the holidays
With the holiday closure coming up this December and many students going home for the holidays, it is important to know how to leave your home in the best shape that you can.
- If you plan to be away, your first step should be to notify your landlord that you will be away
- Create a check in plan - depending how long you are gone, it may be worthwhile or required by insurance to have someone check in on the property. This could be your landlord, their agent, or a friend. Footsteps in the snow around the house also make it look as though someone is home.
- Temperature control - although it is tempting to turn off your heat while you are away, this can put your home and belongings at risk. It is important to leave your heating system on to prevent pipes from freezing and bursting while you away. Your lease agreement may indicate a required temperature to maintain in the unit whilst you are away
- Tidy up the inside and outside- a tidied yard and home makes it look as though someone is still home maintaining it and it makes life easier when you get back
- Turn off outside taps - if you have any outside taps or hoses, turn them off as soon as the weather starts to turn cold
- Make sure the house is secure- Bring in all items from outside, ensure all windows and doors are locked before leaving
- Consider leaving a couple of lights on or setting timers - having a few lights on in around the property will make it look as though someone is home
- Look into recent maintenance issues - if your roof has been leaking or there have been similar issues to this recently, investigate to make sure they have been properly resolved. You do not want something to leak while you are away!
- Holiday House Check Program (HHCP) 2023-2024. This program is limited to Queen's students and capacity is offered as a first come first serve basis. There are limited spots. An email will be sent to you once your spot is confirmed.