Lock up and leave property

[Spidey]

Park your motorhome on your daughters drive and live in it while in this country, plug into her electric, offer to cut her grass, even invite them round for a meal now and then.

Would love but they live city centre no parking

 

[Spidey]

What about a park home on a nice development with a manned gate and staff on site?

Yes I have looked at them but don’t feel ready for that. It is def something for the future. Think they look great

 

[Spidey]

Hi Spidey, Helen and I live in a penthouse apartment in the centre of Edinburgh, we have 2 terraces which give us some outside space and 2 allocated parking spaces in an underground car park. We moved here from a large detached country town property 10 years ago, and would never go back.
We love no building, cleaning, garden, maintenance issues, all covered by factor, we pay £100 per month for this. We keep our camper in secure storage and love the lock and leave ability. We have a large park nearby for exercise and green space.
Agree though that it doesn’t work for everyone, if small things annoy you then think hard, there’s always something/someone that could upset you!! Every building has a nosy/fussy/know it all, but that’s life.

Bill

This is what is drawing me to a flat. Love the idea of no one above me. Lucky you living in the centre of Edinburgh, beautiful city. Maintenance free is a draw as well. I think it is letting go of the motorhome on the drive but there is compromises what ever you choose.

 

[Spidey]

We used to do 6 month tours and used C&CC for House & Travel Insurance. But best thing we ever did was fit Hive to central heating system and now monitor the weather in UK when we are away, turning heating on/off as required. It paid for itself in first winter as previously we had to programme the heating to come on whilst we were away, irrespective of the weather, costing a lot of money
John

Great idea will look into that

 

[webby1]

We used to go with C&CC for 6 months cover and at the time their policy was with Royal Sum Alliance and had no conditions attached......although we did the necessary things anyway.

Lat year they changed and offered a policy from First Underwriting. They did have the usual conditions BUT they had some terrible reviews.Actually I did try to contact them about some wording and never received a reply.

In the end we went with Home Protect.I think the only condition was no cover for water damage over the winter period but we turn the water off anyway

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[Sundowners]

Yes I have looked at them but don’t feel ready for that. It is def something for the future. Think they look great

Look very carefully at ALL costs and read terms and conditions very carefully

 

[Jenben]

I would focus on buying a property that suits you to live in longer term rather than focus on the locking and leaving element .

In many cases the worry of locking up and leaving is actually partly due to how you view risk and feel about security.

You can make lock and leave work with all sorts of properties especially given the easy access to remote monitoring (security and heating systems).

 

[Spriddler]

We want to travel about a lot, two 3 month stints if possible....... wondered whether we should go for a flat

O.K. if you're happy to be restricted to a flat for 6 months I guess but I'm not a worrier. I would rely on friends, neighbours, family to do occasional checks in addition to the insurance cover on the house (after notifying them of my absence if necessary).
I've never lived in a flat and wouldn't want to get dressed and go 'downstairs' to have my first brew in a possibly public area outdoors, or have the risk of noisy neighbours above, below and to the sides.
In fact I'd rather travel less or give up the m/h if it meant living in a flat, especially if denied my manshed and garden.

 

[Charente16]

In the days' when we were 'Ex - Pats', we sold our house and bought a 'Penthouse' apartnent in the UK; aka The Attic flat. Thirty years later we still own it , despite having emigrated to France in our retirement,

If you are going to move from a house to a flat always live above your neighbours, learnt that lesson over many years living in rented apartments, some of them costing a King's Ransom, but not immune to bad neighbors of whatever nationality., British included.

 

[joka250]

We moved from a fair sized house with very large garden 6 years ago and purchased a new spacious flat in block of 6. New motorhome away for 6 to 7 months a year. Easy to lock and leave. But!!! We had no garden, shared lobby, 4 of 6 flats rented, had our own garage (unusual) but always a parking problem. Decided to move this time last year, looked for bungalow, found lots suitable but not quite us. Then we saw an apartment on a private complex, ours stood in a block of 3. Loved it but thought we were crazy but we did it. 1st lockdown held things up and highlighted the space issues. We felt our new place should be different but still had reservations. Went ahead moved in September. We now have very nice communal gardens a good sized balcony on each bedroom and a very large private terrace. We love it.
So a long story but I guess the moral is "if you get the right apartment you're on a winner but it's not easy". Sorry to be so long winded. Take your time it's hard work if you get it wrong but great if you get it right.

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[Solwaybuggier]

Good to know will switch to them next time

Be aware that they are pretty fussy about where they’ll insure - they refused us cover because within a certain distance from a watercourse, even though it’s a small beck (stream) and we’ve never flooded. Same with C&MC. If they’re willing to cover, great, but by no means automatic.

We ended up doing house insurance via NFU.

 

[St Piran]

We are about to move from a 4/5 bed house into a 2 bed, 2nd floor apartment in Cornwall for the ‘lock up and go‘ reasons. So we will see if we like it? Renting out our house so if it doesn’t suit we‘ll cash in the house and apartment and purchase a bungalow. Should say a 5min walk to the beach and town centre. Car parking will be an issues though...

 

[Chris]

To those renting out their homes to go travelling, please please do it via a professional letting agent.

There are so many recently introduced traps for landlords that you might find you can’t get the tenant out when you think you can, if at all.

 

[gus-lopez]

a house to a flat always live above your neighbours,

yes ^^^^^^^^^this always the top floor. Same as a house, always buy at the top of the hill.

 

[Lenny HB]

Be aware that they are pretty fussy about where they’ll insure - they refused us cover because within a certain distance from a watercourse, even though it’s a small beck (stream) and we’ve never flooded. Same with C&MC. If they’re willing to cover, great, but by no means automatic.

We ended up doing house insurance via NFU.

We tried a quote from C&CC they wanted 3 times what we were paying but would reduce it by 30% if we didn't have flood cover below 2m.

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[DandG5515]

Hi we moved from a large house to a small 2bed bungalow, the previous owners had worked as wardens on caravan sites, so set up to be left for long periods and space for a twin axle caravan. (Can fit mh and tow car in that space). It is cheaper to run than another a leasehold property we also own. I am quiet sensitive to noise from neighbours as we have lived detached for 25 years, so a flat is not for us, its Whatever works for you, this was not right for my wife when we bought the bungalow, but she admitts it was the best move we could have done.

 

[Cal54]

I live in a purpose built 1st floor flat and it is entirely self contained - no communal area as my front door is on the outside. Looks just like a house from the outside. No problem with parking as I have my own parking bay and manage to keep my MH at home.!
Flats can be great but I would only consider purpose built. Have no issue with the neighbour below - it’s my mum!!!

 

[mikebeaches]

But best thing we ever did was fit Hive to central heating system and now monitor the weather in UK when we are away, turning heating on/off as required. It paid for itself in first winter as previously we had to programme the heating to come on whilst we were away, irrespective of the weather, costing a lot of money
John

Agreed! We have a Google Nest system on our heating and can control it remotely from the phone.

It's a great piece of kit. And it shows what the outside temperature is at home when we are away in Spain, so no risk of frost damage.

 

[pampam]

Perhaps if you get a bungalow with a large drive and garden ,you might find a “fulltimer” topark on your drive ,where you would normally park your van ,whilst you are away,to keep an eye on things

 

[busby]

O.K. if you're happy to be restricted to a flat for 6 months I guess but I'm not a worrier. I would rely on friends, neighbours, family to do occasional checks in addition to the insurance cover on the house (after notifying them of my absence if necessary).
I've never lived in a flat and wouldn't want to get dressed and go 'downstairs' to have my first brew in a possibly public area outdoors, or have the risk of noisy neighbours above, below and to the sides.
In fact I'd rather travel less or give up the m/h if it meant living in a flat, especially if denied my manshed and garden.

Live in a flat,ground floor,,small garden and man shed..On the two days a year when it's warm enough for a cuppa outside I can have one but I always get dressed when I get out if bed so without privacy sitting outside would not be a problem.No noise from above or next door as they are purpose built flats. Enables us to lock up and leave for our usual twice yearly three months abroad each year.BUSBY.

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[St Piran]

To those renting out their homes to go travelling, please please do it via a professional letting agent.

There are so many recently introduced traps for landlords that you might find you can’t get the tenant out when you think you can, if at all.

We have 5 rental properties and have managed them ourselves for over 15 years. However as Chris rightly pointed out the laws are forever changing and with Covid the rules have changed again. If we were starting out now I would use a letting agent. It doesn't guarantee there wont be any issues but it helps.

 

[busby]

We have 5 rental properties and have managed them ourselves for over 15 years. However as Chris rightly pointed out the laws are forever changing and with Covid the rules have changed again. If we were starting out now I would use a letting agent. It doesn't guarantee there wont be any issues but it helps.

So true,,see a bill was passed last week saying property owners cannot refuse to allow tenants to have pets.Would have thought your property your rules.BUSBY.

 

[St Piran]

Correct. We have always rented to non pet owners....not anymore!!

 

[Kirsten]

Had friends who sold everything furniture wise - moved into a 2.5 bed town house with small garden at front and they had a secure rear garden they flagged and had large pots on a watering system.They could walk out the door and go on holiday for weeks/ months ( and they did ! - non motorhomers) Nothing of sentimental value in house - they had sold antiques and were insured if anything went wrong ( it didn’t) Loved the easy maintenance house all mod cons ( was a downsize from farm house) got on well with neighbours as they had extra insulation for noise put in before they moved. Still enjoying it all ...

 

[TizzyOnTour]

So true,,see a bill was passed last week saying property owners cannot refuse to allow tenants to have pets.Would have thought your property your rules.BUSBY.

That’s interesting. I thought the proposed legislation wasn’t an obligation on Landlords to allow pets, only an update to the “model tenancy agreement” which is recommended but not mandatory.

Renters in England set to be allowed to keep 'well-behaved pets'

The government bids to stop private landlords in England banning all animals from their properties.

www.bbc.co.uk

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[BillandHelen]

In the days' when we were 'Ex - Pats', we sold our house and bought a 'Penthouse' apartnent in the UK; aka The Attic flat.

In Glasgow it’s a top floor flat, in Edinburgh it’s a penthouse apartment!!

 

[Minxy]

So true,,see a bill was passed last week saying property owners cannot refuse to allow tenants to have pets.Would have thought your property your rules.BUSBY.

It's not law, just 'good practice' at present and I can't see it ever being passed into 'law', no more so than allowing smoking would be, however it will change the default stance which at present is for 'no pets' unless it specifies in the property ad that they do, and thus the new stance will be that they may allow pets unless it specifies they do not. If an application is received from someone with a pet the landlord then can say no, but needs to give a reason, fair enough, you don't have to accept the application in the first place anyway from the 'human' if you don't want to but that may be harder to back-up if they believe you are doing it for 'discriminatory' reasons.

We allow pets, always have, since we first purchased our rental bungalow new back in 2006 and other than cleaning the carpets which we'd have had to do regardless of pets, we've never had issues at all. You can't ask for a 'pet deposit' now which used be allowed however you can have a clause in the contract to require professional cleaning at the end of a tenancy, whether this is just for the carpets, or more, is up to the landlord.

 

[Brains]

So true,,see a bill was passed last week saying property owners cannot refuse to allow tenants to have pets.Would have thought your property your rules.BUSBY.

We also have a number of properties, bought the first one over 40 years ago (and still own it).
For the last 25+ years I have always used an agent to find and vet all tenants.
We typically go through 2-4 sets of tenants each year as most stay around 3-4 years

If they have pets, they fail the vetting process.
(They also fail if their credit history is not 100%, if they don't have a regular wage, right of abode, jobs that they have held for at least 2 years, previous landlords that say OK, and so on.)

I've always had a 'no pets' rule, however we found one tennant bought a massive fish tank, in the 18 months he as there the ceilings and walls around the tank turned black with mold. Never again.

In another case the tenants asked if they could get a dog, we said no (basis the property was totally unsuitable for a dog) , they got a dog.
By the time they left 4 months later the dog had chewed up several meters of skirting board and the bottom of doors (we did say the property was not suited for dogs). Unsurprisingly they lost their deposit.
I also advised the other agents in town of the situation, so they won't be renting in that area anytime soon.

 

[Minxy]

Back to the OP ... I'd recommend NOT going down the rental or air-bnb route as it will be your home when you're not travelling, and the last thing you want to have to deal with when away on your jollies is to have to mess about with issues in the UK. Budget so that you do NOT need to have income and you should be fine.

 

[Spidey]

Be aware that they are pretty fussy about where they’ll insure - they refused us cover because within a certain distance from a watercourse, even though it’s a small beck (stream) and we’ve never flooded. Same with C&MC. If they’re willing to cover, great, but by no means automatic.

We ended up doing house insurance via NFU.

We have our motorhome cover with them. So that’s always an option. But when they quoted me last time they were more than double our current one. How long can you leave your house to go on a trip?

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