So you're going to live in another country (or go travelling) for a year. What do you do with your existing house, car, and other trappings while abroad? The answers will depend in part on whether your house is occupied (by a tenant or sitter) or stands vacant, but in both cases there are several things to keep in mind as you plan your absence.
Council tax
Council tax is a local authority tax on domestic property in the UK—the equivalent of regional rates in New Zealand. We phoned our local council and, to confirm we were given the correct information, visited Citizen's Advice in order to find out how much council tax we would be charged. It turns out that if your house is still your primary UK residence and essentially furnished, you will be charged the fully amount of council tax—even though you won't be making use of council services. Paradoxically, if your find a student tenant, you will be charged a reduced rate—even though your household is therefore making use of council services (waste collection, etc.). It's a different story if your house will be vacant and effectively unfurnished:
A dwelling which is vacant will be exempt from council tax for up to six months. Vacant means unoccupied and substantially unfurnished... If the dwelling is still vacant after six months, it may be subject to a discount.
What if you're expecting guests and your property is exempt? If they're arriving inside the first 6 months, and staying no longer than 6 weeks (and don't mind the lack of furnishings), then that's OK:
The dwelling can be occupied for up to six weeks during the six months without affecting the exemption.
Utilities
If you decide to rent the property then your tenant typically pays the bills for council tax and utilities (water rates, gas, electric, and telephone). Remember also that you would be obligated to have annual servicing carried out on gas appliances (and hold a gas certificate). In relation to a TV licence:
If you let your property and you provide a TV for tenants to use, it's your responsibility to make sure that the address has a valid TV Licence. However, if the lease clearly states that tenants are responsible for the TV Licence, they should buy it.
If you're not renting the house and it is vacant, you'll probably cancel the telephone service. If you're on a water meter that's good news, but you'll still have to pay for water you're not using if you have no meter. If you have a TV that is not in use you don't need to buy a TV licence.
Tip: No need to feel cut off after your phone and Internet are disconnected. We discovered that if you use a public BT payphone to briefly call abroad, the other party can call the payphone back so you you don't have to keep feeding it coins. Don't forget your local library may offer free Internet access for last minute surfing/ e-mail checking.
Heating
If a modern combination boiler is not used, all those moving parts will seize up. If the house is unoccupied then the only way of exercising the boiler is to have the heating come on, say for an hour twice a day. This will likely need to be more often during the winter months; what may suffice for keeping the boiler ticking over may still result in damp and mould. Be prepared to pay a bit more for heating costs during your absence in order to avoid having to re-decorate on your return!
Payments to maintain
Thank goodness for direct debits, Internet banking, and online customer accounts. This should enable you to continue making payments as if you never left, such as:
- Insurance (critical illness, income protection, home & contents);
- TV license;
- Council tax;
- Water rates;
- Professional subscriptions;
- Charitable donations;
- Electricty;
- Gas;
- House minder's remuneration.
These things add up, and your pre-trip budget should include provision to ensure there is enough money in your account to cover these largely predictable costs.
The car(s)
If nobody will be using your car (which could serve as an attractive carrot for a potential house-sitter) then your choice is to sell it or put it off-road. Parker's Car Price Guide will give you an indication as to what to expect to get if you plan to sell.
Putting the car off-road until your return may involve the following:
- Does it need insurance? Our insurance company wouldn't provide cover if the owner is non-resident for longer than 3 months. If the car is off the road it doesn't need insurance, but if it's stolen you loose big time;
- Use form V14 to apply for refund of unused road tax and make a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN, valid 12 months from the date of signing). Include covering letter with your bank account details to enable an electronic refund (otherwise a cheque might become invalid while you're away);
- Put the car off road in a safe location, taking the weight off the tires, with the tank near empty (fuel deteriorates with age), and regularly charge the battery. More advice from the RAC here;
- If the SORN elapses while you're still abroad, re-apply using form V890;
- In anticipation of using the car again arrange insurance. You can then book an MOT and can drive to/ from test without a tax disc;
- Apply for a tax disc on form V10 (requires insurance + MOT).
Tip: Keep all the vehicle's documents with the car; you need to submit the Registration Certificate (V5C) or the New Keeper's Supplement (V5C/2) with your application for a tax disc. My V5C was locked away; I had to telephone the DVLA from New Zealand to request a duplicate V5C (fee applicable), and then have that forwarded to the keeper of the car (along with the insurance certificate).
Security considerations
Make sure any house guests/ minders know how to reset your alarm. Remove any potential missiles/ heavy objects that could be used to smash a window. Inform your Community Constable if the property will be unoccupied.
Put away outdoor furniture so it doesn't rot or help burglars gain access
Deleting contacts, login passwords and door codes etc, and shredding documents (e.g. cancelled insurance) is like shedding a skin: you somehow feel "cleaner" for it! It's also vital to do this to minimise the risk of identity theft. Make sure any remaining documentation is locked away or stored elsewhere.
Before you leave
- It goes without saying that you should cancel any subscriptions that are no longer necessary;
- Get yourself off any regular mailing lists to minimise the junk pile that will otherwise form in your hallway;
- If you have a house minder organised, consider making a simple room-by-room and garden check-list of the things that might need attention;
- Consider making a "user manual" for house guests, and/ or for your house minder. This could detail the operation of the heating system, where to find cleaning products, who to contact in case of emergency, etc.;
- Farm out your indoor plants to a good home;
- Offer your non-perishable foodstuffs to a neighbour;
- Run your dishwasher on a cleaning cycle and prop open the unplugged fridge to prevent mould;
- Walk around the house with a digital camera and snap everything—wall decorations, the contents of drawers and cupboards, etc.—just in case you need to make an insurance claim;
- Leave a signed authorisation letter e.g "This letter is to confirm that during our absence from the UK we authorise [Name] to act on our behalf to ensure the maintenance of our property".
Final word: Travelling causes fatigue, but uprooting causes angst. But soon the tiredness and knotted stomach asociated with anticipaion ceases, and routine is re-established. Even when travelling there is a routine. Having a routine is important as it offers a reliable familiar framework upon which we can build our day-to-day lives.
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