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Holiday Let Outside Lighting

Illuminate the way to your Holiday Let with Outside Lighting

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It’s time to consider how well you illuminate the way to your holiday letting property with outside lighting. With British Summer Time at an end for another year the mornings and nights will soon be much darker. So if you’re welcoming guests during the winter months, ask yourself how well-lit is the exterior of your holiday home and the paths that lead to it?   Holiday Let Outside Lighting

Reducing the risks of slips, trips and falls with outside lighting

It’s important that all paths, steps and approaches to the entrance to your holiday home are illuminated sufficiently. Carefully positioning outside lighting will reduce the risks of slips, trips and falls.

During the winter months’ guests may not only have to deal with arriving or departing whilst it’s dark, they may also have to endure the cold, ice or rain that often accompanies the great British winter.

Slippery surfaces can become real hazards once the sun has gone down, and if you combine this with the fact that your guests won’t be familiar with the layout of your cottage and the approaches that lead to it, it further emphasises the importance of lighting these clearly for them to follow.

Should a guest trip and fall when approaching your holiday home at night, any injury claim will be impossible to defend if your paths and steps are not well lit.

Making things easy – lighting your key safe

The majority of holiday homes will have a key safe. They provide your guests convenient access no matter what time they’re arriving. You should ideally have a light in this area so guests are able to easily see the key code. There’s nothing worse than trying to find some sort of light, whether via a smart phone or a torch they keep in the car. Especially when all they want to do is get in, start their holiday and relax after a long drive.

Making sure they’re at the right place

Lighting the name or number of your property will give your guests confidence they’ve arrived at the right place. With our ever extending reliance on sat-navs, this can be an important feature if they’re arriving at night when they can’t fully see the exterior of the cottage. An added bonus if your cottage is in the countryside when a postcode may cover several different roads.

Options for reducing electricity bills on lighting

Whilst LED lights have become increasingly common within the interior and exterior of holiday homes to reduce potential energy bills (research has indicated they can save you up to £200 per year in an average household by being 10 times more efficient than their candescent counterparts), there are a number of solutions that could cut the costs of external lighting on your holiday home.

If you’re looking at the pathways to your property have you consider solar powered lights. These can be quick and easy to install, cost effective to buy and should still emit light in the darkest days of winter. However be sure to purchase good quality solar lights that will stand up to the job.

Looking to light that key safe? Consider motion censored lighting. Whilst there is a cost, it should soon pay for itself. Lighting triggered by motion can also scare off potential intruders looking to gain entry to your holiday home.

Maintaining your outside lighting

Ensure that all of your bulbs and outside lighting are regularly checked. This may be by you, your housekeeper, caretaker or whomever is responsible for the continued upkeep of your property. Whilst it’s only a small job, a faulty bulb can end up on a busy to-do list. Therefore ensure that as soon as there is an issue it is quickly resolved. This will make life easier for your guests and make their stay safer. It may even save you a costly holiday home insurance liability claim.

Boshers offer specialist holiday home and property insurance to holiday cottage owners across the country. For more information on our policies have a look around Boshers website. For a quote or to ask any question please give our team a call on 01237 429444.

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Japanese knotweed

Do you know the risks of Japanese Knotweed?

Japanese knotweedJapanese Knotweed – two words that are likely to send a shiver down the spine of any homeowner in the UK. Now it’s top of the list when it comes to the most unwanted plants in our gardens! It’s easy to understand why if you consider that Japanese knotweed:

  • grows at an alarming rate of up to 20cm a day
  • will push its way through walls, paving and tarmac
  • left unchecked it can damage the entire structural stability of a home.

It’s estimated that to eradicate this invasive pest from the UK it would take an eye watering £1.5 billion. With this cost unlikely to be met, it’s important to understand the implications. What should you do if your home or holiday home falls foul of Japanese Knotweed?

Your legal responsibility

The first point to state is should the plant appear on your premises, it’s your responsibility to eradicated it. New laws state that landowners can be found liable. Especially if there is proof they knew about an infestation of Japanese knotweed and failed to deal with it properly.

Buying a cottage or selling your own holiday home? Property owners affected by knotweed infestation could be open to a lawsuit if they failed to act. Property insurance cover may also be refused. If the knotweed in your garden were to spread to a neighbour’s property, you could even be given an ASBO under the Anti-Social Behavior Crime and Policing Act 2014.

How to remove Japanese knotweed from your holiday home

With the stakes high, and time very much of the essence, it’s important to remove the plant from your land and ensure it’s eradicated permanently. it is likely that the most cost effective method of dealing with it is to use an established professional. The Property Care Association have members who are Invasive Weed Control specialists. You can search for one in your area here. Checking that the firm provides an insurance backed warranty is crucial. This may involve further inspections over a 12 month period. If selling this gives the legal guarantee that solicitors and conveyancers are looking for to demonstrate the issue is under control. Companies should carry adequate insurance with a reputable insurer, and this should preferably include structural damage cover.

DIY methods of removing Japanese knotweed

Explained below are some of the DIY methods that can be used to remove Japanese Knotweed if you catch it early, Although our recommendation would still be to employ a professioanl to carry out the work for you.

  1. Non-chemical controls

Whilst Knotweed can be dug out of the ground, the roots are so deep it will usually grow back. If you are attempting to dig it out remove as much of the root as possible, then repeatedly destroy the regrowth (e.g. by mowing). This will exhaust the energy reserves in the remaining underground parts of the plant, however expect it to take several seasons to disappear entirely.

Also bear in mind that if you are digging out Japanese knotweed then this is classed as “controlled waste’, meaning the remains have to be disposed of in a licensed landfill site under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

  1. Chemical control

You can try a glyphosate-based weed killer which would be available from your local garden centre. This will usually be applied to the foliage of the plant and then passes within the plant to the underground parts and roots. It usually takes at least three to four seasons to eradicate Japanese knotweed, but professional contractors have access to more powerful weed killers and may reduce this period by half.

What about my buildings insurance? 

Damage to your property caused by invasive weeds such as Japanese Knotweed isn’t generally covered under your buildings insurance. As homeowners we all have a duty of care to ensure that our properties are well maintained. This includes controlling the spread of invasive weeds such as Japanese Knotweed. If you are considering buying a holiday home in an area where it’s known to occur we recommend you have the property checked for Japanese Knotweed as part of your buildings survey.

Boshers offer specialist holiday home and property insurance to holiday cottage owners across the country. For more information on our policies have a look around Boshers website. For a quote or to ask any question please give our team a call on 01237 429444.

Photo credit – Japanese Knotweed – phlorum.com – Japanese Knotweed identification

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Autumn property maintenance tips for your holiday home

Autumn property maintenance tips for your holiday home

Autumn property maintenance tips for your holiday home It’s the time of the year when many holiday homeowners take a deep breath. Maybe enjoy their first weekend in a while free from back to back bookings and challenging changeovers. Or even stay in the holiday property themselves. Sound familiar? Holiday homes across the country will have welcomed hoards of people through their doors during the peak season. If you self-manage that not only leaves you feeling tired but can also take its toll on your property.

For that reason, there’s no better time of the year than now to take stock of any wear and tear. Identify what needs replacing or maintaining. Then get to work restoring it to the fine condition it was in at the start of the peak season.

Here are a few Autumn property maintenance tips for your holiday home.

Prepare your property maintenance checklist

It’s inevitable that any holiday home will experience some wear and tear over the peak months of the year. Whilst a wobbly door handle or chair may seem innocuous, the smallest issues can cause accidents if not addessed. Make up a property maintenance checklist of these small issues and tackle them before your next guests arrive.

Now is a great time to go through the entire property, ensuring that all rooms are in full working order. And do the level of accommodation you’re wanting to provide guests with justice.  Whilst many holiday homes will have a checklist for external cleaners to follow during changeover, it’s worth making your maintenance checklist more thorough and in-depth to ensure nothing is missed.

Work through each room, ensuring that each item is ticked off your list.

Top tips to revive the interior of your holiday home

  1. Consider having your carpets professionally cleaned; it can give a tired post-season room a real boost.
  2. If you’re hoovering yourself, ensure your vacuum cleaner has a clean HEPA filter. This can reduce allergy causing carpet mites and ensure more of those dog hairs are removed (if your accommodation is dog friendly!).
  3. Steam cleaning upholsteries such as curtains, sofas and alike every six months can revive their appearance and avoid the need for replacing them.
  4. Rubbing a teaspoon of lemon oil on a glass shower door each month can cause water to bead up and roll off.
  5. Ever placed your cushions or pillows in the freezer? Probably not, but it can be a great way of killing off any mites that may have made their way into your holiday home during the summer. Simply leave them in there for 48 hours and they should be gone!

Readying your holiday home for harsher weather

The great British summer can sometimes be somewhat unpredictable, the winter months are more reliable with higher levels of wind, rain and cooling temperatures guaranteed.  Your maintenance checks should extend to the exterior of your property and the surrounding land / gardens.

For a full breakdown of items that could and should be on your external checklist please have a look at our previous blog posts here:

Top tips to revive the exterior of your holiday home

  1. If you’re looking for a deep and effective clean, there’s nothing more effective than a stiff brush. Target paths, decking and other areas in which slippery algae, dirt and lichen can gather and cause accidents as well as looking unsightly.
  2. Remove leaves and debris on a regular basis. This will reduce the risk of flooding should they block nearby drains and other areas in which winter water needs to escape.
  3. When was the last time your windows were washed? It can sometimes be left on the to-do list during peak season, so make sure they’re spick and span, and that you also check paintwork or the surrounds of the window to ensure no remedial work is currently required.
  4. Regularly washing your exterior paintwork will give it a real lift and remove dirt containing corrosive pollutants which in turn can increase the life of your paint.
  5. Outside lighting can really lift the look of your holiday home, as well as being important for your guest’s safety and security when the nights pull in. Replace any corroded fittings and clean regularly if these are already fitted.

Property maintenance is an essential aspect for holiday homeowners fulfilling their duty of care. Keeping on top of it will ensure you achieve the best returns on your holiday home. A well maintained property will also reduce the risks of holiday home insurance claims.

Boshers offer specialist holiday home insurance to owners across the UK. Need an insurance quote for your holiday let? Give us a call on 01237 429444.

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Equality Act 2010

Understanding the Equality Act 2010

Equality Act 2010As a self-catering business providing accommodation to paying guests you’ll need to know about the Equality Act 2010. You’ll also need to be complying with it.

The Act, which replaced the Disability Discrimination Act, aims to protect anyone that is:

  • disabled
  • thought to be disabled
  • or is associated with someone who is disabled.

What does this mean for your holiday cottage business? It means that you may need to undertake reasonable adjustments in order to make your holiday home easier for disabled guests to use.

Let’s take a closer look at the legal bits of the act, and the simple actions you can take to not only comply with it, but also potentially attract even more people to your cottage.

The Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act 2010 covers a wide range of disabilities, and it’s important that holiday let owners take this into consideration. In law, people with disabilities are defined as those whose physical and mental impairments have an adverse effect on their ability to carry out day-to-day activities.

There are many different types of discrimination, and being aware of them will allow you to avoid accidentally breaking The Equality Act 2010.

Direct discrimination

This includes actions such as refusing to serve someone, or offering a lower standard of service due to their disability.

Indirect discrimination

An example of this is if a B&B serves breakfast in a room that is down a set of stairs and therefore inaccessible for some people.

Discrimination arising from a disability

This discrimination can include situations such as banning a person with Tourette’s syndrome from a bar area because their outbursts may offend other customers.

Discrimination by association

An example here would be if a guest house were to make the carer of the disabled person sleep in the same room to ensure that they don’t disturb other guests.

What can you do?

There are plenty of things you can do to ensure that you are complying with the Equality Act. The law requires you to make reasonable adjustments to both your holiday let and your business practices, so here’re a few ways you can do just that…

Make booking easier

There are a few simple changes you can make to your website to help potential guests should they have a disability. This could include an option to change the size of the text, having a sufficient contrast between the foreground and background, or even having clear and consistent navigation options. The copy that you have should also advise of anything they may need to be aware of before making a booking.

Ask them what they need

It’s important that you do not assume whether a guest has a disability or not. During the booking process it is beneficial to ask if they have any special requirements. If you learn that a guest is disabled and you aren’t sure what they will need, then just ask! Alternatively, seek out an appropriate organisation for advice and guidance.

Create an accessibility guide

Providing disabled guests with honest and accurate information is vital. An accessibility guide can be provided to guests prior to their stay. It’s helpful to make this readily available on your website.

These helpful guides enable visitors to make an informed decision as to whether your holiday cottage is right for them. The document should be clear and honest, and highlight any areas that could cause access issues for some visitors. Visit Britain provide indepth guidance on writing an accessibilty guide.

Do you employ staff?

Education is the key to understanding therefore providing staff with appropriate training is important. Training can make a huge difference to a disabled guest’s stay. As you welcome guests into your holiday cottages, you should be putting any training into practice. Ensure that your guests know how, where and when they can ask for help or assistance.

Go the extra mile

One of the best things you can do for a disabled guest is to go the extra mile. Providing them with any help or support that they need can ensure that their stay is a positive one. Little touches like a large print welcome pack for visually impaired guests can make their visit easier and more enjoyable.

Please note this article is only an initial guide to the Equality Act 2010, for matters specific to your own holiday cottage business seek legal advice.

For more information on the Equality Act 2010 visit the link below: 

Need an insurance quote for your holiday let or cottage complex? Give us a call us on 01237 429444.

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insure your home and holiday home

Why insure your home and holiday let together?

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insure your home and holiday home As specialists in holiday let insurance we advise thousands of holiday cottage owners across the United kingdom. Providing them with policies tailored to the unique needs of their holiday homes. We also offer many of them that same level of service when it comes to insuring their own home. Whether you live onsite or miles from your holiday let, there are benefits to having your insurance under one roof. So here are a few good reasons to insure your home and holiday let with one insurer.

Simplicity is bliss

Having a single provider brings with it simplicity. All of your policies can be brought in line with a single renewal date. Meaning both payments can be taken at the same time. This can bring peace of mind, remove uncertainty and reduce the level of admin you need to undertake in relation to insuring your home and holiday let.

A lack of grey areas

This simplicity extends to when you need to make a claim. If you live on the same site as your holiday cottage(s) there can sometimes be a degree of confusion as to who you need to contact. For example, if an accident were to occur between your house and your holiday home, where is the boundary drawn and which policy should you claim under?

Having it all under a single provider allows you the comfort of knowing who to contact, no matter what the circumstances or the query you may have.

What if you live onsite?

Holiday letting can take many forms, such as an annexe attached to your home, or a complex of holiday cottages in your grounds. If you live onsite it is almost always best for you to insure your home and holiday let property with the same insurer so there is no doubt who will deal with a claim when one arises.

What if you live miles away from your holiday cottage?

It’s not uncommon for holiday homeowners to live a considerable distance from their cottage.  In this case, having your home and holiday home insurance with a single provider can be particularly beneficial when you use the property for your own vacations. In this example you’ll always know that anything you take with you such as personal possessions, valuables and sports equipment including bikes can be covered without ambiguity.

Continuity of service

The good news is when you contact us you’re likely to speak to someone you’ve dealt with before. Our holiday homeowners are never passed from pillar to post; no matter what your question or which policy you’re wanting to talk to us about, you’ll speak to an experienced member of the Boshers team.

The benefits of specialism

We specialise in holiday home insurance and speak with cottage owners every day of the week. We bring our knowledge and experience to ensure that your home and holiday let both have the most suitable cover. Should the worse happen, we always aim to support you in getting back on your feet. Our understanding of your circumstances plays a big role in ensuring we’re able to achieve this. Speak with our team today. They’ll highlight other reasons to insure your home and holiday let together through Boshers.

Boshers offer specialist holiday home and property insurance to holiday cottage owners across the country. For more information on our policies have a look around Boshers website. For a quote or to ask any question please give our team a call on 01237 429444.

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fire risk assessment

Fire Risk Assessment Tool for Holiday Homeowners

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fire risk assessmentHave you considered what would happen if your holiday home became the victim of fire? Whilst we hope it won’t happen to us, there are more than 40,000 house fires across the UK each year. Therefore it’s vital that holiday let owners are aware of the consequences a fire could have on their holiday home.

Above all owners should:

  • take preventative measures
  • outline these measures in a written fire risk assessment

This will help ensure that the risks of one occurring are effectively minimised keeping you and your guests safe.

The law and fire regulations

When it comes to the law, all businesses, regardless of size, are required to comply with the Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order 2005. A key aspect of effective compliance is for you to undertake a fire risk assessment for your holiday home, which will identify any potential fire risks and the measures you need to put in place to control them.

Whilst only businesses that employ five or more staff are required to keep a written record of this assessment, it’s recommended that you keep a document outlining your own approach to fire safety in order to prove that you’ve fulfilled your legal requirements.

Creating a fire risk assessment

Many of us won’t have ever needed to create a risk assessment of any kind. So if you’re a new cottage owner or haven’t already got a fire risk assessment in place it can be difficult to know where to start. For this reason, VisitEngland has created a useful fire risk assessment template in collaboration with the National Fire Chiefs Council.

To carry out your own fire risk assessment please click here: VisitBritain – Fire Risk Assessment Template

Remember that this is only a template and should only be used in order to complete some of the core areas of your own fire risk assessment. Every cottage will have its own unique set of requirements. Do give careful consideration to your own holiday home and any potential risks to your property and to your guests.

Review your fire risk assessment

Your holiday letting property together with potential fire risks can change over time. Therefore it’s important to emphasise that your fire risk assessment should be regularly reviewed. Ensure that any actions required within your assessment are carried out, where necessary by a qualified professional (for example Portable Appliance Testing), and that your document is updated accordingly.

Your holiday let insurance

We know that fire can have a devastating impact on any holiday home business. This is especially so if your holiday home were to become uninhabitable at a busy time of the year.

Insurance is there to help you through tough times. If a fire were to make your cottage uninhabitable you would not only face the potential bill to fix the issue, but also be left facing a loss of rental income.

For this reason, our own policy automatically covers cottage owners for up to two years’ loss of rental income. As standard, cover is included up to a sum of £75,000 (£37,500 per annum) for loss of gross rental income. Giving you as an owner peace of mind should your property become unavailable as the result of fire. Does your holiday home have an annual gross rental income in excess of £37,500 per annum (£75,000 over two years)? We provide additional cover for holiday cottage complexes and for larger properties on request.

Further information including links to useful guidance and documents are available here – Fire Safety Law for Holiday Homeowners

Boshers offer specialist holiday home insurance to owners across the UK. For information on how we can help and support your holiday home business call us on 01237 429444.

Please note that this article gives only an overview of Fire Risk Assessments for Holiday Lets and we suggest you take advice from a qualified professional before making any decisions in this area if you are not confident of using the above fire risk assessment tool.

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hotpoint fridge Holiday Home

Have you one of these Hotpoint Fridge Freezers in your Holiday Home?

hotpoint fridge Holiday HomeInvestigations into the tragic fire at Grenfell Tower have pointed towards a faulty Hotpoint fridge freezer being the cause. The government said that further tests are being carried out by the manufacturer. However it has already been confirmed that model was not subject to any product recall.

Whirlpool, who owns Hotpoint, said: “We offer our most profound condolences to the victims, those who have lost loved ones, homes, and possessions, and to their friends and families.”

As holiday home insurance specialists we feel a duty to help you as a holiday homeowner to keep informed in order to help you protect your family, friends and paying guests and keep them safe.

What should you do if you have a Hotpoint Fridge Freezer in your home or holiday home?

Anyone who has a white Hotpoint fridge freezer model number FF175BP or graphite fridge freezer model number FF175BG should register their appliance with the manufacturer to receive any updates. Generally, the model number is found on a bar code on a sticker behind the salad container in the fridge.

These models were discontinued in 2009, however 64,000 were sold between March 2006 and July 2009. It is not known how many are still in use. Owners should ring 0800 316 3826 or visit the Hotpoint website.

House fires connected to fridge freezers and other electrical appliances are all too common, thus empahising the importance of regular inspections and PAT Testing of the appliances in your holiday home. Further guidance for holiday homeowners on electrical and fire sfety can be found by following the links below:

Boshers offer specialist holiday home insurance to owners across the UK. Require a quote for your holiday apartment, cottage or complex? Please give us a call on 01237 429444.

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A History of England in 100 Places

History of England in 100 Places: How Holiday Cottage Owners can get involved

A History of England in 100 PlacesWhen it comes to culture and history there are few places in the world that can compete with England; it’s rich and unique tapestry of tradition attracts millions of visitors from around the world every year. Historic England in partnership with our holiday home insurance underwriter Ecclesiastical Insurance are now asking for your help in creating the History of England in 100 Places.

They’re currently looking for people to nominate the historical hotspots that they love or that are local to them to be promoted in a handbook to be launched and heavily promoted in July 2018.

There will be 10 different categories, with each category being whittled down to just 10 entrants by celebrity judges including Lord Robert Winston, Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson and George Clarke.

Why suggest your local landmark?

As a holiday cottage owner, you’ll know that local landmarks and attractions draw crowds. Whether your holiday cottage is in Stratford and a stone’s throw from the birthplace of one of the greatest playwright’s the world has ever seen, or you’re close to the historical mine in Cornwall currently being made famous by Aiden Turner in Poldark, you’re likely to see visitor numbers increased by your proximity. Nominating your local landmarks gives your location the chance to be further promoted and for you to enjoy the rise in visitor numbers.

How do you submit an entry?

The good news is that it’s quick and easy to nominate your local landmark or historical hotspot. All you need to do is visit the link below and hit the NOMINATE NOW button:

A History of England in 100 Places – categories:

A full list of categories is as follows:

How well do you know our history? 

Ecclesiastical has been a strong supporter of Historic England (part of English Heritage) for over 20 years, enjoying a close working partnership from sharing advice and expertise on technical issues through to supporting initiatives and events. The partnership between these two organisations is due to their mutual respect and passion for historical buildings and places.

Boshers offer specialist holiday home insurance to owners across the UK. Require a quote for your holiday apartment, cottage or complex? Please give us a call on 01237 429444.

 

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Insurance Premium Tax

Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) increases again from 1st June 2017

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Insurance Premium TaxIn the 2016 Autumn Statement, the Chancellor confirmed an increase of 2.0% in the standard rate of Insurance Premium Tax (IPT). [The tax paid each time an insurance policy is purchased in the UK]. The increase is effective for new policies and renewals due on or after the 1st June 2017.

The standard rate of IPT is therefore rising from 10% to 12%. This is the second increase in the past 12 months.

This change will affect the majority of policies purchased by private individuals and small businesses including insurance for self-catering holiday lets where the risks are located in the UK.

Insurance Premium Tax increase effective 1st June 2017

Affected insurance policies with a start date after 31st May 2017 will have IPT charged at the new rate. This will increase the cost of a Holiday Home Insurance policy with a net premium of £500 by £10.00 bringing the total premium to £560 including Insurance Premium Tax at 12.0%.

Higher rate IPT remains unchanged at 20% and applies to:

  • travel insurance
  • warranties for some mechanical and electrical goods

According to the Treasury the IPT increase will bring in an additional £4.06bn for the Treasury by 2022*. This was the second largest revenue raiser in the Summer Budget.

James Dalton, director of general insurance policy at the Association of British Insurers (ABI), called on the government to halt the increase.

“This tax penalises hard working families, as well as businesses, who have done the right thing by taking out insurance to protect against many of life’s uncertainties,” he said. “This latest hike must be the last. The next government must freeze this tax, to give hard working households and businesses a break.”

Insurance Premium Tax was first introduced to the UK in 1994. The rise on the 1st June is the 6th increase in the standard rate since its introduction:

  • From 1 October 1994, a single rate of 2.5% was charged
  • 1 April 1997: increased to 4%
  • 1 July 1999: increased to 5%
  • 4 January 2011: increased to 6%
  • 1 November 2015: increased to 9.5%
  • 1 October 2016: increased to 10%

*This is according to HMRC’s own figures summarising the impact of the move.

Boshers offer specialist holiday home insurance to owners across the UK. Require a quote for your holiday apartment, cottage or complex? Please give us a call on 01237 429444.

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heating oil tank

Heating oil tanks and preventive maintenance

heating oil tank

Domestic oil storage tank in a rusty state.

From gas boilers to ground source heat pumps, there are an array of options for heating your holiday home. Some will have turned to renewable energy to supplement or replace more traditional heating fuels. Meanwhile many rural holiday homeowners still rely on heating oil to keep their cottage warm.

There are benefits of having a heating oil tank, such as reliability and convenience however they also require care and maintenance. Let’s have a look at what you should be doing to maintain your system so it runs efficiently and effectively.

Annual service

Just as your car needs an MOT each year, your heating oil tank and system requires an annual service and inspection. This should be carried out by a technician who is registered with Oftec (the Oil Firing Technical Association). If you’re not sure if a business is registered with Oftec check their accreditation. To do this and search for local engineers visit their website here.

Regular checks

Regular checks can save vast amounts of money and damage by spotting issues early.
It’s really important not to rest on the laurels of an annual check and believe that this represents a job done. As with other areas of your holiday home, it’s vital that your oil tank is checked on a regular basis, and that this is included in your standard holiday home maintenance checklist.

If you live away from your holiday home, ensure that someone has the responsibility of checking the oil tank and that they keep a record of each time it is checked.

It can be prudent to undertake checks more regularly during the winter months. During this time the tank will also be exposed to the worst of the British winter weather.

What to look for

First and foremost, see if you can find any signs of damage or wear. Bulges, scratches, rust, and even discolouration can be a sign that there is something wrong. It can be useful to have pictures of the tank when it was new so you can compare any possible discolouration.

Vents and gauges should be securely closed, as any rainwater, insects, or dirt that gets in could cause some serious damage to both the tank and your oil.

You will also need to look around the tank, ensuring that no plants are growing near it and that access to the oil tank is clear.

Alarms and gauges must be working properly, so check them as you would the smoke alarm in your home. A faulty alarm could prevent you from realising that your oil supply has reached a critical level, thus leaving your guests without heating.

The risk of water

Water is one of the biggest threats to oil heating tanks. It can damage and corrode heating systems, and reduce the efficiency of your oil. It is sensible to take precautions to ensure that water doesn’t find its way in.

If you suspect that your tank has been invaded by water, there are two checks you can undertake. Firstly, take a look at the bottom of the tank; if there are signs of a darkened area this could be erosion caused by water. Alternatively, you can use a water-finding paste which is put onto a long stick and dipped into the tank. The colour the paste turns will inform you if there is water in your tank.

Oil leaks

Causing pollution is illegal, and oil can be harmful to the environment, therefore If you discover a leak or spill it needs to be fixed immediately. Call in a professional to repair the leak. If you discover a leak which leads to a spill call the Environment Agency’s 24-hour incident hotline on 0800 807060. It would also be wise to call your insurers as soon as you are aware of the incident.

Are you seeking a holiday home insurance provider for a rural holiday cottage or complex with oil fired heating? It’s important to ensure you have the right cover.

If you have questions about heating oil tanks and your holiday home insurance policy, get in touch via cottages@boshers.co.uk or give our team a call. 

Boshers offer specialist holiday home insurance to owners across the UK. Require a quote for your holiday apartment, cottage or complex? Please give us a call on 01237 429444.

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