What to do with your house

Your house is probably the biggest thing you own, unless you rent (information for renters at the bottom of the page).

If you own your home, you have 4 options (click on each for more in-depth info):

Get a printable 'What to do with your house' comparison chart (printer-friendly, opens in a new window). It shows what the pros and cons are for each option, and there's space to write in your own.

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Renters

If you rent your house or flat, you will probably choose to give it up. Some things to remember:

• Check your rental agreement carefully, as some now require 2 months' notice.
• You'll either need to find somewhere to stay for a bit before you go away, (to give yourself time to tie up loose ends), or hand over your bits and pieces to a trusted friend or relative.
• If you don't have access to a friend's or parents' garage to store your stuff, you'll need to look into professional storage. Find out more about secure self storage here.
• The last thing you want is a protracted wrangle over your deposit after you've left. Take some photos of your place just in case. If you're leaving the country less than a month after you move out, appoint a trusted person to ensure your deposit is returned.

If you're not going away for very long, and you want to hold onto your place:

• Let your insurance company know if your house is going to be empty for more than a month.
• Tell the council tax people.
• Have a neighbour come round to pick up the post, keep the garden tidy, check phone messages, etc. You don't want your place looking empty - it's a magnet for theives.

It is unusual to move out of a rented place and then move back in after 6 months or a year, but if you're attached to your place, it's always worth discussing it with the landlord or agent. Subletting is usually forbidden by your contract.

Where next?

Back to the What to do with your stuff page
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