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Why Your Condo Should NEVER be Unoccupied

Clean T.O: Why Your Condo Should NEVER be Unoccupied
October 2, 2017

Clean T.O: Why Your Condo Should NEVER be Unoccupied

 

So, you want to know why you should never leave your condo unoccupied? There are plenty of reasons, the biggest being maintenance and security. However, the health and safety of your condo is not all you have to worry about. In short, the City of Toronto is considering taxing homes that are left vacant for too long. When you think about it, it’s not such a bad thing given the supply and demand struggles of the Toronto housing market.

 

Clean T.O Why Your Condo Should NEVER be Unoccupied picture of ice rink
Clean T.O Why Your Condo Should NEVER be Unoccupied picture of ice rink

 

In the event that you’re not an overseas condo connoisseur, there are a few precautions you should take when you leave your condo unoccupied. This is true whether you are renting your condo for the first time, are in-between tenants or are just going away on a trip!

 

Going on a Trip?

 

Clean T.O Why Your Condo Should NEVER be Unoccupied Picture of Ship
Clean T.O Why Your Condo Should NEVER be Unoccupied Picture of Ship

 

Whether you’re going away for two weeks or three months, there are details about your condo you need to sort out. Firstly, do you have household insurance? If you do, be sure to check your insurance details carefully. This is because, some companies have rules about how long a home can be unoccupied before insurance kicks in. Now, we’ll let you in on the four essential things you should be doing with your condo the next time you go on a trip.

 

In Case of Emergency, Please Call…

 

Before your trip, appoint a trusted neighbour, friend or family member to be the ‘caretaker’ of your condo while you’re away. Sadly, no, your dog cannot be your caretaker- they lack the thumbs. However with that said, the caretaker’s duties are not difficult. In fact, the biggest role of the caretaker is to be your emergency contact.

 

Clean T.O Why Your Condo Should NEVER be Unoccupied Picture Of Dog
Clean T.O Why Your Condo Should NEVER be Unoccupied Picture of Dog

 

For instance, if you have an alarm system in your condo, make sure your caretaker knows all of it’s information and how to navigate it. Furthermore, if you have a monitored alarm system, make sure the alarm company has the contact details of your caretaker!  In addition, make sure your caretaker has the numbers of all people they would need to call in case of emergency. For instance, the condo manager, a neighbour, etc. Ultimately, if a dilemma unfolds while you’re away it should be handled as smooth as possible.

 

You’ve Got Mail!

 

Is mail a big part of your life? If you know you’re going to be away for a few weeks or months, notify your building manager or arrange to have your caretaker collect your mail and avoid a pile-up. However, if you need to read your mail regularly, you could purchase pre-paid envelopes and stamps, and ask your caretaker to send it your way! Alternatively, for a small price Canada Post will hold your mail until you return.

 

Clean T.O Why Your Condo Should NEVER be Unoccupied Picture of Mail
Clean T.O Why Your Condo Should NEVER be Unoccupied Picture of mail

 

Furthermore, a build up of mail is a red flag of an unoccupied condo. Apparently, residential-building thieves watch out for signs that a condo isn’t being lived in. With this is mind, it becomes even more important to ask your caretaker to check up on your place at least once a week. To explain further, check out this article for tips on how to ensure the security of your condo while you’re away.

 

Avoid Fire, it’s Easy

 

Right before you leave on your trip, walk-through your place and unplug all unnecessary cords and appliances. Furthermore, you should turn off any gadgets or power bars. Lastly, don’t forget about lamps, phone chargers, and televisions!

 

Clean T.O Why Your Condo Should NEVER be Unoccupied picture of plug
Clean T.O Why Your Condo Should NEVER be Unoccupied Picture of plug

 

In reality, not only will unplugging your electronics save on electricity, but you might save yourself from causing a fire due to overheating! Above all, living in a condo means being respectful of others in your building. In other words, your condo neighbours would not appreciate a fire! Therefore, play it safe and unplug.

 

Everything MUST GO

 

Okay, ‘Everything MUST GO’ is a little dramatic. However, you should start thinking about the food in your fridge. As a result of fridges being closed by default, people often forget to clear out food until it’s too late. In order to avoid that, throw out or give away any food that is due to expire before you get home. When it comes to your pantry, tightly seal anything that could attract rodents or bugs. While you’re at it, check out our other article to find out if you’re actually keeping your kitchen clean!

 

Clean T.O Why Your Condo Should NEVER be Unoccupied Picture of Fridge
Clean T.O Why Your Condo Should NEVER be Unoccupied picture of fridge

 

Great, you’ve cleaned out the fridge! But what about the rest of your place? Conversely, a little home cleaning before you go may feel unnecessary. On the contrary, nothing feels better than coming home to a clean space! However, if you don’t have the time to give your condo a good clean, consider hiring a professional cleaning service! When you hire a home cleaning service, you’ll have that ‘clean home feeling’, times a thousand! For more information, browse through our Basic, Basic Plus and Deep Cleaning packages to see if anything catches your eye.

 

So, You’re In-Between Tenants?

 

Clean T.O Why Your Condo Should NEVER be Unoccupied Picture of Hallway
Clean T.O Why Your Condo Should NEVER be Unoccupied Picture of hallway

 

If you’re not going on a trip, the only reason you should have an unoccupied condo if you’re planning to rent or sell. Luckily, that’s what vacant condos are best at! Now, we’re going to give you all the info you need to maintain your condo’s health during the selling or rental process. Later, you can check out our other article about how to sell your condo for tips on listing, staging and showing! Plus, you can check out our cleaning services for a sure-fire way to get your condo buyer-ready.

 

1.   Exercise Your Utilities

 

Planning on a few months of unoccupied condo maintenance? Unfortunately, when water isn’t being circulated regularly, sewer gases will accumulate in your drains. So, to keep your condo in mint condition, turn each tap on for a few moments every time you visit. Furthermore, if you have a garbage disposal in your kitchen, run it at the same time as the kitchen sink.

 

Clean T.O Why Your Condo Should NEVER be Unoccupied Picture of Drain
Clean T.O Why Your Condo Should NEVER be Unoccupied Picture of Drain

 

In reality, the consequences of not practising these home-care essentials aren’t severe. However, remember those accumulated sewer gases? Yea, that stagnant water sitting in the pipes will transform into a hideous odour the next time anyone turns on the tap. Ultimately, you want to avoid this, because nothing turns buyers off more than a bad smell!

 

2.   Maintain Toilets

 

Similar to running your taps, you should make a habit of flushing all the toilets! In addition to your taps, sewer gasses can accumulate in the toilet’s pipes. In addition, mold can accumulate in the toilet bowl when the lid remains closed for extended periods of time. However, like the water situation, the consequences aren’t deadly- just unattractive to potential buyers.

 

Clean T.O Why Your Condo Should NEVER be Unoccupied Picture Of Toilet
Clean T.O Why Your Condo Should NEVER be Unoccupied Picture of Toilet

 

Although you should always leave the seat down, remember to keep the toilet lid up! Additionally, a splash of morsel of vinegar, bleach or chlorine in your toilet bowl to prevent bacteria from growing. In fact, this is a great solution if you only plan on occasional home-cleaning in your unoccupied condo.

 

3.   Check, Check, Check!

 

There are two main things you want to check during your visit: the lights and smoke detectors. When you walk through the unoccupied condo, flip all the light switches in order to ensure you don’t have burnt out bulbs. After all, nothing creeps potential buyers out more than a dark room!

 

Clean T.O Why Your Condo Should NEVER be Unoccupied Picture of light
Clean T.O Why Your Condo Should NEVER be Unoccupied picture of light

 

Do you hear that chirping? In the event that you hear a beeping when visiting your unoccupied condo, it’s probably because the smoke detector needs new batteries. Moreover, a broken fire alarm is a breach of safety, so it’s a good thing you went to check on your place! If this is happening to you, try this step-by-step guide that will help you replace a beeping smoke detector. At the end of the day, better you catch these problems first than lose a buyer because of them!

 

 

Hungry for more?

 

This post was brought to you by Maid4Condos, a top-rated residential cleaning service dedicated to the people of Toronto. Maid4Condos has been a committed partner to the Toronto cleaning and construction scene for years, and continues to provide exceptional cleaning services to clients. Get a FREE quote & book your cleaning today or follow this link to learn more of what we’re all about!

 

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