2025 site fees and 2024/25 rates now included
Ownership lodge winter

Winter Top Tips

Dear Ambassadors,

As the nights draw in and we begin to look towards the winter ahead, our thoughts may drift toward the new year. We want you to return to your holiday home in 2025, relaxed and ready to enjoy another season.

Remember, it's better to prevent an incident than to perform what could be an expensive cleanup or repair afterward. We’ve put together some top tips and a checklist to help keep your holiday home safe this winter:

  1. Book a drain down to be performed on your holiday home. Remember, if water is present, it can freeze; remove it, and nothing can freeze.
  2. Turn your stopcock off every time you leave your holiday home between 31st October and 1st March, or whenever your insurance requires. If your stopcock is left on, your insurance may not cover damage caused by burst or overflowing water pipes.
  3. Close all windows and skylights securely to minimize moisture entering your holiday home.
  4. Empty and clean out fridges and freezers, disconnect them from the power supply, and leave the doors ajar to allow fresh air circulation.
  5. Leave internal doors open to allow airflow throughout your holiday home. This will help prevent condensation buildup.
  6. Stack any removable upholstery and mattresses away from outer walls and place them in the middle of the room.
  7. Remove or secure any furniture on your decking to prevent it from being blown away or overturned during the winter months.
  8. Place moisture traps around the rooms in your holiday home. These will help absorb condensation in the air and reduce the likelihood of mold buildup. Bowls of salt can be used for this purpose, but many supermarkets sell affordable moisture traps that work well.
  9. For security, remove all valuables, leave cupboards and curtains open, and place a sign in the window indicating that no valuables have been left in the holiday home.
  10. Have your combination boiler or water heaters serviced to help prevent unexpected breakdowns when you return in the spring.
  11. If you plan to or currently rent out your holiday home, ensure you have a current Landlord Gas Safety Certificate and a valid Electrical Installation Condition Report.

Please note that during the closed period, we may need to disrupt services to your holiday home for essential maintenance, meaning it could be without gas and/or electricity at times.

Should you require any further assistance or advice, please contact your estates team:

  • SFdraindown@shorefield.co.uk for Shorefield Country Park and New Forest Lodge Retreat.
  • ODdraindown@shorefield.co.uk for Oakdene Forest Park, Forest Edge Holiday Park, Merley Court, or Wilksworth Farm Holiday Park.
  • Swanagereception@shorefield.co.uk for Swanage Coastal Park.

Regards,

Dave Black, Group Head of Health, Safety, and Estates

Read On