How much does home watch cost? A homeowner's guide

What home watch services typically charge, what should be included at that price, and the questions worth asking before you hand anyone a key.

If you are leaving a property empty for a season and wondering what it costs to have someone keep an eye on it, the honest answer is that it varies a lot by where you are and by what you want done. What matters more than the number is what you are getting for it.

How it is usually priced

Most operators charge per visit, or a monthly fee based on how often they come. Weekly is the most common pattern for a house left empty for months; fortnightly is common for shorter absences. Some insurers require a documented visit at a set interval for cover to hold on an unoccupied property, so it is worth checking your policy before deciding how often you need somebody.

What should be included

A walk-through of the interior and exterior against a written checklist, and a report afterwards with photographs and the date and time of the visit. If you are not getting a report with pictures, you are paying for an assurance you cannot check.

What is usually extra

Anything that takes real time or carries real risk: waiting for a contractor, storm preparation, running the car, arranging cleaning before you arrive, managing a repair. That is normal, and a good operator will tell you the rate up front instead of surprising you later.

Questions worth asking

Are you insured, and does your policy cover damage to property in your care? What exactly is on your checklist? Will I get photographs? How quickly do you call me if something is wrong? What happens if you are ill or away? Can I see a sample report?

That last one is the most revealing question you can ask. An operator who can hand you a real report in thirty seconds is running a real business.

Cheapest is rarely cheapest

The failure mode in this trade is a drive-by: someone looks at the outside of the house, sends a text saying all is well, and never goes in. It is very cheap and it catches none of the things that actually destroy houses, all of which are inside — water, air conditioning, mould. The gap between that and a genuine interior inspection is the whole value of the service.