Home watch: regular checks for homes nobody lives in
Home watch exists for one situation: a home that stands empty for weeks or months at a time. Nobody is there to notice the small things a resident spots in minutes, such as a drip under the sink, a drain that has dried out, the first bloom of mould on a wardrobe wall. A home watch visit is a scheduled, structured walk through the property that catches those things while they are still cheap to fix.
At Home Watch Athens, the founder visits each member’s home once a month and goes inside every time. He works through a 12-item checklist: airing the property, running heating, air conditioning and hot water, checking for leaks, moisture, odours and pests, flushing taps and toilets, clearing balcony drains, inspecting the electric panel, and collecting the mail. You receive a timestamped photo report on WhatsApp after each visit. If something needs attention, you are told first, costs are quoted in advance, and nothing goes ahead without your approval. You can see everything we check on every visit in our checklist guide.
[Video embed here: “What A Real Home Watch Actually Looks Like”]
Home watch has limits, and it is better to know them. A monthly visit finds a problem within weeks, not within hours. It is not a security guard and it does not replace insurance. What it gives you is a routine, a person accountable for it, and a record.
Property management: built for rented homes and tenants
Property management is a different service for a different situation. It exists to run a home that is let: finding and vetting tenants, collecting rent, handling bookings, and dealing with repairs as tenants report them. If your Athens apartment is rented out, that is the service you need, and you should choose a manager who specialises in lettings.
We do not offer that, and it is worth saying plainly. Home Watch Athens does not manage rentals, tenants or Airbnbs. Some property managers do inspect homes, but those inspections are driven by the tenancy, not by the needs of an empty property. If nobody is living in or renting your home, you are paying for a service built around a situation you do not have.
House sitter: someone living in the home
A house sitter moves in for a set period and looks after the home by living in it. For some owners that is exactly right. Lights go on and off, post gets collected, plants are watered, pets are cared for, and an occupied home is less obviously empty from the street.
The trade-offs are practical. You are handing your keys and your home to a person you may not know well, so references matter. Utility use, wear and any damage need to be agreed in writing before they arrive. And a sitter is not a trained inspector. They are living in the property, not walking through it against a list, so a slow leak behind a cupboard can go unnoticed for weeks. If you use a sitter, tell your insurer, because how a policy defines “occupied” varies and some require the home to be slept in.
A friend or relative: free, but what happens in year three?
For many owners, a friend, neighbour or relative is where it starts, and there is nothing wrong with that. If someone lives ten minutes away, has a key, goes inside, photographs each room and keeps dated notes, that can be a genuinely good arrangement. Nobody cares about your home more than someone who loves you.
The problem is rarely goodwill. It is consistency. Friends go on holiday, fall ill, change jobs or move away. Visits slip from monthly to “when I’m passing”. Nobody is sure what to look for, so a check becomes a glance through the door. There are no photos, so nobody can say when the last visit was. And asking a favour for the third year running gets awkward, so owners stop asking.
“I spent years in London wondering what was happening inside my own home in Athens. The people who helped me were kind and willing. What was missing was a routine and a record. A friend will happily check your flat in March, but by the third year nobody remembers when the last visit was, and there is no photo to show for it. Care without consistency is not oversight.”
Yanis, Founder of Home Watch Athens
You may also come across two other Athens services. Key holding means a company keeps your keys safe and can let in tradespeople or respond if an alarm goes off. A caretaker for your building looks after the shared parts of the block. Both are useful, but unless you agree it explicitly, neither includes a checklist inspection of the inside of your own apartment.
What your insurer needs to see, whoever you choose
Whichever option you pick, your insurer has a view, and it is worth reading your policy before you leave.
According to the Financial Ombudsman Service, most home insurance policies stop covering certain events, such as theft, malicious damage and escape of water, once a home has been left unoccupied for a set period, usually 30 or 60 days. Wording differs from policy to policy, and the definition of “unoccupied” is not always clear.
Some policies go further and attach an inspection condition. Intelligent Insurance reports that common requirements are a visit every 7, 14 or 30 days, usually set out in an endorsement rather than the main policy wording. Three points follow from this:
- Go inside. Insurers expect the inspection to include the interior. A drive-by does not count.
- Keep dated records. Notes and photos are what turn a visit into evidence. A verbal “it was fine” will not help in a claim.
- Who does the check is flexible, the records are not. A friend or neighbour can usually carry out the inspection, provided they keep the same records.
Match the interval to the arrangement. A monthly check fits a 30-day condition. If your policy asks for visits every 7 or 14 days, a monthly visit alone will not meet it, and you will need more frequent visits or a different arrangement. Tell your insurer before you leave, ask for the inspection requirement in writing, and remember that no service can guarantee a claim outcome. This is general information, not insurance or legal advice. Check your own policy wording with your insurer or broker, and you can always consult a lawyer for legal questions.
How to choose: five questions to ask yourself
- Is anyone renting the home? If yes, you need a lettings-focused property manager, not home watch.
- Does someone need to live there? For pets, a very long absence or a home that must look occupied, a house sitter may suit you best.
- What does your insurance say? Find the unoccupancy period, the inspection interval and who is allowed to carry out the checks.
- Could your friend still do this in year three? Picture them ill, on holiday or living elsewhere. Would they still go inside, take photos and keep notes?
- Who acts when something goes wrong? If a neighbour reports water on the ceiling, who has the keys, who calls the plumber and who is authorised to approve the cost?
If your answers point towards regular checks, documented visits and one accountable person, that is what our home watch service in Athens provides. Home Watch Athens is a founder-led property oversight service with limited membership, and you can read our complete guide to property oversight in Athens for the full picture. Prefer to talk it through? Get in touch through the Home Watch Athens home page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between home watch and property management?
Home watch looks after a home nobody lives in, with regular checks and reports. Property management runs a rented home: tenants, rent, bookings and repairs.
Is a friend enough to look after my home in Greece?
It can be, if they visit regularly, go inside, and keep dated photos and notes. Most arrangements weaken over time because it is a favour, not a job.
Do I need a house sitter?
Only if you want someone living in the home. For most holiday homes, regular checks do the job without anyone staying there.
Does home watch satisfy insurers?
Documented, regular inspections are what insurers usually ask for. Check your own policy’s wording for the exact interval, as some require visits more often than monthly.