Leaving Condo/apartment Unattended For 6 Months During The Summer Time

[IsaanUSA]

I have plenty of experience with closing down a house for a North American winter so it can sit unattended for 6 months, but how about a condo in Thailand during the summer? How do you prepare a condo to sit for 6 months unattended during the summer? I imagine it gets pretty hot and humid inside the space, so does that create a problem for electronic devices? Do you seal up windows and doors to help stop bugs and small animals? Do you leave clothes hanging up in the closet or put them in bags to prevent damage from insects/animals?

I have zero experience with this, so any info provided is appreciated. Thank you

[roiethome]

I often leave my condo in Bangkok for three month periods while I am working in other countries in Asia.

Always left my clothes hanging in wardrobe with no issues.

Make arrangements to pay for the electricity and water while you are away, otherwise it will be cut off before you return, we leave the refrigerator and freezer running.

We only close the windows but do put down a few roach traps or poison in case any get in from other condos.

Should be no problem.

[BlackPuddingBertha]

I often leave my condo in Bangkok for three month periods ....... we leave the refrigerator and freezer running.

I think this is dangerous. If your water sprung a leak or there was a fire due to faulty electrics you could have some big problems.

When I leave my condo to go to the UK for a week I turn off all the electricity and water at the main switch/stopcock. And I leave the fridge door open to avoid mould.

For less than a week I would leave the electricity on (assuming that I had something in the fridge, otherwise I wouldn't bother) but I would still turn off the water.

[meatboy]

why are you worrying get yourself a gf.problem solved.

[JusMe]

I've done it a few years now, six months each way.

Unplug just about everything except the refrigerator, and be sure you lock the front door.

Never had a problem.

[WilliaminBKK]

As above, I put cling film over the toilet bowls. I returned once and the bowl had completely dried out and was seriously stained I had to replace the gasket and the odours well just say I learnt my lesson. Closets open to allow air flow, and in terms of little friends I spread borax everywhere. Locks on windows and doors, and best if a friend can do a monthly inspection, flyers, delivery attempts etc.

[FalangBaa]

Why on earth would you want to leave your apartment closed for 6 months? You're losing serious rental income. Lease it out! Leaving it standing empty... AND leaving the refrigerator switched on all that time! That will cost you a lot in electricity AND lost earnings. Are you insane?

[Langsuan Man]

Why on earth would you want to leave your apartment closed for 6 months? You're losing serious rental income. Lease it out! Leaving it standing empty... AND leaving the refrigerator switched on all that time! That will cost you a lot in electricity AND lost earnings. Are you insane?

You know some people retire to Thailand and don't have to squeeze every penny out of their assets here. Who in the world wants to have to deal with tenants, you own things so that you don't have to deal with landlords or be one for that matter

[BlackPuddingBertha]

Why on earth would you want to leave your apartment closed for 6 months? You're losing serious rental income. Lease it out! Leaving it standing empty... AND leaving the refrigerator switched on all that time! That will cost you a lot in electricity AND lost earnings. Are you insane?

Leaving a fridge on for 6 months is indeed completely daft (cant imagine anything in it still being edible after that time anyway) but, as mentioned, not every one cares about lost income, and not everyone wants the hassle of moving all their stuff out of their condo in order to be able to let it. I wouldn't, for one.

And where to put your stuff anyway when you move it out? Rent another condo for storage, I suppose.

[JomtienEats]

not every one cares about lost income, and not everyone wants the hassle of moving all their stuff out of their condo in order to be able to let it.

Not everyone cares about lost income, but we should all care about waste. Everytime we waste something we control, we're depriving someone else of that value. Condos left empty are wasteful and it disappoints me to see people waste things simply because they can afford to.

Maybe the OP needs a housesitter?

[kwonitoy]

I've left my condo sitting for up to a year without any problems.

Close the water at the main supply valve, leave the fridge empty and running, uses 200 Baht of power per month

Power is on a debit plan with PEA so the bill is paid every month automatically, water is paid for at the condo office, put down 5,000 baht and they take what is owed every month. (min. of 50 baht per month)

Nothing special after that.

The place does get quite dirty inside, it has a large wraparound balcony and is beachfront so their is a lot of wind, and debris gets under the sliding doors to the balcony. I just got back from a quick trip down and it took a good cleaning lady 4 hours to spruce the place up nice and new.

I've never meant to leave it that long, I live in Thailand full time up north but this year it didn't seem to work out to get down to the beach.

As for renting it out or for the OP to do so, that's up to the individual. Personally I don't want anyone in my basically brand new condo and I don't need the hassell of tenants.

I don't see that as a waste anymore than parking my car at the airport for a month and not letting someone borrow it.

[BlackPuddingBertha]

.... leave the fridge empty and running ....

What on earth for?

Just turn it off and leave the door open.

[BlackPuddingBertha]

Not everyone cares about lost income, but we should all care about waste. Everytime we waste something we control, we're depriving someone else of that value. Condos left empty are wasteful and it disappoints me to see people waste things simply because they can afford to.

Maybe the OP needs a housesitter?

No real waste involved if the condo has it's power and water turned off. There must be thousands of unused condos in Thailand, and if there was a real demand for them they wouldn't be empty.

And you dont address the question of what to do with your personal stuff while someone else is renting your condo.

[JomtienEats]

I don't see that as a waste anymore than parking my car at the airport for a month and not letting someone borrow it.

A car is a bit different - it wears with usage, so there is little waste involved there with leaving it unused. Maybe a condo wears a little with usage too, but not in any kind of proportion to the wasted accommodation value. Note, I don't say it is a waste to you personally - you're probably acting rationally according to your preferences and wealth.

I look at waste in a societal or global way . . . if you were to burn a million dollars, the only waste is the production value of the banknotes, but if you destroy a million dollars of accommodation value through vacancy . . . that's real wealth being destroyed.

[JomtienEats]

There must be thousands of unused condos in Thailand, and if there was a real demand for them they wouldn't be empty.

Well I think it is a question of allocation - you could say that the world wastes half its food, and therefore there must be no real demand for it!

And you dont address the question of what to do with your personal stuff while someone else is renting your condo.

Well I wouldn't want to get off topic ;P

[kwonitoy]

.... leave the fridge empty and running ....

What on earth for?

Just turn it off and leave the door open.

Well firstly, the PEA likes to have something to charge for, and after 3 trips to their office in Banglamung with Chanote, condo bill of sale, copies of passport, visa, debit form from bank stamped ( in duplicate) etc, etc etc to get the debit working I don't want to mess with things.

Also as I said before the condo does get quite dirty and dusty and I don't want the interior of the fridge to get dirty

I forgot, the fridge isn't empty there's 1 beer inside.

Its 200 baht per month

[BlackPuddingBertha]

I had no trouble getting my direct debit set up. I just took my latest bill, my passport and the bank form (which my bank filled in for me). It took about 3 minutes. I dont see why not using any power for a few months should stop the direct debits from working, especially as many condos are left unused here for long periods.

As for the cold beer I would rather save the 200B a month and pop into 7/11 on my way back. Over 6 months 200B would pay for about 30 big cans of cold beer. And of course it is a greener solution.