Leaving Your Student House Over Christmas: Your Essential Winter Checklist

Heading home for Christmas? Follow this essential winter checklist for students to keep your house safe, warm, clean and damage-free while you’re away.

Leaving Your Student House Over Christmas: The No-Nonsense Checklist

Heading home for Christmas? Amazing. Leaving your student house unchecked for two or three weeks? That’s where problems start.

Every Christmas we see the same avoidable issues crop up: frozen pipes, mould explosions, tripped electrics, bin smells that could knock out a small animal. None of this is complicated to prevent — it just needs a bit of common sense before you lock the door and disappear.

Here’s how to leave your student house properly over the Christmas period and come back to somewhere that hasn’t turned into a health hazard.

1. Heating: Don’t Turn It Off Completely

This is the big one.

You might think turning the heating off saves money. In winter, it can actually cost far more.

• Set the heating to “frost protect” or low constant heat (usually around 12–15°C)

• If your boiler has a frost setting, use it

• Leave internal doors open so heat can circulate

• Never turn the boiler off at the wall in winter

Why this matters: frozen pipes burst. Burst pipes flood houses. Flooded houses ruin possessions and cause months of disruption. Frost protection exists for a reason — use it.

2. Windows: Closed, Locked, and Ventilated

Before you go:

• Close and lock all windows

• Make sure trickle vents (small vents at the top of windows) are open if you have them

• Don’t leave windows wide open “for airflow” — that just makes the house colder and increases damp risk

A cold, sealed house with no ventilation equals condensation. Condensation equals mould. Controlled airflow is the goal, not arctic temperatures.

3. Lights & Electrics: Power Down What You Can

Do a quick walk-through of every room.

• Turn off all lights

• Unplug chargers, extension leads, hair tools, gaming consoles

• Leave essential appliances only (fridge/freezer, boiler, alarms)

This reduces fire risk and stops you paying for phantom electricity usage while you’re not even there.

4. Bins: Take Them Out. All of Them.

If you remember nothing else, remember this.

• Empty kitchen bins

• Empty bedroom bins

• Take recycling out too

• Put bins out for collection if one is due while you’re away

Food waste + heating + time = smells, flies, and bin juice you do not want to deal with in January.

5. Kitchen: Clean It Like You’re Moving Out (Almost)

You don’t need to deep clean the oven, but you do need to remove anything that will rot.

• Throw away food that will go off

• Wipe down worktops

• Clean the sink and drain

• Empty the dishwasher

• Take perishables out of bedrooms (yes, this includes that forgotten takeaway box)

A wiped kitchen massively reduces smells, pests, and bacteria build-up.

6. Bathrooms: Dry Is Your Friend

Bathrooms left damp for weeks are mould factories.

• Wipe down sinks and shower trays

• Make sure extractor fans are switched off (not running constantly)

• Leave bathroom doors slightly open so air can circulate

If you’ve had mould issues before, this step isn’t optional.

7. Fridge & Freezer: Quick Sense Check

You don’t need to empty the fridge completely, but be sensible.

• Bin food with short expiry dates

• Seal open packets properly

• Make sure the fridge door closes fully

If you’re all leaving and the fridge is nearly empty, consider turning it off only if it’s fully emptied and cleaned. Otherwise, leave it running.

8. Security: Lock It Like You Mean It

It sounds obvious. People still forget.

• Lock all doors and windows

• Double-check back doors and side entrances

• Don’t leave spare keys visible

• Avoid posting on social media that the house is empty

Empty student houses are easy targets over Christmas. Make yours boring to break into.

9. Final Walk-Through (Do This Last)

Before the last person leaves:

• Heating set correctly

• Lights off

• Bins out

• Windows locked

• Front door locked

Two minutes now saves weeks of hassle later.

Why This Matters

Damage caused by neglect over winter can:

• Ruin personal belongings

• Lead to disputes between housemates

• Delay repairs when you return

• Create mould and damp issues that affect health

None of that is worth it for the sake of a rushed exit.

Bottom Line

Leaving your student house for Christmas isn’t just about locking the door. It’s about leaving the property warm, clean, dry, and secure.

Do it properly, and you’ll come back in January to a house that feels like home, not a problem.