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Holiday home energy costs: what a vacant property still charges you

A second home costs money even when no one is there. Here is what the daily supply charge and standby loads add up to, and what to switch off between visits.

By EnergySorted Editorial Team · Updated · 5 min read

You pay even when nobody is home

A holiday house or second property has a running cost that surprises many owners: the daily supply charge. This is a fixed fee — often somewhere around 90c to $1.50 a day depending on your network — that you pay simply for being connected to the grid, before you use a single kWh. Over a year that is a few hundred dollars for a home that might be occupied only a handful of weekends.

On top of the supply charge sit the standby and background loads that tick over while the place is empty: a fridge left running, a hot-water system kept hot, standby power drawn by TVs, modems and appliances left plugged in, and any security or pool equipment. Individually small, together they mean a vacant home is rarely a zero-usage home.

What to switch off between visits

  1. Empty and switch off the fridge and freezer if the gap between visits is long — leave the doors ajar to stop them going mouldy.
  2. Turn the hot-water system off or to a holiday/vacation setting so you are not keeping a tank hot for an empty house.
  3. Switch off standby loads at the wall: TVs, entertainment units, microwaves, modems and chargers all draw a trickle continuously.
  4. Reduce or timer the pool pump and any bore or irrigation pumps to the minimum the pool actually needs while unused.
  5. Leave on only what must stay on — a security system, a fridge you are keeping stocked, or frost protection — and consider a couple of smart plugs or timers so lights and heating are not running for nobody.

Match the plan to a low-usage home

A property that sits empty most of the time has an unusual usage shape: very low total kWh but a full daily supply charge every day. That changes which plan is cheapest. For a low-usage home the supply charge is the dominant cost, so a plan with a low daily charge often beats one with a tempting low usage rate — the opposite of the advice for a busy family home.

This is exactly the kind of nuance a headline-rate comparison misses. EnergySorted costs 16,000+ plans against the property's real usage, supply charge included, with no retailer commission — so for a rarely used holiday home it can steer you to the plan with the lowest fixed cost rather than the flashiest c/kWh.

Watch for estimated bills on an empty house

Vacant properties are prime candidates for estimated bills, because a meter reader may struggle to access a locked-up holiday home. An estimate based on past usage can overstate what an empty house actually used, so it is worth submitting a self-read before you leave, or checking whether your bill says "estimated".

Keeping an eye on the trend also helps you spot a fault — a hot-water element or pump running constantly in an empty house shows up as a background load that should not be there. EnergySorted's bill forecasting can flag when a supposedly quiet property is drawing more than it should.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my holiday home have a bill when no one lives there?

The daily supply charge — a fixed connection fee of roughly 90c to $1.50 a day — applies every day regardless of usage. Add standby loads from a fridge, hot water and plugged-in appliances, and even an empty house is never truly zero.

What should I switch off when I leave a holiday home?

For long gaps, empty and switch off the fridge and freezer, turn the hot-water system off or to a vacation setting, switch standby loads off at the wall, and minimise pool and irrigation pumps. Leave on only essentials like a security system.

What kind of energy plan suits a rarely used property?

One with a low daily supply charge. Because a vacant home uses little power but pays the fixed charge every day, the supply charge dominates the bill — so a low fixed cost usually beats a low usage rate for this type of property.

Should I turn off the hot water at a holiday house?

Yes, for anything beyond a short absence. Keeping a tank hot for an empty house wastes energy every day. Switch it off or use a holiday setting, and turn it back on ahead of your next visit so it has time to heat.

How do I avoid an overestimated bill on a vacant home?

Submit a self-read before you leave, or check whether your bill says "estimated". A locked-up holiday home is hard to read, so estimates based on past usage can overstate what an empty house actually used.

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General information only, current at the time of writing — not financial advice. Rebate schemes and rules change; always confirm details with your retailer or state government energy site.