VacantHomes.ca

How it works

Someone attends. You get proof. Problems get dealt with.

The whole service is three things, and the third is the one that separates a monitoring plan from a photograph of a front door.

  1. Add your property

    Where it is, why it will be empty, how long for, how often you want it attended, and anything already known about the building.

  2. We visit

    A scheduled attendance working through a checklist built for your property — its era, its systems, its known concerns.

  3. You get proof

    Photographs, notes, temperature, arrival and departure times, and a written report the same day.

  4. Something’s wrong? You’re notified

    Documented, classified by severity, and communicated immediately rather than in next week’s report.

  5. Need help? It gets coordinated

    With your authorisation, an appropriately licensed contractor is engaged, let in, and the work is documented and verified.

The visit

What gets checked

Exterior

Observed from ground level and accessible walkways. Nothing here requires ladders or roof access.

  • Doors and visible locks secure
  • Windows intact and closed
  • Visible exterior damage
  • Evidence of storm or hail impact
  • Fallen branches or tree damage
  • Roof concerns visible from the ground
  • Siding, eaves and downspouts
  • Driveway and walkways
  • Signs of attempted or forced entry
  • Unexpected vehicles or occupancy
  • Accumulated flyers, garbage or debris
  • Snow accumulation and ice hazards
  • Landscaping condition
  • Exterior lighting operating as set

Interior

Accessible areas only. Observational — no dismantling, no testing of concealed systems.

  • Interior temperature reading
  • Heating appears to be operating
  • Visible water, staining or damp
  • Unusual odours
  • Obvious plumbing concerns at accessible fixtures
  • Visible evidence of pests
  • Windows and interior doors
  • Unexpected damage
  • Electrical concerns visible without testing
  • Appliances, where included in your instructions
  • Basement and mechanical room
  • Sump area, where present
  • General condition and anything out of place

The full checklist →

Every report contains

  • Arrival and departure time
  • Who attended
  • The completed checklist
  • Interior temperature
  • Timestamped photographs
  • Anything found, with severity
  • Anything done
  • Recommended follow-up
  • Next scheduled visit

Issues

Four severities, because you need to know instantly whether to care.

A homeowner reading a notification on a phone in another country needs to know within a second whether this is a 'deal with it in April' or an 'answer this now'.

No concern

Recorded and photographed. Nothing needed.

Monitor

Added to the checklist and photographed at every subsequent visit for comparison.

Attention recommended

Reported with a recommendation. Your decision on what happens next.

Urgent

Communicated immediately through every channel on file. Escalation runs if you cannot be reached.

When something needs fixing

Nothing happens without your authorisation.

The workflow runs in a fixed order, and every step is recorded against the property. You can set a standing limit in advance for urgent protective work, so a leak found at 2 AM does not wait for an email reply across time zones.

Standing authorisation covers urgent protective work only — stopping damage getting worse. Elective repairs always come back to you.

  • Step 1Issue found and documentedPhotographed, located, described.
  • Step 2Severity classified
  • Step 3You are contactedEvery channel on file, immediately for urgent items.
  • Step 4You authoriseOr your standing limit applies for urgent protective work.
  • Step 5Licensed contractor engaged
  • Step 6Access provided and attendance logged
  • Step 7Completion documented
  • Step 8Follow-up visit confirms resolutionNothing closes because a contractor said so. It closes when someone has been back and looked.

Need someone at the house?

Tell us what the property needs. Direct services throughout Greater Calgary.