A bit late to get advice. This is needed in November, before winter strikes. So prepare for next winter now. But English house design is poor with water pipes not within the heated shell of the house. So if you are having a new house, or one designed, make sure all the water holding pipes are within the heated parts of the house, and of cousre then heat the house, even if you are away.

If you do not heat the house, drain the water systems entirely, which in itself is a major task as no proper drain *** are left by most shoddy builders in the UK. You have to fit your own

The after effects of the Big Freeze could be felt for months and many households and insurers will be bracing themselves for an expensive time as they repair the damage to their homes. Financial journalist, Laura Howard, looks at the types of damage low temperatures and large amounts of snow can cause and shows you what you need to look out for when you’re giving your home a once over after the Big Thaw.

Click here to read Laura's article