Property check in Varna while you're away — leaks, damp and drains checked, with photos by email

Why empty flats need checking

An empty flat doesn't announce its problems. A dripping connection under the sink, a toilet cistern that runs all the time, a water heater valve that weeps — nobody sees them for months. By the time a neighbour calls, the slab is wet, the ceiling below is stained and there's mould in the corners.

• Hidden leaks run unnoticed and are paid for twice: in the water bill and in the repair to your flat and the one below.
• Damp and mould build up in closed, unheated flats by the sea over the winter.
• Dry traps let sewer smells into the flat when nobody runs the water.
• Frost can split pipes in unheated rooms, on balconies and in basements.
• Small faults — a dripping tap, a worn hose — are cheap to fix early and expensive to fix late.

A property check is a planned visit to catch these things while they're still small, and to give you a clear picture from wherever you are.

What we check on each visit

• The water meter with every tap closed. If the dial moves, there's a leak somewhere — the simplest and most important test.
• Stopcocks and valves — that they close and don't drip.
• Visible pipework and connections under sinks, behind the toilet and around the water heater.
• Toilet cisterns — whether they run or leak into the bowl.
• Taps, flexible hoses and the washing machine and dishwasher connections.
• Traps and drains — we run water in every sink, shower, bath and floor drain to refill the traps and check that everything drains freely.
• Walls, ceilings and corners for stains, swelling, damp and mould — especially below bathrooms and along outside walls.
• Windows and sills for condensation, and a general look at whether the flat needs airing.
• The balcony or terrace drain, if the property has one.

If something looks suspicious, we tell you before doing anything more. A thermal camera scan or moisture readings can confirm a hidden leak or damp; repairs are quoted first and only done with your approval.

What you receive after the visit

• An email with what we checked and what we found, in plain English.
• Photos of the meter, the pipework and anything that needs attention.
• If we used them, thermal images and moisture readings.
• A recommendation and a price for anything that needs fixing — you decide whether and when.
• An invoice for the visit, to you or your company.

If you ever need to show the state of the flat to an insurer, a buyer or a tenant, dated photos from regular checks are a useful record.

When a check makes sense

You might want one check a year, or one a month in winter. We agree the frequency with you; you can also book a single check at any time.

Access, keys and how it's arranged

1. Tell us about the property. The address, the size, the floor, whether it's let or empty, and how often you'd like it checked. Email info@kanalvarna.com or use the form.
2. Access. We arrange each visit with whoever holds your key — your building manager, a neighbour, your letting agent or cleaner. If you'd like to discuss other arrangements, ask us.
3. The visit. We check the property as described above. Nothing is repaired or opened without your approval.
4. Your report and invoice. Findings and photos by email; pay by bank transfer.

Price

The price of a property check is on request. It depends on the size and type of property, where it is, and how often you want it checked — a one-off spring check of a studio in Varna is a different job from monthly winter visits to a house near Balchik. Tell us about the property and we send you a price by email before anything is booked.

If the check finds something that needs a closer look, standard prices apply and are agreed first: a thermal camera inspection is €52 for the first flat and €26 for each further flat, and moisture readings start from €30. See all prices in EUR.

For property managers, letting agents and holiday complexes

If you look after several apartments for owners abroad, we can check them on a regular schedule and report per flat, so you can forward each owner their own photos and findings. For hotels, guest houses and complexes we also offer maintenance contracts for the plumbing and drains — preventative checks before the season, drain cleaning and priority when something goes wrong. Conditions are agreed per property, after a first visit.

Tell us how many properties, where they are and what you need checked, and we'll come back with a proposal by email.

What a property check is not

• It isn't cleaning, laundry or a caretaker service.
• It isn't security or an alarm response.
• It isn't a survey for buying a property or a valuation.
• Repairs, drying and diagnostics aren't included in the visit; they're quoted separately and only done with your approval.

What it is: a plumber's eye on the things that cause the most expensive damage in an empty flat — water, damp and drains.