The Owner's Dossier: Printable Cottage and Second Home Binder

Things go wrong when the person standing in the cottage is not the person who knows where the water shutoff is.

The Owner's Dossier is a printable record you fill in once, in pen, and keep with the property. It starts with the page that matters at 2am: where the water main, the electrical panel and the propane valve are, how to shut each one off, and who to call first. Then it works through everything else the next person will need: every system and when it was last serviced, the trades and neighbours to call, who holds a key, the step by step closing and opening checklists, appliance model numbers and warranties, insurance details and where the paper lives, and a log for the receipts you will need twenty years from now.

When the place passes to family, a caretaker or a buyer, what you know goes with it.

Built by OwnersLog, the private property record for cottages, rentals, second homes and family places. The checklists are adapted from the ones inside the OwnersLog app. Use the dossier on its own, or try the app at ownerslog.com when you want photos with pinned notes, a live work list with costs, and a record you can update anytime. The app is separate and not included in this purchase.

Print as many copies as you need for your own properties: one for the place, one for home, one for the person who would step in if you could not.

What you need: a printer and ordinary letter paper, at home or at a print shop. No account, app or subscription needed. Prices in Canadian dollars; tax may be added at checkout.

What's included

One PDF, US Letter size, 24 pages, black and white friendly:

• Cover page and how to use the dossier
• In an emergency: water, power and fuel shutoffs, and who to call first
• Property at a glance: buildings, water, waste, heat, utilities, quirks
• Shutoffs and systems: water main, electrical panel, hot water tank, well or pump, septic, propane or fuel, heat source, sump pump
• More systems for condos, rentals and family homes: heating and cooling, smoke and CO alarms, appliances, building contact
• Who to call: 18 line contact sheet with common trades and services prefilled
• Keys and access, with arrival instructions for someone who has never been there
• Closing up checklist: 28 steps, critical steps marked
• Opening up checklist: 19 steps in the order that protects your pipes and water heater
• Leaving it empty or rented checklist, and Coming back checklist
• Appliances and warranties log
• Insurance and where the paper lives, including your insurer's vacancy inspection rule
• Major work and receipts log
• The work list and the five phase long plan
• Condition and photo log
• Season log and meter readings
• Notes page
• Back page: about OwnersLog, licence and fine print

Who it is for

Anyone who closes a cottage every fall, rents out a second home, or wants family to be able to take over without a phone call. Works for cabins, condos, rentals and family homes too.

Sold by Empire Productions. Support: support@ownerslog.com.

Refund and terms

Because this is an instant digital download, sales are final once the file has been delivered. If the file will not open, is faulty, or you were charged in error, email support@ownerslog.com and we will replace the file or refund you. This does not limit any rights you have under consumer protection law where you live.

Licence: for personal use by the purchaser on their own properties. Filled in printed copies can stay with the property and go to family, caretakers, renters or a buyer. Please do not resell or share the PDF file itself.

The Owner's Dossier is a record keeping and organizational tool. It is not legal, insurance, tax, engineering or trade advice, an inspection service, or an emergency monitor. Follow manufacturer instructions, local codes and your insurer's requirements, and call a qualified professional if something seems unsafe.