Keeping your main home safe while away on holiday

We often plan our holiday’s months in advance, taking care of all the details; where to stay, what to visit, what to wear etc. But in all the excitement it would be easy to forget that a bit of planning will also help to keep your home safe and secure. There are few things more likely to spoil a good holiday then arriving home to a burgled house. So here are a few tips on keeping your main home safe while you’re away on holiday. First, as this the property you usually reside in you may not be away for that long. In this case there are certain measures that may not be appropriate for a holiday home or when you’re expecting to be away for long periods:

• Make sure you’re not expecting any deliveries while you’re away. Although many delivery drivers require a signature before dropping goods more routine deliveries such as groceries or newspapers may be left outside therefore indicating the property is not being used.
• Have a tidy up in the garden so that it looks well maintained. An overgrown garden can be an indication that the property’s not being used and overgrown bushes could be used as hiding places. This will also help get the garden back in shape when you return.
• Automatic timer switches are a good way of making a property looked lived in while you’re away. These can be set to switch on the lights when it starts to get dark.
• Any valuables left at the property should be kept out of view and where possible left in a safe.

Second, there are precautions you can take at both your main home and your holiday home to help keep them secure:

• Use a security marker to add you’re house number and postcode to your property - this doesn’t just have to be for electronic devices but furniture such as sofas, chairs and tables can be marked as well.
• Make sure any tools, outside and gardening equipment is securely locked away. An opportunistic thief may view the ladder tucked neatly behind the shed as a good help in gaining access to the property.
• Make sure all the locks are secure and up to date - this goes for both the windows and the doors and make sure any spares are hidden away. A burglar may gain access via a window but their job will be much easier if they can exit via the spare key left next to the front door.
• Don’t forget to set you house alarm before you leave.

Third, you can make arrangements for while you’re away that may also help. These include:

• Ask a friend or neighbour to gather up any mail that arrives; they may also agree to open and close the curtains at the property.
• Ask a trusted neighbour to keep an eye on the property and provide a contact number so they can get hold of you while you’re away.

Finally, make sure you check your main home insurance policy to ensure you’re meeting any requirements. If you’re not sure give your insurer a call and check with them - it’s better to be safe than sorry! There are of course other measures you could consider but with a bit of planning we hope these help. Have a great holiday! *The opinions and views expressed in the above articles are those of the author only and are for guidance purposes only. The authors disclaim any liability for reliance upon those opinions and would encourage readers to rely upon more than one source before making a decision based on the information.