Two weeks on a sun lounger? Sounds blissful.
But not when you spend your whole time away worrying that you haven’t left your home secure.
Before you head off on holiday, follow our home security checklist.
1. Lock up
Check that you’ve locked all your windows and doors, not forgetting any garages, sheds, or other outbuildings.
2. Set the security alarm
If it’s a monitored alarm, don’t forget to give your monitoring station the details of the key holder.
3. Install a video doorbell
These can act as a deterrent or provide useful evidence if an intruder does enter your property while you’re away. Take a look at this recent review of video doorbells.
4. Cancel deliveries
Cancel any regular deliveries such as online subscriptions, magazines or vegetable boxes. If anything does arrive while you’re away, ask a neighbour to take it in so it doesn’t sit outside your front door advertising to opportunist thieves that you’re away.
5. Put valuables out of sight
Make sure you move things like your laptop, portable electronics and jewellery out of the way of prying eyes. If you have a keyless fob for your car, store it in something like a Faraday pouch to protect it from relay theft.
6. Make your home look lived in
Want to create the illusion that your home is still being lived in? You can programme your lights to turn on in the evening and off again at bedtime using a timer switch.
7. Sort your post
Avoid a build-up of post inside your front door by getting a neighbour to move it or asking the Royal Mail to hold on to your letters until you return, using its Keepsafe service.
8. Occupy the driveway
If you have a drive, ask a neighbour to park on it occasionally, to make it look like people are coming and going.
9. Enlist the help of neighbourhood watch
Join a local Neighbourhood Watch group and ask members to keep an eye on your property. You can find schemes in your area using the Neighbourhood Watch Postcode Checker.
10. Mow your lawn before you go
If it looks overgrown, burglars might correctly suspect you're away.
11. Put away tools or ladders
They could be used to force entry to your home.
12. Get a safe
Use a home safe for important personal documents and your most valuable items, such as watches and jewellery.
13. Security mark your belongings
Use a security marker to mark your belongings. This makes them easier to identify if stolen.
14. Ask a neighbour to take in your bins
Leaving your bin outside for days is a sure sign that no one's in, so ask a neighbour if they’d be kind enough to wheel it out and back again on bin day. And don’t forget to offer to return the favour when they’re on their hols as well.
As ever, make sure you have valid home insurance for extra peace of mind.
