If you are one of the millions of Brits who will be jetting off on holiday over the next few weeks, you have probably been busy getting your spending money converted or sorting out your travel insurance. But have you spared a thought for the security of your home?
With the number of burglaries committed in the UK rising by 9% over the last year, you cannot afford to take the security of your home lightly – especially when you plan on leaving it unprotected for a week or two. To help you keep your home safe, we have compiled a list of our top tips.
Keep it off social media
There’s no clearer message to thieves than posting on Facebook about how you are off to the USA for two weeks. In fact, if your home insurance provider discovers that you advertised your empty home on social media, they may refuse to pay out.
Take your spare keys with you
If you usually leave a spare key under a flower pot or inside a porch, you should consider removing it before you go on holiday. When looking for a way to break in, thieves will check the most likely hiding places, and should they find a key, your home and contents insurance policies will be void.
If you have to leave a key for a friend or family member, it is best to give it to them in person.
Move valuables out of view
It's not a great idea to leave valuables on show at the best of times! If you have a television, games console or computer that’s in view of your windows, then it might be a good idea to find somewhere that you can hide them whilst you’re away.
CCTV
These days, homeowners can easily install CCTV around their home for peace of mind. Additionally, it is now possible to install motion-controlled CCTV that can be monitored remotely – either by a third-party or by yourself on a mobile device.
If you don’t have the time (or patience) for installing cameras, you can buy dummy cameras that you can stick to the side of your home, which could deter potential home invaders.
Make it look like someone’s home
This can easily be achieved with a lamp on a timer switch. However, if you are looking for something more sophisticated, you can now purchase items such as lighting and blinds that can be controlled remotely by your phone, which helps give your home a more convincing lived-in feel.
