With the summer holiday season in full swing, you may be lucky enough to be jetting off for a week in the sun or you could be having a staycation closer to home.
Whichever you are doing, going away for a few days or a couple of weeks leaves your home vulnerable to a break-in.
With that in mind, here are some Clyde Valley Lets tips on how to secure your property if you’re going away this summer.
Double-Check Before You Head Off!
Thieves are very good at knowing when a property is empty, with more than 80% of break-ins taking place when the occupant isn’t there. Below, we look at some precautions you can take to ensure your home and belongings are secure while you enjoy your time away.
Simple steps like double-checking that all doors and windows are firmly locked before you leave. Doing the same for garage doors, sheds, and garden gates ensuring they are fitted with a robust lock can deter someone from breaking in.
Before you head off on your holidays, it’s also a good idea to make sure that all electronics and lights are switched off. Not only will a bedside lamp left on for over a week cost you more money in energy bills, but it could also demonstrate to potential thieves that you’re not at home. You may want to invest in some automatic timer switches to turn lights on and off whilst you are away.
Tidy Away the Technology
This is generally a good idea, even for when you’re at work during the day, but making sure you haven’t left the tempting site of technology close to the windows is important.
The sight of a tablet, phone or games console controller close to a window, or worse, on a window ledge, is like honey to a bee. So make sure your tech is tidied away or away from prying eyes as best as possible.
Overflowing Letterboxes Are a Giveaway!
You could ask a friend or neighbour to check the property once or twice when you are away and to pick up your mail.
A prominent tell-tale sign that a home is empty is an overflowing letterbox or a pile of mail lying behind the door. A good alternative, if this isn’t possible, is Royal Mail’s Keepsafe system where they will store your mail for you and deliver it when you are back home.
House Alarms Are the Most Effective Deterrent
The simplest but probably most effective, preventative step is an alarm which can be a great source of comfort when you are away. Of course, if you have a home alarm, you must make sure it’s activated as you leave and remember to leave the code with a neighbour, family member or your agent/landlord to use in case of emergency.
You should let your landlord know if you’re going away for a week or so. While it may not be a formal clause in your tenancy agreement, it’s still best practice to do so – and this way they’ll know that there may be a problem if they get a call about the house.
Save the Facebook Posts Until You’re Home
Don’t publicise your holiday on social media as this lets potential thieves know that your home will be empty.
Criminals will crawl through social media for this kind of info, which on sites like Twitter and Facebook can be open to all if they’re not set as private. Old posts, too, can be used to figure out where you might live or in what area, giving thieves the info they need.
Make sure you have Contents Insurance in place before you go which could cover the cost of replacement items if your home is targeted whilst you are away.
Following these simple steps will ensure you have a happy and relaxing break without worrying about what’s going on back home.