The summer is here, school’s out and it’s time to enjoy a well deserved break. As well as making sure you have packed everything you’ll need on your travels, it’s important to make preparations to protect your property while you are away.
Whether you are sampling the best of British on a staycation or soaking up some sun and another country’s culture abroad, here are our top tips to keep your home safe:
- Be sensible on social media – If you’re having an incredible time on holiday, of course you want to share it with family and friends. However, regular online posts and even time-limited stories that clearly show that you are far from home can act as an invite for burglars to head to your empty house. Instead, post all your photos when you are back.
- Delay deliveries – Avoid ordering anything that would arrive at your house during the period you are away and make sure you cancel any regular deliveries like milk that would otherwise sit on your doorstep advertising your absence. If you can’t move delivery dates, ask for your parcels to be taken in by a neighbour. You could also ask a friend or family member to check on your post, turn lights on or off and open or close curtains to make your house look lived in.
- Hide your valuables – Make sure any valuables like money, laptops, tools and gadgets are not easily visible through windows and out of reach of letterboxes or cat flaps.
- Follow insurance requirements – Make sure that your home insurance policies are up to date and check what cover they provide. Some easy mistakes to make like forgetting to lock a door or window or not setting your burglar alarm could invalidate your policy so make sure you have a checklist of what needs to be done before you leave for your holiday.
- Do final checks – As mentioned above, a checklist is a useful way of making sure that you have properly secured your home and are protecting the contents within it. This can include locking all doors and windows, turning off all electrical items (apart from the fridge!) and even turning off your water if you are away for an extended break so you come home to a house unaffected by theft, fire or water damage.
We are experts in property and have been helping people to buy, sell, rent and let homes in Cardiff since 1970. For all your house queries, speak to us today 0292 062 6252.