It’s that time of the year again. Summer is in full swing and you are probably busy with your holiday preparation. To make your holiday planning as stress-free as possible, we have some great tips for you so you don’t have to worry about the safety of your home while you are soaking up the sunshine at the beach.
- Make your house look occupied
- Leave certain curtains and blinds open.
- Bring in washing from line.
- Cancel regular deliveries or ask a neighbour to remove your deliveries from your doormat.
- Several appliances can now be activated remotely from your smart phone, such as home lighting and security cameras. This is a great investment that allows you to be in control while enjoying your vacation. You can schedule your lights turning on and off throughout the day and night to create the illusion that someone is home.
- Don’t advertise your upcoming holiday – We know it can be difficult not to brag about your upcoming holiday on social media, but you never know who might read your comments, or who they might tell. These types of updates simply inform the public that your home is left unoccupied.
- Close all doors and windows – Make sure that all external doors and windows are closed and locked (both upper and lower levels). We also recommend closing internal doors. In the event of break in this will slow down invaders as well as helping minimising the spread of fire if one was to arise.
Check your household insurance – Before you leave make sure that you have the cover you need and that it remains valid while you are away. There might be some exclusions in your policy. For example, are you covered for a non-family member to stay in your home? Is your property unoccupied for more than a certain number of days? You should contact your insurer for more information.
Lock up your valuables in a safe – If you don’t have a safe at home, keep jewellery, money and other expensive belongings out of sight so potential thieves can’t see them through your window.
Top Tip: When preparing for a holiday, it is easy to get excited about the getaway itself and forget about preparing for your return.
- Clear your fridge – Throw away any food that could potentially rot during your vacation.
- Take out the trash – There is nothing worse than coming home after vacation to a horrible smell. Don’t you agree?
- Wash dirty dishes – Cleaning your dirty dishes after two weeks can become a problem. Another recommended step would be to throw your old sponge away – you would be creating a perfect environment for bacteria!
Do you need help with covering your home? Give us a call on 01 7 617 617 or take a look at our home insurance, or travel insurance.
