Holiday booked and bags packed? We know you’re probably itching to get out the door – but before you jet off, it’s important to make sure you’ve left your home secure.
We explain how to keep your home safe while on holiday with our home security tips, and how to be prepared if the worst happens.
Is my home more at risk when I’m on holiday?
An unoccupied home can be the perfect target for thieves, but it’s not just crime that’s a concern. Leaks, fires, extreme weather and other issues can also wreak havoc while you’re on holiday without you even realising it.
This means you might not be able to catch any issues as early as you normally would and possibly limit the damage.
How to keep your home safe on holiday
There are lots of things you can do to secure your home and stay prepared before you jet off on holiday.
Lock all windows and doors
This may seem like an obvious one, but it’s easy to forget to lock doors or windows when you’re rushing around getting ready to leave.
Make sure you go around each room in your home and close all your windows. If possible, lock them with a key.
Do the same for all the doors and consider putting a padlock on your garden gate and your shed, if you have one.
You can even use extra security measures on your doors, like alarm-fitted door stops or security bars for the handle.
Make your home look occupied
Burglars will often avoid breaking into homes if they think someone is inside, as it’s easier and quicker to rob empty houses.
So to boost your security, try making your house look occupied while you’re away.
You can do this by:
- leaving one lamp on in a front room – you can even leave it on a timer so it’s only on in the evening
- leaving the porch light on
- avoiding shutting all the curtains and blinds
- keeping at least one car in the driveway
Turn off non-essential electrical sockets
Electric fires and water leaks can both cause huge issues if no one’s around to help.
To lower the chance of this, turn off any non-essential electrics at the wall. This also means you’re not spending money on utilities while you’re away.
You’ll need to leave your fridge and freezer on if they’re storing food. You should also make sure any smart security devices you have are plugged in and active. Be sure to leave your Wi-Fi router turned on so the devices can connect to your phone.
Think twice before turning off your heating if you’re going away in winter. Your pipes can freeze if left without heating, which can cause them to crack or burst.
Use the security you have
Burglar alarms, cameras, smart doorbells and motion sensors can all be useful while you’re on holiday.
Make sure you turn on any security equipment you have before you leave.
If you have smart security devices, check that they’re properly connected to your mobile app so you can check on things without any hiccups.
Read our home security guide to learn more about protecting your humble abode.
Store valuables securely
While you’re at home, you might not even think about leaving your laptop, payment card or other valuable items lying about.
But when you’re on holiday, these things can be easily taken by thieves if they’re not hidden.
If you don’t have a locked safe, think about places in your home that are hard to access, such as:
- the attic
- behind shelves
- inside books
Have someone check in
If you’re away for a week or more, it’s handy to have a friend or relative check in on your home to make sure everything’s okay.
Having someone go into your home once or twice can also signal to burglars that the house hasn’t been left unattended.
Keep your trip discreet
It’s tempting to share your holiday plans on social media, but this lets everyone know that your home is about to be unoccupied for a while.
Sharing pictures and updates while you’re away means you’re broadcasting that your home is currently empty.
Until you’re back home, it’s best to keep your trip under wraps online.
Animals and your unoccupied home
While you’re on holiday, open windows and bin bags could attract all sorts of animals, including cats, foxes, birds and rats.
Make sure any bin bags are collected before you leave or store them securely in bins with lids.
You should also check that no windows have been left open and your garden gate is closed.
Home insurance while you’re on holiday
We often think of travel insurance before going on holiday, but this won’t cover anything that happens to your home while you’re away. For that, you’ll need home insurance.
Home insurance can protect your home and its contents if something unexpected happens while you’re on holiday. For example, if a pipe bursts or your home is broken into.
It’s important to check your policy book to see if you’re covered for incidents that happen while you’re on holiday, and what limits or exclusions might apply.
I’m going to be away travelling for a while
If you’re going to be away for a long time, your home may not be covered by your standard home insurance policy.
A lot of insurers have time limits on how long you’ll be covered for while you’re away. This is usually around 60 days.
After this limit is reached, you need unoccupied home insurance, which is specifically for homes that aren’t being lived in by anyone for an extended period of time. Insurers may either offer unoccupied home insurance as part of home insurance, or as its own insurance policy.
If you have home insurance with us, please get in touch if you think you’re going to exceed the unoccupied cover limit of 60 days.
Something happened to my home during my trip. What do I do?
If something unexpected has happened to your home while you’re away (such as a leak) and you want to claim, you need to tell your home insurer as soon as possible.
If you think your house has been broken into, call the police as soon as you can. After this, get in touch with your insurer to tell them what happened.
