The safety of their property is a great concern for many homeowners who go away on holiday. Empty homes during the summer are an easy target for intruders, so it’s important to take necessary steps to protect your home while it’s vacant. Of course criminals can break into your house at any time, but if nobody is there to stop them for long periods of time, it makes their job a lot easier.

With this in mind, we’ve put together some precautions all homeowners should take before their summer holidays.

Home Insurance

First things first, make sure you have valid home insurance just in case your home is broken into. You’ll probably be worrying about your travel insurance, but home insurance is just as essential. If you have anything extremely valuable call up your company to have it listed on your policy.

Doors and windows

It should go without saying, but make sure all entrance doors and windows are safe and secure. Everything should be locked with keys out of sight. Also double check the garage and the shed before leaving.

Cancel deliveries

If you’ll be away for one week or more, it’s a good idea to cancel deliveries of newspaper, milk and anything else. If left outside your home, these are tell-tale signs that you’re on holiday. If you don’t or cannot cancel, consider leaving a key with a neighbour or friend who can pop in every few days and collect mail and other deliveries. If you have somebody to do this, they can also draw and open the curtains or blinds when needed.

Cars

If you only have one car and will be driving to the airport or are holidaying in your car, then this can also be an invitation to burglars. Ask somebody if they don’t mind parking in front of your house for a couple of days, to give the impression that somebody is home.

Timer switches

Long gone are the days when you needed to leave a lamp on for weeks while you’re away. Thanks to timer switches and even mobile phone apps, you can now remotely control some of your appliances. This means you can set a few lights to be turned on and even the radio to create some noise. You can also use these apps to turn the heating on once you’ve landed, as you’ll be feeling the British chill.

Holiday season is a great time of year for criminals – don’t become a victim of theft while you’re away. Nothing can spoil a great holiday like coming to home to a break-in.