Did You Know?

Many homeowners fail to realise that they are leaving their home at risk of being burglarised when they leave for holiday. In fact, more than 80 per cent of burglaries occur when a house is empty, according to recent research. Avoid becoming the next burglary victim by familiarising yourself with proper preventive measures.

Keep your home and its contents safe while you’re away with the following tips:

• Don’t publicise your holiday on social media or the internet as this lets potential thieves know that your home will be empty.
• Ask a friend or neighbour to put away rubbish bins, collect post and pick up junk mail left in your letter box. Royal Mail also provides a service called Keepsafe that holds letters and parcels for up to 66 days. Prices for this service start at £14 for 17 days.
• Don’t leave valuable items, such as a TV or laptop, in view from windows.
• Utilise automatic timer switches to turn on lights and a TV or radio at preset or random times.
• Before you leave, mow the lawn and water the garden.
• Make sure to keep any outside tools locked up, and ensure your garage and shed are fitted with proper locks. Burglars may attempt to use your tools to break into your home.
• Check with the insurance professionals at Hazelton Mountford to make sure your contents and building insurance policies are up to date and that you have sufficient cover, especially if you will be away for an extended period.
• Perform a final safety inspection before leaving for your holiday by walking around your home to double-check that everything is safe and burglar-proof.

Preventive Precautions

Homes without security measures are five times more likely to be burglarised than those with functioning security measures, according to government statistics. To protect your home, install outside lighting, as well as a visible burglar alarm. Remember to lock your doors and windows every time you leave the house, even if you are outside working in the garden.

The police also recommend registering your home, including the contents inside, on Immobilise, the United Kingdom’s national property register. This free online service helps police reconnect owners with recovered stolen items and helps simplify insurance claims when items go missing.