Tips on how to leave your home when you're going on holiday

Heading away on holiday can be one of the best ways to unwind and forget about your troubles, but if you don't take steps to secure your home against opportunist thieves, those weeks away could be filled with stress and worry about whether your home is truly safe.



It's important to burglar-proof your home at all times of the year, but this can be especially vital if you're planning on going away during popular holiday seasons, such as the school summer holidays or over Christmas, as this is when many would-be criminals are most likely to be scouting for empty properties. For this reason, one of the best lines of defence against opportunist criminals is to create the illusion that your property is indeed occupied.



Leaving the lights on all the time you're away could run up large electricity bills, so it can be a good idea to enlist the help of a trusted friend or family member to visit your property at least several times per week instead, to create a more 'lived-in' appearance. If criminals are watching your property several nights in a row and see obvious changes taking place - even something as simple as the curtains being opened or closed - they are less likely to risk breaking in.

You should also ask your confidante to collect your post for you, to avoid telltale signs of absence such as an envelope poking through the letterbox. Cancelling deliveries such as milk is also essential before you go away - not only in the interest of security, but also for avoiding unnecessary expenditure.



Just as important as the actions you take before going away are actions you consciously refrain from - such as speaking about your travel plans in public. While you will obviously need to inform your employer and your close friends about your upcoming holidays, police and security experts advise against discussing your travel plans on social networks such as Facebook, as criminals have been known to monitor these websites for precisely this sort of information.



Even if your property does fall victim to criminals, as long as you take all possible steps to secure your house, you should still be covered by your home insurance policy if incidents take place while you're away from home. You should also make sure you arrange travel insurance to cover all aspects of your trip, from flight delays to lost luggage, to help you relax even more on your holiday.



The author of this article is a part of a digital blogging team who work with brands like LV. The content contained in this article is for information purposes only and should not be used to make any financial decisions.