How to keep burglars away from your holiday home

 

Let’s set the scene.

 

You have just enjoyed a lovely couple of weeks sunning it up in your holiday home, topping up your tan and getting a well-deserved break from work.

 

You’re packing your stuff up and are all set to head out on the road when, suddenly, you start to worry about whether the house will be OK in your absence. What, if anything, could you do to keep it burglar-proof while you’re away?

 

Well, that’s what we’re here to discuss in this article.

 

Protecting your home is vital at the best of times but, when it comes to holiday homes, it's arguably more important since you won’t actually be spending a lot of your time there.

 

Therefore, by following the hints and tips outlined below, you can help keep your holiday home better-protected, guarding against the potential threat of theft or a break-in.

 

Keep The Outside Secure

 

While it may sound fairly obvious, the first thing you need to do is keep the exterior of your holiday home as secure as possible.

 

Concrete barriers, for example, offer a great portable and temporary measure to utilise when trying to secure your site, improve home security and deter trespasser access. They also come available in a wide range of sizes and styles, so can be easily adapted to suit your home’s exact requirements.

 

Smart home security systems are also a lot more affordable than they used to be and offer access from wherever you are in the world. Therefore, once you have a system all set up, you will be alerted to any intruders or attempted break-ins should they occur while you’re away.

 

Make It Look Like Someone’s Home

 

One of the best ways to deter burglars is to put yourself in their shoes and think like one. Ask yourself, for example, how would you decide which house to target?

 

Put simply, the more obvious you make it that your holiday home has been left vacant, the more likely it will be that a burglar will target it. So, try to make it look as if someone’s home by using a few – or all – of the ideas listed below:

 

       ●       Invest in smart plugs. Smart plugs can be accessed from wherever you are in the world and can be used to set timers for certain appliances. By plugging in a few lamps, for example, and setting up a schedule for the plugs to turn on, you can illuminate your home and make it seem as though you’re still residing there.

 

       ●       Hire out your parking space. If you have parking available at your property, why not consider hiring out your space while you’re away? That way, you can not only make a bit of extra money for yourself, but you could also make it seem as if someone’s using your property.

 

       ●       Let it out. While on the subject of making a bit of extra money, one of the best ways to avoid your holiday home being burgled is by actually letting it out for someone else to live in while you’re away – whether it be through Airbnb or another type of holiday rental platform. 

 

       ●       Cancel any subscriptions. If you have a milk or newspaper delivery scheduled, cancel it before you leave. That way, you will avoid there becoming an eventual pile-up of goods or letters on your doorstep, alerting any potential thief that you’re not at home.

 

Lock your doors & windows

 

Again, while it may sound fairly obvious, you need to make life as difficult as possible for any wannabe thief. As such, locking your doors and windows should be your first port of call.

 

Thieves will often scout out homes for weak entry points and areas where they can break in without being seen, heard or noticed.

 

Many will even knock on the door or try the door handle to determine two key things: firstly, whether somebody is home or not; and, secondly, whether the doors are locked.

 

Therefore, to combat this effect, make sure all your doors and windows are locked correctly.

 

Likewise, think about investing in a smart video doorbell – this will alert you to any unknown people lurking on your doorstep, while providing you with video footage to take to the authorities should they try to enter into your property without permission.

 

Final Thoughts…

 

Leaving your holiday home vacant over a long period can be a cause of concern for many people, but it really doesn’t have to be.

 

Thanks to the rise of security-based technology over the years, many systems, gadgets and gizmos now exist to deter wannabe thieves and keep your home better protected.

 

Invest in a few of these and we can pretty much guarantee your home will look just as good as you left it, whenever you decide to return.