Holidays are all about relaxation and recuperation. They should be stress-free, fun and devoid of concern or worry. Let’s face it, when you park your motorhome under the sunset, pop the cork on the wine, put your feet up and listen to the crashing waves, the last thing you’ll want to be worrying about is what’s happening at home. If you follow our 13 tips to protect your home while you’re on holiday then you won’t have to.
When you book your motorhome adventure through The Motorhome Holiday Company, you already know that your car is safe and secure in our lit and CCTV-covered compound. Whilst we’d love to look after your home for you as well, we just don’t have the space here.
Here are our top tips to protect your home while you’re away
1. Hire a writer
Okay, it doesn’t have to specifically be a writer, but having somebody house sit for you is as good as being at home yourself. You could rent out your home for someone to use, writers are good because they can work anywhere, or hire a house sitter for the time you’re away. Many of the following points can be taken care of by a house sitter.
2. Tell a friend or trusted neighbour
If you can’t afford to have someone live in while you’re out, ask a friend or neighbour to keep an eye on your home. Ideally, give them a key – and don’t forget the alarm codes.
3. Leave a car on the drive
If you generally park there, leave it there. Or ask a friend to park theirs on the drive or right outside as it will give the impression that someone is home.
4. Get a timer socket for your lamps
The idea is to make potential burglars think that your usual routine is being maintained. Lights off in the evening are as much of a giveaway as lights blazing all night. There are some great timers on the market that allow you to programme the lights to function at different times each day. It’s worth buying a timer for the radio, too.
5. Leave your curtains open
If there isn’t anyone looking after your house, then best to keep the curtains open. Many think that you should close your curtains when you are away, so that a burglar cannot see in. However, this is a key sign for burglars that you are out, especially when they can see the curtains closed during the day.
6. Cancel the mail
A stuffed letterbox or a pile of letters on the doormat is a dead giveaway. If you can’t cancel your mail or get a neighbour to collect it, then Royal Mail’s Keepsafe scheme will keep letters and parcels for up to 66 days and deliver them on your return.
7. Ask someone to take out the recycling
Again, if anyone watching the house sees a pile of recycling and rubbish that hasn’t been taken with the last pick up, it may be a sign to them that no one is home..
8. Don’t give burglars your keys
Please don’t leave your spare key under the doormat, or under the rock/pot/bin by the door, or on a string inside the letterbox, or above the door. If you think it’s safe, a burglar has probably already found one there!
Inside your home, for if anyone does get in, don’t hang any other keys next to the door or where they can be easily found, and don’t label them. It’s bad enough having your house burgled, but don’t give them your car and office, too.
9. Set the alarm
If you’re got it then use it! Don’t forget to let your security company know you’re away and make sure that whomever is looking after your home has the codes.
10. Mow the lawn
Ask your writer, friend or trusted neighbour to mow your lawn and sweep up any leaves while you’re away. Same goes for if you’re holidaying in the winter, have them clear the snow from your drive and doorways.
11. Don’t pack your car the night before
Even if you want to make a quick getaway early in the morning, don’t leave your car full of suitcases and bags overnight, or clearly visible from outside. This is a clear sign to someone walking about that you may not be home for a while. Keep it in the hall ready for easy access just before you leave.
12. Hide your valuables
If you have a safe, lock your laptops and jewellery in it, or leave them with a friend. Don’t store your external hard drives in the same place as your computers. Back up your computers on multiple devices (and the cloud) and hide them in different places to reduce the risk of losing all your data if anything is stolen.
13. Don’t post publicly on Facebook
Posting photos and updates while you’re on holiday is a little like shouting, “Hey burglars, my home is empty for two weeks. Come in and help yourselves.” The same is true of putting your address on the outside of your suitcases. Call us worrywarts, but we don’t think that’s the best idea.
A few quick tips about the general wellbeing of your home:
Don’t switch ALL the power off. Yes, definitely switch off and unplug everything you’re not using such as the kettle, TV, microwave oven, computers, they’re costing you (and the planet) dearly while you’re away. However, switching everything off at the fuse box is a definite no-no. Take it from us, it’s no fun at all coming home to find the contents of the fridge and freezer leaking onto the floor and growing fur.
If you’re going away in winter then keep your pipes in mind. In winter, your pipes are in danger of freezing if your heating is off. We’d advise turning your stopcock off to prevent water in the pipes from freezing and then bursting the pipes. It’s also worth turning the stopcock back on just a quarter turn. It won’t be enough to allow the water to flow, but it will prevent the stopcock from seizing.
Final checks before you go
The last checks you need to do before you head off for a great holiday are:
- Make sure all your windows are locked.
- Switch off all devices that need to be off.
- Keep your router switched on if your alarm or camera use the internet.
- Close internal doors so that an intruder can’t see right through your house from one window.
- Empty your bins (you don’t want to come back to a smelly house)!
- Switch on your alarm and lock all doors.
Now, back to that wine on the beach?
Hiring a motorhome for your next holiday?
Check your dates or find out more about how we can give you a great motorhome experience by enquiring through the website here.
If you’re worried about how to protect your home while you’re on holiday, please feel free to chat to our team and we would be happy to give you more advice.
+44 (0)117 290 9000
team@motorhomeholidaycompany.com
A370, Hewish, Bristol, BS24 6RT
The Motorhome Holiday Company; your (worry-free) adventure starts here
