What to do with your home when you go on holiday

The school summer holidays are upon us which means it’ll soon be time to jet off to your destination of choice. What this does mean is your property will be left empty for a certain period of time! There are a few things you should take into consideration before you sprawl out on the sand.

House-sitter - Getting someone to check in on your property whilst you’re away is always a safe option. Whether it’s a member of the family, a neighbour or a close friend, getting someone to pop in every few days isn’t the worst idea just to make sure the post isn’t stacking up at the door and everything is in working order. Leaving a few beers in the fridge may help to persuade someone to do it.

Hit the lights - A classic trick for holiday makers is to utilise plug timers to make sure that house lights are turned on in the evening time. This can create the illusion that someone is living in the property for anyone that is keeping an eye on your property. Timers can also be used for radios and televisions.

Check, check and check again! - This may sound like a simple piece of advice, but you’ll be surprised how many people forget to do it once the holiday stress has taken over. Make sure that all doors and windows and closed and locked! Being organised with your packing and travel plans can help to ensure you’re on top of everything. Rushing about last minute can often cause problems which includes leaving doors unlocked!

A private life is a happy life - Make sure you’re not publicising to every Tom, Dick and Harry that you’re going on holiday (and therefor leaving your property unattended). If you’re being super careful you may want to save sharing those holiday pictures until you’re back on your sofa.

Check that policy - It can often be worthwhile checking your home insurance policy before you go away. You may need to inform your provider that your property is going to be left unattended otherwise you may not be covered. Each policy is different so make sure you read the policy conditions!