How to ensure your home is as safe as houses
Most people would describe their home to be their haven. It’s the place where memories are made and often where our valuable possessions are kept. So, keeping it safe and secure would be at the top of most people’s list. We’ve put together some questions you can ask yourself, to ensure you’ve protected your home from intruders.
Do your lights make it obvious when you’re away?
When you go away do you try to make it look like someone’s in by leaving the odd light on? Essentially this is a good idea, but an idea we are all well aware of. If a light is left on in the daytime, or in the middle of the night, it can look suspiciously like nobody is at home. Try leaving a few lights on timers instead. This will look more realistic, as lights turn on and off timely throughout the course of a day.
Do you leave valuables on display?
Everyone knows that most houses contain some valuable items, however, it wise to keep them out of sight as much as possible. Consider if someone was to peer through the window, would it be possible to see electronic items, cameras and other expensive equipment? Put your valuables out of sight and away from obvious hiding places.
Are your keys lying about?
You may well have locked the door but if you’ve left your keys nearby, you are still at risk. Make sure your keys are out of sight – this includes any spare keys or car keys. And, finally, it might seem obvious but under the mat or a rock in the garden is not a safe place for your key.
Did you discuss your weekend break on Facebook?
If you wrote about your plans for being away in a conversation on a public social media platform, you are displaying that your house will be empty.
Are your plans on show?
Is your wall calendar visible from a window? If so, try not to mark ‘holiday’ or ‘going away’ in big letters as that could be a sure sign to someone peering through the window when you will be away from home.
Are all your windows open on a hot day?
When it’s warm and sunny it’s nice to open the windows. But leaving the windows open at the front of the house while you relax in the back garden might not be the best idea. Don’t leave valuables or electronic equipment where they can be reached through an open window, and don’t leave your purse, bag or keys in sight.
Do you have an alarm on your house?
A home security alarm can be an excellent deterrent to would be intruders. These systems generally include sensors on entry doors and windows which are easy to access, motion activated outside lighting and in some cases a direct link to a monitoring service. This could be an investment worth making.
Is your grass neatly cut, the path weeded and the fence in good order?
Studies have shown that a house that appears to be well maintained is much less likely to be broken into than one that looks neglected. This is possibly because an intruder might consider that someone who is careless with their garden maintenance, might be just as slapdash with their home security.
Adding our optional extra, 24/7 Home Emergency Assistance, to your Benenden Home Insurance policy can offer you additional peace of mind. In the worst case scenario that your house gets burgled, we can help quickly, to organise a locksmith to secure your home, even in early hours of the morning. Find out more about Benenden Home Insurance.
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