Secure your vacation

Here are some practical tips to help you protect your home while you’re away on holiday.

• Let trusted neighbours or friends know your travel plans so they can deal with any emergencies. Perhaps they can park their car in your driveway, take out your bins or mow your lawn so it looks like someone is still at home.

• Ask someone to collect your mail on a regular basis or redirect through Australia Post and cancel your newspaper delivery.

• Buy timers for your lights and program them to turn on and off in different rooms at times that match night and day patterns.

• Make sure your electrical appliances are not left on stand-by. Unplugging things like your TV and computers will protect them from power surges, and save you power as well.

• Turn down the telephone ringer volume and turn off any alarm clocks so that people outside your home can’t hear them for extended periods of time.

• Turn off your garage door opener and ensure the door between your garage and your home is locked.

• If you’ll be away for a long period of time, consider turning off your home’s water supply at the mains to prevent the risk of leaks.

• Double check all doors and windows have been key locked.

• Consider increasing your home security. If you already have an alarm system, don’t forget to switch it on before you leave and make sure the person looking after your property knows how to turn it off and back on. Making arrangements to have your alarm monitored will provide you with 24 hour protection while you are away.

• Be conscious of your social media activity while you’re away. Avoid discussing your travel plans on Facebook and X, and while it’s nice to share pictures with friends, wait to post photos from your trip until you get home.