Securing your house when travelling abroad

alisonwo

Guest
Hi We intend to travel for a couple of months when I retire in a few weeks time. Does anyone have any tips about securing their house in UK? I am concerned that it will become fairly obvious to anyone with a brain that our motorhome has disappeared off the drive, and the car is covered in dust because it hasn't moved or been washed for a while. We will put a solar trickle charger on the car battery, and get a neighbour to drop in whenever he remembers to, plus lock all windows and doors of course and ensure mail is brought inside and not overflowing in the external postbox - anything else??
 
Ask family member to wash the car take it out turn it around put lights on timer switches it no so much the post itall the junk mail piling up,ask neighbour to mow lawn as that will grow
 
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Invite a neighbour to use your drive for extra parking space. The vehicle activity will make the house look more lived in.
 
I have 3 lights on timers. One for the Living Room, one in a front bedroom (as if someone is going to bed). The downstairs one should go off as the other comes on. The third one is on the upstairs landing and comes on in the early hours a couple of times, just for a few minutes each time.

Like you, the van is kept on the drive. A neighbour opposite parks his Gateshead Council Transit pickup on the drive when we are away, which helps.

Probably the best thing we have to deter thieves is the external alarm box. Whether the alarm is on or off, it has 2 flashing LED's which come on as it gets dark. A thief would never know if the house is occupied and alarmed.
 
have you got a grandson on near relative you could get to stay there while your away???????after signin the NO PARTYS clause in the contract ...off ya go no worries an loop holes in yer house insurance
 
Housesitter available

as above....... Fridge,freezer needs to be full of steaks, cupboards ful of food. Plenty of credit on leccy/gas/tv. Fuel tank full on your car to be at my disposal + £7.50 ph( 8 hrs) nxt 4 at time and a third then 12 at timeand a half ( cash) then tin full of petty cash for takeaways,beer, pay the lads who wash car and cut grass etc

Any takers? ;)
 
Don't want to put a downer on your trip but check your house insurance - Most are 30 days maximum unoccupied - As said already install a family member (should I say trusted family member).

Insurance companies are not daft, they will investigate any such unmet condition.

Best regards and good trip.
 
House insurance already sorted covered for up to 60 days I believe and can extend if needed. No family locally unfortunately, although daughter will come down and stay for a few weeks during school holidays. Neighbour will park on drive and check house occasionally. Will put some lights on timer have already thought of that. Neighbour on other side of house who we adjoin will listen out for unusual noises as well.
 
Yes the insurance is quite easy just needs a bit of research. Most do require regular inspections and either full drain down or heating on during the cold months. One of our neighbours does the inspections and mail (we can be away for several months at a time) and will get my repeat prescriptions if required. Plenty of people round our area know us and know when we are away, in fact they are often surprised to see us back, so people do keep an eye on the place. The fact that place is being watched seems to do the job as we have been away for most of the last 3 years without problems.
 
We were a bit concerned about this when we went away for 66 nights last year, but got the wife's son to call every week and remove the mail from the front door, check around etc. Might be a bit late to organize but crooks are apparently put off by motion-activated lights and we had them installed front and rear.

Didn't know about the insurance 30 day rule but these b*stards have so any ways of avoiding any payments it wouldn't surprise me at all. As a politician said on the radio last month "you might think the banks run the country but believe me, they have nothing like the power of insurance companies."
 
As well as looking for signs of inactivity around your home, an enterprising burglar may also.....

Overhear neighbours chatting about your trip in the local shop, pub, etc.

Be in contact with that friendly new acquaintance who you "just happen" to chat with on your travels, innocently revealing your address.

Find your address from the "Home" location on your SatNav, or on luggage, documents etc, found whilst raiding your unattended motorhome.

Scan motorhome websites such as this one, looking for info about who is away on tour at any particular time (plus any info that they've posted about their home-security plans!).
 
Bit 'big brother' I suppose but I purchased a couple of wireless IP cameras. So I can monitor things from my phone when we are away.

Possibly obvious - but get the local police station phone number too.
 
The police will no longer check if you tell them, the most they will do is record details of the house and who to contact if they become aware of a problem.
 
GeoffB said:
Didn't know about the insurance 30 day rule but these b*stards have so any ways of avoiding any payments it wouldn't surprise me at all. As a politician said on the radio last month "you might think the banks run the country but believe me, they have nothing like the power of insurance companies."
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We have 60 days cover when unoccupied, also can phone up and extend it. However the clock for counting the number of days is reset if someone spends a day and night in the property as the 30 days relates to a continuous period unoccupied, however read the small print carefully before deciding if this approach is right for you.
 
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