Holidaymakers return back to bedlam each year

Each year over one million British holidaymakers return from a holiday to find that havoc has been wreaked in their home, according to research from Halifax Home Insurance.

Analysis of the insurer’s research reveals that in 2007 holidaymakers can expect to face a massive £2.3 billion repair bill – just to put right damage caused by criminals, the elements, friends and family and faulty utilities.

Criminal damage

Over the past ten years 2.5 million holidaymakers returned home to find that burglars had paid them a visit, costing more than £820 million per year to replace stolen items and repair damage to the home. More than 600,000 people had their home vandalised in their absence.

Water leaks

1.7 million holiday-makers have arrived back home to find their property had suffered water damage from burst or leaky pipes costing over £960 million a year to put right.

Storm and fire

Almost 700,000 Brits have returned to storm damage and over 100,000 to fire damage.

Friends and family

Almost one million Britons said that they’d come home to find their children had wreaked havoc in their home totalling over £40 million annually. Almost half a million people said that a house sitter had also caused damage whilst they were away.

Utility repairs

Just under seven million Brits returned home to find a fault with a utility such as their central heating, hot water, gas or electricity, costing in excess of £210 million per year to fix.

Vicky Emmott, senior manager of underwriting at Halifax Home Insurance, commented: “Home disasters can be extremely distressing at the best of times, so returning to one after a relaxing holiday would certainly bring you back down to earth with a bump, so having adequate home insurance cover to protect your property - whether it’s occupied or not - is absolutely critical. After unexpected shocks like these we find that policyholders really appreciate our personal claims consultants who are highly trained to help customers get their lives back to normal with minimum fuss.

She continued: “As well as making sure they are insured there are lots of other practical things that holidaymakers can do to protect their properties whilst they’re away. For example, ensuring that the heating comes on during the winter can prevent pipes from bursting, and cancelling regular deliveries like milk or newspapers make it less obvious to a thief that your property is vacant.”

Halifax Home Insurance has provided the following basic checklist to help holidaymakers protect their properties whilst they’re away from home for a significant period.

1 Check your home insurance policy, especially if the property is to be unoccupied for a consecutive period of days. Many policies held in the UK only cover an unoccupied house for up to thirty days.

2 Ensure pipes are suitably protected if you are leaving the property unattended in cold weather.

3 Leave a key with a trusted neighbour and ask them to check your property regularly.

4 Put on hold all deliveries to the property, e.g. newspapers and milk.

5 Purchase a timer switch to ensure lights are regularly turned on within the house even when you are away.

6 Ask whoever is looking after your property whilst you are away to open and close curtains from time to time to give the illusion the home is occupied.

7 Organise for a gardener or friend to mow the lawn regularly if you are going to be away from the property for a significant period of time, to make the home look lived in.

8 If you are taking your vehicle and leaving your drive or regular parking space empty, request a friend or family member park there occasionally to make the property look lived in.

9 Deposit valuables at the bank or with a trusted friend. Avoid keeping excessive amounts of cash or jewellery in a property that is to be unoccupied for a significant period of time.

10 Always leave a contact address and phone number so that your neighbours know how to contact you in an emergency.