Safeguard your home during the festive season
With new research revealing almost one in 10 respondents have been burgled at Christmas, specialist home insurer Hiscox is urging homeowners to implement some basic security measures to help keep their belongings safe.
Official records show that for the last two years burglaries have increased around the festive period making home security all the more important. The research found that the most popular security measures carried out by homeowners were window locks (45%) and burglar alarms (28%).
Austyn Tusler, home insurance expert at Hiscox, comments: "Having some basic measures in place creates a security system that can go a long way in deterring would-be thieves. It is unfortunate that you are at greater risk during holidays when your home is more likely to be unattended, but the good news is that some additional steps will help protect your home. It is reassuring to see from our research that only 6% of those surveyed said they would not implement any additional security measures when going away."
When going on holidays, the top precautions taken by homeowners are to speak to their neighbours to tell them they are away (31%), or use timers to turn their lights on at certain times (30%).
Given that homes without security measures in place are 10 times more likely to be burgled than those with even simple security measures installed, Hiscox recommends implementing some security measures:
Safeguarding the home:
physical barriers around the outside of the grounds of your property or garden define the boundaries of your home and provide a deterrent to criminals. These barriers may occur naturally, with trees or bushes, and can be supplemented with ditches, fences, gates, walls or railings
gravel drives and paths are known to deter thieves as the arrival of pedestrians and vehicles create noise
lighting is effective with low energy/high efficiency lighting, which activates automatically between dusk and dawn, and passive infrared sensing security lights, which are activated by movement, are among the best options
good locks are essential. Keypad locks are a good way of securing back doors while allowing easy access to the garden - just remember to change the combination every so often
any ground floor or easily accessible upper floor windows or skylights, including those next to drainpipes, fire exits or flat roofs, should be fitted with key operated window locks
it may sound obvious but if you have locks and bolts on your home it is important to get into the habit of using them
install an approved alarm system, you can tailor systems to meet the specifics of your home security needs
Additional steps to take when going away:
it is important that your home appears to be occupied when you are on holidays. Timer-operated lights, window blinds or curtains are a good way of giving the impression that your home is occupied when you're not there
cancel milk and papers or any other daily deliveries
if you're away for a longer period, it's a good idea to arrange for a family member or friend to housesit or visit your home regularly to open and close curtains and pick up any post. At the least let your neighbours and friends know your holiday plans and when you will be away
professional house sitting services look after your home while you are away and can be particularly useful for pet or livestock owners or those with isolated properties
you should never leave keys under doormats, dustbins or in flowerpots - burglars know exactly where to look. It's best to agree among your family on a secure location to keep spare keys in the event of an emergency
Austyn continues "Keeping would-be thieves at bay is a combination of a fixed security system supplemented by some practical measures. Telling your family and friends, home based staff or neighbours you are away is a simple but effective precaution to alert them to watch out for any strange activities. Turning on the timers on your lighting systems and making sure your windows are locked can be enough to deter potential burglars."