Security for your holiday home
The security of your holiday home is a fairly common concern among new owners and veterans alike. You want to make sure your home is a safe place for your guests (and your belongings) without invading privacy or expending unnecessary effort. If you don't know where to begin when it comes to security, we've outlined some options for keeping your guests comfortable and secure, and easing your concerns about the safety of your possessions.
Free Security Measures
Develop a relationship with your neighbours. If you haven't yet made friends with the neighbours near your holiday home, it's time to invite them round for a coffee. Good neighbours can be your eyes and ears, especially while your home sits empty in between guests.
Leave your curtains closed. Its nice for your guests to arrive in a bright, sunny and open home. However, when you have several days in between guests checking out and checking in, there's no reason to turn your holiday home into a fishbowl. Keep the blinds and curtains closed when the house is going to sit empty for a while.
Communicate with your guests. You should also include some guidelines in your house instructions or check-in procedures regarding safety precautions during your guests' stay. Advise all renters to keep valuables hidden, close all windows, and lock all doors before leaving the house. Just try not to go overboard - you don't want to scare your guests into thinking your home isn't safe.
Low-Cost Security Devices
Deadbolts. If you don't currently have deadbolts on all the exterior doors of your home, you probably want to install them.
Timers on lights. You can purchase indoor/outdoor timers for as little as £10, and they can help give the appearance that people are inside even if the house is empty or discourage someone from snooping around where they would be visible.
Window locks. Window locks are easy to install and can provide added safety, especially for ground floor windows.
Higher-Priced Security Investments
Safes. Safes can range in price from under £100 to well over £1000. However, it might be worth the investment if you're concerned about some of the personal belongings that you keep at your holiday home. Plus, you can advertise the safe as an added amenity that might be appealing to renters that are concerned with the safekeeping of their valuables.
Cameras. Some owners choose to set up outdoor cameras, or you can simply install dummy cameras around the perimeter of your home. This decoy might be enough to scare away a potential burglar. If you choose to set up cameras outside (real or fake) be sure to have clear communication with your renters.
Alarm System. Some holiday destinations, might warrant investment in an alarm system. This added security might even be the deciding factor for some travellers, and there's a chance your insurance costs could decrease with the installation of a security system. If you choose to go down this route, you will probably want to work with the monitoring company and inform them that you will have short-term renters in your home.
Another option is to go un-monitored, meaning an alarm will sound in the event of a break-in, but the security company is unaware and will not automatically contact the police. If that's the case, be sure to explain this to your guests and instruct them to call 999 in the event of a real emergency. Just remember that alarm systems can be difficult with renters, particularly changing the code after each guest, and you run the risk of fines for multiple false alarms.
You have a wide range of options when it comes to making your home and your guests feel secure. If you only take one piece of advice, though, just make sure to never leave your home unlocked with your keys for the renters sitting inside, especially when they're visible from a window. We know that your neighborhood probably isn't dangerous and this might simplify things for you or your housekeeper, but this could be extremely unsafe and could make your guests uncomfortable.
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