Heading out for the holidays? Don’t forget to prep your property
Category News
There is little that compares to the excitement of your annual summer holiday. It is a time to finally get away from the stresses of city life and let your hair down.
The only problem is that there is often such a mad rush to get out of the door and get that holiday started, that it is easy to forget about preparing your home. A great holiday starts with good preparation. Here’s a few things to consider:
Insurances – check and update your insurances, homeowners (bricks and mortar) as well as household contents by adding any new valuables where appropriate and updating insured values as needed.
Emergencies – appoint a relative or friend who lives close by or has easy access to take care of any emergencies such as alarms that are triggered. Remember to leave your full holiday/travel itinerary and contact details for him/her.
Brief security – notify your security company (and complex and street committee if appropriate) of the period of absence so that they can do a regular check of your property. Leave written instructions on how to deal with emergencies including contact numbers.
Essential records – in the age of digitalisation, it is still advised that you keep a manual record of important contact numbers and bank and insurance details in a safe place and take a copy with you on holiday.
Get a sitter – house and pet sitters are now a popular option especially for pet owners. The sitter can also deal with issues and emergencies.
Switch off – switch off and unplug all unnecessary appliances especially kettles and toasters and only keep vital items such as a security system switched on. Don’t forget about switching off your swimming pool/Jacuzzi as well as the water mains.
Tidy house – tidy your house and make your bed. You will be very grateful for a tidy house when you come back from your holiday. Clear your fridge of any items that might spoil, take out and discard all trash and don’t forget about your house plants.
Leave a light on – Do not make it obvious that you are away by leaving all curtains and blinds closed. Be strategic about which you leave closed while leaving others open. Invest in a timer system for certain lights to be on during early evenings so that your house looks occupied.
Author: Seeff
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