A two-week holiday is meant to be the part of the year you stop worrying about everything. The flights are booked, the bags are packed, and your only real concern is whether you remembered the suncream. The last thing you want is to come home to a broken door, a ransacked living room and the long, draining job of dealing with it all.
Burglary rates in the UK rise during the summer school holidays. Empty homes are easier targets, and burglars know it. A few small steps before you leave can dramatically reduce your risk. Here is a practical checklist we put together based on real cases we see across Medway, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham, Strood and Rainham.
Two weeks before
Book a security check. If your locks have not been looked at in a few years, now is the moment. A free home security audit takes about 20 minutes and will tell you whether your locks meet current insurance standards. If you need an upgrade, you have time to get it sorted before you leave.
Check your insurance documents. Look for the lock requirements. Most UK home insurance policies require BS3621 mortice deadlocks on wooden doors and anti-snap (TS 007 three-star or Sold Secure Diamond) cylinders on UPVC and composite doors. If you do not have them, a claim after a holiday break-in could be reduced or refused.
Tell a trusted neighbour. A neighbour who knows you are away, has your contact details, and can pop round to put the bins out or pick up post is one of the most effective security measures available. Burglars look for empty homes. Anything that suggests someone is around helps.
One week before
Set up your timers. Cheap plug-in lamp timers and smart plugs can mimic occupancy convincingly. Set a couple to switch lamps on in the evening, ideally in different rooms on different days. A modern smart bulb with a basic schedule does the same job for less than £15.
Cancel deliveries. A pile of post sticking out of the letterbox or untouched milk bottles on the step is a clear signal. Pause subscriptions, divert post if you can, and ask a neighbour to clear anything that does arrive.
Sort the garden. Tools, ladders, bikes and outdoor furniture are popular targets in themselves and can also be used to access upper-floor windows. Lock everything in the shed or garage. If your shed lock is a £5 padlock from a tat shop, replace it with something proper.
Lock side gates. Side gates and rear access points are how most break-ins happen, particularly across the older streets in Rochester and Chatham where alleys and shared paths are common. Make sure side gates have a working lock and a proper padlock or bolt.
The day you leave
Lock everything. Every external door. Every accessible window, including bathroom and kitchen windows. The garage door. The shed. The side gate. Test each one. It sounds obvious but the rush to get out the door is exactly when things get missed.
Double-lock your front door. Most UPVC and composite doors need the key turned a second time to engage the multipoint locking mechanism properly. Lifting the handle alone is not enough. Always lock the key all the way.
Hide valuables out of sight from windows. Laptops, watches, jewellery, car keys, bags. Anything visible from a window is doing some of the work for a burglar.
Take car keys with you, or hide them carefully. Car key theft from inside the home (often by fishing through the letterbox) has become a major problem. Do not leave keys near the front door. Ideally take them with you or store them in a metal box upstairs.
Make sure the doorbell camera is charged. If you have a Ring, Nest or similar doorbell camera, check it is working and that you can see the notifications on your phone while you are away.
While you are away
Check in with your neighbour. A quick message every few days keeps them looking out for things and gives them an excuse to drop by your home if they see anything.
Resist the temptation to post live holiday updates. A photo on the beach posted as you are sitting there is a public announcement that your home is empty. Wait until you are back to post the album.
If something does go wrong
If a neighbour spots damage or you come home to a broken door, call the police first on 101 (or 999 if a crime is in progress). Then call us. We will be with you fast to make the property secure again, replace any damaged locks, and provide the full documentation your insurance provider will need.
We cover Medway, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham, Strood and Rainham, with same-day emergency response. Honest pricing, no call-out fee.
Have a great holiday — and call us before you go if you would like to book a free home security check first.
