10 tips to keep your home safe while you're away

New data has revealed that 54% of burglaries take place when no one's at home. 

That's according to OnePoll on behalf of the comparison site Confused.com, which collected data from 2,000 UK homeowners and renters in May 2024.

So what can you do to ensure your home is safe and secure? Here, we take a look at the steps you can take to bring you peace of mind whenever you leave the house. 

1. Check your home insurance policy

Make sure that your home insurance policy is up to date, valid and covers you correctly. You will want to make sure that both your buildings and contents policies cover your home while your home is unoccupied. 

Buildings insurance will make sure that your house itself is covered from damage like extreme weather or fire. Your contents policy will cover your possessions in the event of a break-in. 

To help you find the best home insurance policy we've surveyed thousands of customers and analysed 78 policies. We've rated insurers on a range of topics including customer service and clarity of policy. Find out who we rated the best home insurance provider. 

• Find out more: How to find cheap home insurance 

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2. Install a video doorbell

A smart video doorbell allows you to keep an eye on activity that takes place outside the front of your home. Installed where a traditional doorbell would go, it connects to your phone via an app or Bluetooth and notifies you when activity takes place in front of its sensor. 

All smart video doorbells have a motion detection sensor and are alerted when any movement occurs. This could be your neighbour popping by, a parcel being delivered, or someone trying to figure out if anyone is home in order to break in. The sensors work all night long, so you'll still be able to see what's going on in the middle of the night. 

If you're a victim of a burglary, they also come with the ability to play back the footage and download it. This can come in handy when handing anything over to your insurer or the police. 

The most popular smart doorbell on the Which? website for 2024 to date is the Ubiquiti UniFi Protect G4 Doorbell. While it's a more expensive option, it does allow you to store video.

• Find out more: Best smart video doorbells 2024: Which? Best Buys and expert buying advice 

3. Use smart lightbulbs

Smart lightbulbs are connected and controlled by the internet, meaning you can control from a connected device rather than the light switch on the wall. As long as you have data or wi-fi you can select whether you want the light to be on or off and for how long. 

Most smart lightbulbs are compatible with smart home devices such as Amazon's Alexa or Google Assistant. If you don't have one of those you can purchase a smart hub that will help to control your light bulbs and make your house a smart home. 

When you are out of the house, keeping one or a few lightbulbs on to give the appearance someone is home is a great way to deter burglars and trespassers. Most smart lightbulbs are powered by LEDs and therefore are cheaper to run than other bulb types, so it won't cost you an arm and a leg to keep you home safe. 

• Find out more: How to buy the best lightbulbs 

4. Have a car parked on your driveway

Another great way to give the appearance that someone is at home is to have a car parked on your driveway or outside your house. 

If you are driving to your destination, you could ask a neighbour or friend if they don't mind parking there while you are away. This could help with the illusion that you are home, particularly if the car sometimes goes away and comes back. 

If you do leave your own car, make sure it's securely locked and that no valuables such as sat nav, aux cables or golf clubs are on display. Thieves could still target your car while you're away. 

• Find out more: Best car insurance

5. Make sure your ladder and tools are locked away

It's easy to forget to put away equipment that could aid a break-in. Items like ladders that a burglar could use to climb through a window, or tools they could use to break in, should be locked away and out of sight. 

This includes making sure your garage and shed are securely locked and that your DIY tools are hidden, not just placed on the shelf in an unlocked shed. 

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6. Don't tell everyone you're going away

Although one of the best bits about going on holiday is telling all your friends and family, be careful who you're telling and where you have the conversation. You never know who may be around to hear you, especially if you're talking outside, in front of your house. Be careful about posting on social media, too.

If the word spreads that you're going to be out of the house for a week or two, no matter what steps you put in place to secure your home, a criminal will be more likely to try to break in.

• Find out more: Best travel insurance companies and policies 2024 

7. Hide your valuables out of sight

Confused's data also revealed that 41% of customers who experienced a break-in claimed on their insurance for items stolen. In order to ensure that your house doesn't attract unwanted attention, make sure that all your valuables are locked away out of sight. 

Put your jewellery, laptop and smaller items in drawers and cupboards. If you can, leave bigger items that are harder to move – such as your television, games console or vinyl player – in a room that either can't be viewed from the street, or that has curtains or a blind you can close.

• Find out more: Home security: how to make your home safer 

8. Check your burglar alarm is working

Your burglar alarm is one of your best tools for deterring thieves. Make sure your external sounder or 'bell box' can clearly be seen from the outside of your property so potential burglars know you have an alarm. 

It's also vital you check your alarm is working and in good condition. When purchasing your burglar alarm, you will have been offered a maintenance contract, meaning your alarm should be checked once a year either remotely or by an installer coming into your home. 

Before your holiday, see if you're due for your next check and try to book it in for before you go away. 

Having your alarm system professionally maintained can help tackle any problems with false alarms. It is also a requirement for some insurance companies, and also if you have a monitoring contract.

The most popular alarm on the Which? website over the past five months is the Ring Alarm 5 Piece Kit, which includes a motion detector and several alarm modes.

• Find out more: Best burglar alarms 2024: Which? Best Buys and expert buying advice

9. Lock your windows and doors

Especially during the summer months, it can be tempting to leave a few windows open while you're away so you don't return to a sauna. 

But keep your home safe while you're out by locking all your doors and windows. Before you leave, check your house, including every window and external door, to make sure they're locked and secure. 

To keep your home a little cooler you can lower some of the blinds which will also help to conceal your possessions – not to mention the lack of people – from burglars. 

• Find out more: Which is the best type of double glazing?  

10. Don't keep a spare key on the premises

It's so tempting to keep a spare key under a pebble by the front door just in case you get locked out. 

While this seems like a good idea in theory, in practice the key will be equally helpful to other people that want to get into your home. Leaving a key in a place where it can be found could also invalidate your home insurance if a break-in does occur. 

Some insurers will allow you to have a keybox on the premises that's only accessible using a code. But your best solution is to leave your spare key with someone you trust, such as a family member or neighbour. 

• Find out more: Making a home insurance claim

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