There are a few reasons why you might have an empty home. It could be a holiday property or maybe an investment property that is being renovated, for example. Whatever the reason for it, leaving your second property empty can be dangerous. When opportunist thieves are looking for properties to target, one that is obviously empty is always an easy option for them. That’s why you must always take steps to protect your investment. Here’s how you can keep your second property safe while it’s empty.
Install Security Measures
The most important way to protect your second home is to install a range of security measures that you would normally use. Simple things like upgrading your door locks and installing a burglar alarm will act as deterrents and put off any potential burglars. Just because you are not living in the house, that doesn’t mean you can neglect these kinds of things. In fact, they are more important because the house is more likely to be targeted by criminals.
Hire A Security Company
If you are seriously concerned about your second home, you should consider hiring somebody to take care of it for you. A good residential security company will monitor your property and protect it against theft, vandalism and even door to door scams. By patrolling the surrounding area and making their presence known, they act as a brilliant deterrent and keep your property safe, even when it is completely empty.
Get A Housesitter
Having somebody live in the house is a simple way to reduce the chances of a break-in, so consider getting a housesitter. If your second home is an investment property, you can get somebody to rent the place out so it’s protected and you are earning money from it at the same time. If you don’t want to rent it out for whatever reason or it’s only going to be empty for a short space of time, you can hire a house sitter to stay there and look after it for you.
Redirect Your Post
A big pile of unopened post underneath the letterbox is a clear sign that nobody is in the house, which makes it far more likely to be burgled. If you have a housesitter, you don’t have this problem, but if you don’t, you need to redirect your post so it’s not as obvious that your house is empty.
Don’t Leave Spare Keys Lying Around
Leaving a spare key lying around is the easiest way to get burgled. People often think that it’s fine because they’ve found a great hiding place but, most of the time, they are wrong. Seasoned criminals will know all of the different hiding places and if you leave a key out, you’re just inviting them in. If you absolutely need to leave a key, it’s better to leave it with a trusted neighbor so burglars can’t get their hands on it.
Leaving your second home unoccupied is a big risk, but you can keep it safe if you follow these steps.
