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Keeping your home safe while you're on holiday

While you're having a good time on holiday, you want to make sure that your home is going to be safe.

The basics

  • Lock all doors and windows
  • Switch off unneeded electrical appliances such as the stereo, oven, and TV
  • Fix any leaking taps
  • Cancel deliveries such as the newspaper
  • Arrange for NZ Post to hold your mail if you're going to be away for a long time
  • Check motion-sensor lights are working correctly
  • If you have a monitored alarm, let the security company know you're away
  • Check your home & contents insurance cover is adequate and what's covered when you're away
  • Lock gates, shed doors and the cat door if your cat is in a cattery
  • Lock up ladders or anything that could be used to break into the house
  • Turn telephone ringing volume down
  • Install 24-hour power timers and set your lamps or radio to come on at different times

Get help

  • Ask a friend or neighbour to collect your mail; a full mailbox signals and empty home
  • Tell your neighbour you're going to be away and let them know if anyone will be visiting the house while you're gone
  • Ask a neighbour to occasionally park in your drive
  • Ask a neighbour (or friend) to put rubbish out in rubbish day (and bring bins in afterwards)
  • Ask a friend to either housesit or drop by regularly
  • Give friends and neighbours an emergency contact number
  • Arrange for someone to do the lawns and garden