8 ways to burglar-proof your home this summer



According to a recent study cited by the Mirror, 816,00 Brits will have their homes broken into while abroad this summer, so it’s really important to take the necessary steps to secure your humble abode. Team GP have put together eight simple tips that we hope will help burglar-proof your home...

1. Hide it



Piles of post, loaded bins not put out for collection and dead flowers are ready signs that your home is unoccupied. So, hide all evidence – chuck out the flowers before you go, ask a trusted neighbour to put your bins out, and give them a spare key so they can collect your post and store it out of sight (remember, a burglar might peer through your letterbox to gauge whether you’re in or not).

2. Hold it



If you’re jetting off for over a week and don’t want to bother your neighbours, sign up to Royal Mail’s Keepsafe service, which will hold all of your mail for 10 days for £14, or 17 days for £17. Just bear in mind that you’ll need to give them five working days’ notice.

3. Say it with flowers



Here’s a nifty trick: to give the impression that someone’s home, display some fresh-looking, fake flowers on a couple of your window sills for all to see. Just don’t forget to half-fill the vases with water so they look like the real McCoy.

4. Light it up


Light is a great deterrent that can make burglars think twice about targeting your property for fear of getting caught in the act. The GP Safeguard is a motion-sensor LED security light that will illuminate a large area outside your home. It’s also cordless, meaning you’re not tied to a socket and have free rein of where to install it – whether it’s above your front door or garage, in the back garden or down your driveway. Checkout our handy infographic for more benefits. For added security, team it with a Smart security camera like this –  at the tap of a button, the camera lets you see what is going on in your house while you sip on your cocktail by the pool.

5. Time it right



Take a leaf out of Home Alone Kevin McCallister’s book by making it look like people are home: set timers on your lamps, specifically those in the communal areas at the front of the house like the hallway and living room; make sure you check the bulbs before you go and replace them if necessary with some energy-efficient, longer-lasting ones to save on electricity (you’ll also be doing your bit for the environment too). As it’s summer, the lamps shouldn’t need to come on for too long – a few hours in the evenings at most.

6. Adopt a car


If you’re taking your car on holiday with you, you can have someone park on your drive while you’re away by signing up to Park on my Drive. Not only will it seem like your house is occupied, but you can earn some cash to put towards next year’s trip! Alternatively, ask a neighbour to park on your drive from time to time during your trip – or if you have a second car and would normally tuck it away in the garage, leave it visible on the drive instead.

7. Be anti-social



Resist the urge to turn friends and family green with envy by posting your pool and beach photos! By sharing holiday snaps on social media, you’re essentially advertising your empty home to the masses, and posts could end up being seen by the wrong person. Save sharing the holiday album until you’re back – besides, social media should be the last thing on your mind when you’re away!

8. Lock it up



Of course, it’s a given that you should shut all your windows and doors when out of the house, but they need to be locked too. If they aren’t locked and your home is burgled, an insurer will most likely deny your claim and refuse to pay out. Just before setting off, do a quick final check of all the windows,doors and gates – you can never be too safe, after all! Think about less obvious ways a burglar could get into your property as well - external ladder normally stowed away on the wall up the side of your house? Move that into a secure garage or shed, or bring indoors. The same applies to tools – don’t leave anything outside that somebody could use to break into your property.

With these handy hints, we hope you can relax on the beach safe in the knowledge that your home is protected. Happy holidays from all at GP!

Comments

  1. Unknown13 August 2018 at 12:41

    amazing prize for my sweet home!

    ReplyDelete
  2. angelajeanneuk19 August 2018 at 07:40

    A neighbour always watches out for papers sticking out of letterbox.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The 4 benefits of walking every day – and how to stick at it

Image
Did you know that dog owners walk 79% further than non-dog owners? Great news for those with a canine companion...not so great for the rest of us who don’t have a beloved pooch to pry us out of our homes when it’s cold and wet outside. Dog or no dog, walking is a great way to get fit and lead a healthier lifestyle. Nature is free, not to mention the environmental advantages of walking instead of driving or catching the bus. Sure, walking outside isn’t so appealing in the winter months. But spring is just around the corner and soon, those lighter, warmer evenings will be tempting you to step outside and make the most of the great outdoors. There are lots of reasons to try and incorporate more walking into your day-to-day life. Here are four key benefits of walking every day for starters: 1.Reach your 150 minutes Walking can count towards the NHS’ recommended 150 minutes of exercise minimum per week, for people aged 19-64. A leisurely stroll through the park w...
Read more

7 perfect Christmas gift ideas for her

Image
These days, isn’t it just easier to ask the women in your life what they want for Christmas? At least you won’t get it horribly wrong that way… However, while it might be easier, every girl wants a surprise gift or two! The GP team has found seven gifts for her that are sure to bring a smile to her face – and we don’t mean a fake one… 1. Black+Blum Eau Good Charcoal Filter Water Bottle - £19.95 The water bottle trend has gone up another gear in 2017. But not all reusable water bottles are created equal – we think the best one you can buy right now is the Black+Blum Eau Water Bottle. It comes with a binchotan active charcoal filter, which has been used in Japan as a water purifier since the 17th century. Tap water never tasted so good! 2. GP PowerBank Mobile Charger - £8.99 Unfortunately, smartphone batteries can’t always be relied upon to last the day, meaning our GP PowerBanks are fast becoming a handbag essential. The FN03M mobile charger is stylish wit...
Read more

Time for a digital detox? 6 tips to help you reconnect

Image
  We all know when we’re using our smartphones too much. You put it down, only to pick it up again. There might not even be a notification on the lock screen. If that sounds like you, don’t worry... you’re not alone. Lots of people find it difficult to unplug from the world, even for a short while. In fact, the average person in the UK checks their phone every 12 minutes throughout the day! To mark the USA’s National Day of Unplugging on March 1-2, we’re inspiring our UK readers to join those on the other side of the pond by taking a ‘digital detox’. So, here are some ways you and your family (particularly if you have teens or tweens in the house!) can reconnect and enjoy some time away from your devices: 1.   List what you love Sit down with your family and write a list of all the things you enjoy doing in life – running, meditating, reading – but currently aren’t making enough time to do. Hopefully you’ll get to the end of the list and realise...
Read more