How to Keep Your Home Secure While You’re Away: Essential Security Tips for London and the Home Counties

Whether you’re planning a summer holiday, travelling abroad for business or spending an extended period away from home, leaving your property unattended can raise concerns about its security. An empty house can become an attractive target for opportunistic burglars, particularly if there are visible signs that nobody is home.

For homeowners across London and the Home Counties, taking the right precautions before travelling can significantly improve property security and provide greater peace of mind.

Fortunately, protecting your home while you’re away doesn’t have to be complicated. From professionally installed burglar alarms and CCTV systems to smart security technology and simple everyday precautions, there are several ways to reduce the risk of burglary and keep an eye on your property remotely.

Here are some practical and effective ways to protect your home when you’re away.

1. Invest in a Professionally Installed Burglar Alarm System

A reliable burglar alarm is one of the most important investments you can make to protect your property. A professionally installed system can detect unauthorised entry through doors, windows and other vulnerable access points, triggering an alarm when suspicious activity is detected.

For additional protection, consider a monitored intruder alarm system. Unlike a standalone alarm, a monitored system can communicate with an alarm receiving centre, allowing an appropriate response to be arranged if an alarm is activated.

Modern alarm systems from manufacturers such as Honeywell, Texecom, Risco and Visonic offer a range of features, including remote operation, smartphone notifications and wireless security sensors.

Before leaving your property, make sure your alarm is fully operational, all relevant zones are protected and any maintenance issues have been addressed.

2. Improve Exterior Lighting Around Your Property

Good outdoor lighting is a simple but effective way to discourage unwanted visitors. Dark areas around a property can provide opportunities for intruders to approach doors and windows without being easily noticed.

Consider installing motion-activated security lights around vulnerable areas, including:

• Front and rear entrances.
• Driveways and garages.
• Side passages and garden gates.
• Ground-floor windows and secluded areas.
• Garden sheds and external storage buildings.

Motion-sensor lighting can illuminate these areas whenever movement is detected, potentially discouraging intruders from approaching your property.

For homeowners in London and the Home Counties, where properties range from terraced houses and flats to detached homes with larger gardens, choosing suitable lighting for the property’s layout is particularly important.

3. Install a Smart Video Door Entry System

A smart video doorbell or video entry system allows you to see who is approaching your front door, even when you’re hundreds of miles away.

Connected to your smartphone or tablet, these systems can send instant notifications when someone presses the doorbell or activates the motion sensor. Depending on the model, you can view live video, communicate with visitors and monitor activity around your entrance.

This is particularly useful when you’re away for extended periods, as you can check unexpected deliveries, visitors or suspicious activity without being physically present.

For even greater convenience, consider a professionally installed video door entry system with remote access capabilities. These systems can help improve access control while providing an additional layer of protection for your home.

4. Protect Your Property with CCTV Cameras

A professionally installed CCTV system is another valuable security measure for homeowners who regularly travel or spend time away from their properties.

Strategically positioned cameras can monitor important areas of your home, including entrances, driveways, gardens and other vulnerable access points. Modern CCTV technology also allows homeowners to view live footage remotely through a smartphone, tablet or computer.

Depending on the equipment installed, CCTV systems can provide:

• Remote viewing of live camera footage.
• Motion detection and activity notifications.
• Day and night surveillance.
• Recorded footage for reviewing security incidents.
• Multiple camera views through one application.

For London and Home Counties properties, CCTV can be particularly beneficial for monitoring driveways, rear gardens, garages and properties with multiple access points.

It’s important to choose cameras with suitable image resolution, night vision and recording capacity. Professional installation also helps ensure cameras cover the right areas without unnecessary blind spots.

Remember to consider privacy requirements when positioning external cameras, particularly where neighbouring properties or public spaces may be captured.

5. Upgrade Your Doors and Window Locks

Electronic security systems are important, but physical security should never be overlooked. Strong doors, reliable locks and secure windows make it more difficult for intruders to gain access.

Before leaving your property, check that all external doors and windows have suitable locks and are in good working condition.

Consider upgrading older locks where necessary, particularly on vulnerable rear entrances and accessible ground-floor windows. British Standard BS 3621 mortice locks are commonly recommended for suitable timber entrance doors, while other door types may require different security-rated locking systems.

You should also pay attention to patio and sliding doors, which can sometimes be overlooked when assessing home security.

Combining good-quality physical security with a professionally installed alarm and CCTV system creates a more comprehensive approach to protecting your property.

6. Carry Out a Final Security Check Before Leaving

One of the easiest ways to reduce the risk of an unwanted incident is to make sure your property is properly secured before travelling.

It is worth creating a checklist to avoid overlooking important details when preparing to leave.

Your pre-departure security checklist should include:

• Lock all external doors and accessible windows.
• Activate your burglar alarm system.
• Check that CCTV cameras are recording correctly.
• Make sure security lights are working.
• Secure garage doors, sheds and garden gates.
• Close and secure accessible roof windows.
• Remove spare keys from obvious hiding places.
• Check that valuables are not visible from outside.
• Ensure all security systems have reliable power supplies.

Taking a few extra minutes to complete these checks can help prevent avoidable security problems while you’re away.

7. Store Valuable Possessions Securely

Even with good security measures in place, it is sensible to protect important belongings in case someone manages to enter your property.

Jewellery, cash, important documents, watches and other valuable possessions should be stored somewhere secure rather than left in easily accessible locations.

A professionally installed or appropriately secured home safe can provide additional protection for smaller valuables and important documents.

Avoid leaving expensive items in view of windows or doors, as visible valuables can attract unwanted attention.

It is also worth keeping photographs and records of valuable possessions for insurance purposes.

8. Avoid Advertising Your Holiday Plans

Sharing holiday photographs and travel updates on social media is common, but publicly announcing that your home will be empty can create unnecessary security risks.

Avoid posting specific travel dates, departure information or details that clearly indicate nobody is at home. Consider sharing holiday photographs after you have returned instead.

You should also be careful about who knows your travel arrangements. Only share these details with trusted individuals who may need to check on your property.

Reducing visible signs of an empty home can make your property less attractive to opportunistic burglars.

9. Ask a Trusted Neighbour or Friend to Check Your Property

Technology provides excellent remote monitoring capabilities, but having someone physically check your home can offer additional reassurance.

If possible, ask a trusted neighbour, friend or family member to visit your property occasionally while you’re away.

They can collect post, check for unexpected activity, make sure everything appears secure and report any concerns.

If you have someone you trust, you may also consider arranging for them to hold a spare key in case access is required during an emergency.

Avoid leaving spare keys underneath plant pots, doormats or other obvious hiding places, as these are among the first places an intruder may check.

Protect Your London and Home Counties Property with Professional Security Solutions

Leaving your home unattended doesn’t mean leaving it unprotected. A combination of professionally installed security equipment, good physical protection and sensible precautions can significantly improve your property’s security while you’re away.

At Eagle Security Solutions, we provide a range of professional home security solutions for homeowners across London and the Home Counties.

Whether you’re looking to install a new burglar alarm, upgrade an existing intruder alarm, improve your CCTV coverage or benefit from a modern video door entry system, we can help you find a suitable solution for your property.

Our security services include:

• Burglar Alarm Installation and Maintenance: Protect your home with professionally installed wired and wireless intruder alarm systems.
• CCTV Installation and Servicing: Monitor your property with modern surveillance systems offering remote viewing and recording facilities.
• Video Door Entry Systems: Improve access control and communicate with visitors remotely.
• Alarm Monitoring: Add an extra layer of protection with professional alarm monitoring services.

Don’t wait until a security incident occurs to consider protecting your property. Whether you’re planning a holiday or simply want greater confidence in your home’s security, investing in the right equipment can make a real difference.

Contact Eagle Security Solutions today to discuss your home security requirements and arrange a professional security assessment. Let us help you keep your home protected, even when you’re miles away.