"If you’re a dog or cat owner, you will undoubtedly have made arrangements for your pet to stay elsewhere whilst you’re away - but don’t forget to check your dog or cat flap as there’s a risk that a stealthy burglar could use it as a quick and easy way to try and gain access to your home"
- David Joyson - Homeprotect
There’s no place like home. But there can be various reasons why someone might need to leave their property for a longer period of time, for example for a career sabbatical overseas, needing to move out before a house sale completes, or perhaps when an older resident needs to move into alternative accommodation such as a care home.
A new survey by specialist home insurance provider, Homeprotect, suggests a stark generational divide in how Brits would plan to protect their homes – with older homeowners placing their trust in the local community, and younger generations turning to high-tech solutions.
Homeprotect surveyed 2,000 UK adults to find out what homeowners’ biggest worries would be if they had to leave their home empty for more than 30 days, as well as their preferred actions to protect their property.
Overall, homeowners aged 60+ were the most worried about break-ins out of all age groups, with 54% of respondents from the Silent Generation (aged 79+) and 52% of respondents aged 60-78 saying it’s their biggest worry when leaving their home vacant, compared to just 40% of Gen Z (aged 16-27).
However, when asked what actions they would take if they had to leave their home unoccupied for more than 30 days, they were also the most trusting of their local community compared to other age groups. 65% of those aged 60+ revealed they’d ask a neighbour or friend to check in on their house while they’re away, while 56% said they would inform a trusted neighbour or local authority before leaving their home empty.
Interestingly, younger homeowners from the Gen Z generation are significantly less likely to rely on neighbours, with only 34% saying they’d ask a neighbour to check in on their house regularly, while even less said they would inform a trusted neighbour or local authority of their absence.
Younger homeowners are more likely to invest in smart home technology as a deterrent and security measure, though. For example, 32% of Gen Z would activate a home security system, compared to 20% of 60-78-year-olds.
This suggests a clear difference in neighbourly trust between the different generations, and also a divide in home security habits.
But are modern security solutions a sensible safeguard or a sign of declining community trust? And is there a balance to be struck between digital security and the human touch?
Below, David Joyson, Chief Customer Officer at specialist home insurer, Homeprotect, issues some advice for all homeowners on how to strike the perfect balance when securing their home if they need to be away for a longer period:
Mix smart tech with human oversight
In today’s society, it’s hardly surprising that many younger homeowners favour smart tech to monitor their homes while they’re away. After all, many have grown up in a digital-first world, so video doorbells or remote monitoring are an extension of their everyday tech habits. They may also have moved around more or lived in temporary accommodation if studying away at university, so may not have had the opportunity to establish long-term relationships with neighbours. Smart home tech could be seen as much more convenient than trying to find a reliable neighbour.
Strong neighbourhood relationships have helped prevent crime for many years. The Neighbourhood Watch - a voluntary crime prevention movement since 1982 – is a good example of this. Now connecting over 2.3 million households in England and Wales, the initiative is a proven crime reduction method.
Home insurers often favour households with a combination of both. Home security systems and becoming a member of a Neighbourhood Watch scheme can help to protect your home from criminal damage or burglary, and could even reduce your home insurance premium.
Strengthen traditional security with modern enhancements
For generations, homeowners have relied on basic security methods to protect their homes. But in addition to double-checking door and window locks and drawing the curtains before leaving your property empty, it might be time to upgrade some of your other home security methods.
Garages, sheds and sliding doors can all be vulnerable to intruders, so it’s best to check your lock systems and reinforce them to prevent unwanted access as well as consider other security measures such as motion sensor lights.
Consider installing a rechargeable video doorbell - by doing this you are helping mitigate the risk of leaving your property unattended for a prolonged period and helping to protect your home and belongings. A more comprehensive option is to have a full monitoring package which contacts a 24-hour Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) if your burglar alarm is triggered. The ARC then contacts the Police if it gets a second notification for the same event, providing the quickest response possible to any breach.
Another consideration is to upgrade your locks to anti-snap locks as these are designed with stronger cylinders to stop thieves from breaking them in two.
Check your cat flap
If you’re a dog or cat owner, you will undoubtedly have made arrangements for your pet to stay elsewhere whilst you’re away - but don’t forget to check your dog or cat flap as there’s a risk that a stealthy burglar could use it as a quick and easy way to try and gain access to your home.
Upgrade to a magnetic or microchip entryway, make sure any pet entryways are positioned in a discrete location and crucially, make sure that all keys inside the property are out of sight and out of reach.
Understand what you’re covered for
Even if you’re confident in your home security methods, there’s always an element of risk.
While a robust home insurance policy is vital, it won’t necessarily cover you if you’re away for long periods at a time – our survey revealed this troubled 20% of Gen Z (aged 16-27) and The Silent Generation (aged 79+) in equal measure.
There are various reasons you may need to leave your home empty things like home renovations, a house sale (standard or probate), if the property is a second home or holiday home, for an extended holiday or sabbatical, or if you are experiencing an illness requiring treatment away from home.
Unoccupied home insurance may be a consideration if you’re away from home for longer than 30 days. It’s worth bearing in mind that this type of insurance may be cheaper than your standard policy, but can be quite limited in terms of coverage - for example, most insurers won’t cover ‘escape of water’ in unoccupied properties, which can be caused by a leak in the property or a frozen pipe, but only 36% of people surveyed said they would turn off the water/stopcock if they had to leave their home for more than 30 days. If you want additional coverage for scenarios like theft, flooding or storm damage, contact the insurance provider as they may be able to add this on as an upgrade for an additional cost.
There is a quick and easy action to take that can help prevent what could be a costly escape of water damage (particularly if it’s not detected quickly due to there being no one there) that may not be covered by your insurance if you’re away for longer periods of time. Before you go, make sure you ensure taps are turned off at the stop tap, both internally and externally, and that the system is fully drained, which is particularly important in winter, as pipes might burst after freezing weather.
Let your insurer know about a change in circumstances
More than 75% of people we surveyed wouldn’t contact their home insurer to see if they needed to change their home insurance if they were going to be away for 30+ days – this is concerning, as some policies won’t be suitable if you’re away for a longer period of time, which means if you needed to make a claim it may be rejected as invalid.
If you know you’re going to be away from your home for a longer stretch of time, always speak to your insurer to see whether you need to change your coverage and make sure you’re clear on what you’re covered for and what you’re not, so you can take the appropriate precautions to protect your home.
