No break for the wicked

So the suitcases are packed, tickets and passports are ready, your wallet is bursting with foreign currency and you’re ready for the off: summer holiday here you come.

I hate to stop you in your tracks and put a damper on that holiday spirit, but are you really ready to lock the front door and go? Have you thought at all about how secure your home is in your absence?

For while we love to go away, the prospect of returning to a home which has been broken into is not one any of us wants to have to face. But a house which advertises to the neighbourhood that it’s empty is an open invitation to house-breakers.

We don’t have to make it easy for them – and Which? has many solutions to make sure your home stays safe.

For a start, don’t leave any valuables lying out in place sight through a window. Clear things away – and try and put them in places where they won’t be found – the sock drawer is no deterrent!

Even better, get yourself a safe so things of importance can be locked away securely or entrust them to a neighbour or friend.

It sounds obvious, but make sure all your windows are locked – as well as doors. And once you’ve locked them, remove the keys and put them in a safe place.

Having newspapers or letters piling up on the doorstep is a clear sign that nobody is home. Ask a neighbour to remove them, particularly if they can be seen through a glass panel.

Curtains are always a conundrum, but having them closed during the day is a dead giveaway, so keep them open. And if you can, put your lights on a timer so they switch on in the evening.

And try not to tell everyone about the fab holiday you’re off on. Saying it loudly in the local shop, or on social media, is not a good idea. Sadly, you don’t know who is listening or trawling Facebook for just that kind of information.

Now you’ve got all that sorted you can go on holiday with complete peace of mind.

Looking for consumer advice? Write to me at @ askalex@which.co.uk