Christmas is a very popular time for holidays and many tenants of private landlords will be jetting off to warmer climes over the festive break. Have you considered and discussed with your tenants how to keep your (and their) property safe whilst they are away?

Here are some do’s and don’ts to try to deter burglars when the property is empty:

Do

·         Ensure that, if your property is fitted with an alarm, your tenants know how to use it and have the code. Obviously, the code should not be written down anywhere!

·         Ask your tenants for an emergency contact number whilst they are away.

·         Make sure that all doors and windows are locked and secured when the property is empty.

·         Cancel regular orders that might be delivered during absence.

·         Use timers on lamps, radios and Christmas tree lights so that the property appears to be occupied. These can be set for random times.

·         Mark up valuables using special pens. You could also photograph these items, including serial numbers, so that they can be identified should the worst happen.

·         If you are on good terms with your neighbours, let them know you or your tenants will be away and ask them to keep an eye on the property.

·         Give your tenants an emergency contact number if you are away to manage issues with your property.

Don’t

·         Don’t leave keys in locks on the inside of the door – it is all too easy for burglars to retrieve them and make their way in.

·         Never hang keys in the hallway, especially near letterboxes, as these can be fished out. Car thieves will target properties with expensive cars, so make sure car keys are never on view.

·         Don’t write the property address on key fobs.

·         Don’t leave wrapped Christmas presents near windows. It is also best to keep calendars that show appointments away from windows.

·         Don’t arrange for parcels to be delivered during absence.

Safety

·         Don’t turn the heating off completely, in order to avoid frozen pipes.

·         You could remind your tenants that Christmas tree lights should be turned off whilst they are away.

·         Similarly, electrical items should, if possible, be turned off at the socket.

We hope this is helpful and thank you for making I Am The Agent the UK’s largest online estate agency.

Merry Christmas form IATA HQ.