The Summer Holiday Security Checklist: Before You Leave for the Airport

A Pre-Holiday Home-Security Checklist

You have booked the flights, packed the bags, and you are counting down the days to two weeks of sunshine. But before you head to the airport, there is one thing that can ruin your entire holiday faster than a flight delay: coming home to find you have been burgled.

An extended absence changes normal occupancy signals: post may accumulate, bins may remain out and routine lighting or vehicle movements stop. This page does not claim a Coventry summer burglary spike without a retained, dated local dataset.

This checklist separates general preparation from property-specific inspection. It does not claim a retained Coventry callout dataset or that every item applies to every home.

Before You Leave: The Full Security Checklist

Double-Lock All Doors

Start by operating every external-door lock exactly as the manufacturer intends.

Follow the exact operating instructions for each uPVC or composite door. Some mechanisms require lifting the handle and turning the key; pulling the door shut does not by itself establish which locking points or deadlocking features are engaged. Do not infer a universal entry method or resistance from the latch position alone.

Do not assume that pulling a door shut engages every part of its locking mechanism. Check each door before leaving.

Do this for every external door: front, back, side, and any door from the garage into the house.

Close and Lock All Windows

Every window. Every room. Including upstairs bathrooms and small windows you think nobody could get through. Burglars are surprisingly agile, and a small open window is an invitation to try.

Check that every uPVC window handle is in the locked position (turned fully down or up depending on the style). If any handles are floppy or do not lock properly, get them replaced before you go. A window handle replacement is quick and cheap.

Set Timer Lights

Set plug-in timers in at least two rooms — ideally the living room and a bedroom. Stagger the on/off times so it looks natural. A living room light that comes on at 7pm and goes off at 11pm, and a bedroom light that comes on at 10pm and goes off at 11:30pm, mimics a normal evening routine.

Smart plugs connected to your phone let you vary the times each day if you want to be thorough.

Arrange Post and Parcel Collection

A pile of post visible through the letterbox is one of the biggest giveaways that nobody is home. Ask a trusted neighbour to collect your post daily, or use Royal Mail's Keepsafe service to hold your mail at the sorting office while you are away.

Cancel any regular deliveries — milk, newspapers, subscription boxes. And if you are expecting parcels, redirect them or arrange for a neighbour to accept them.

Do Not Announce Your Holiday on Social Media

I know, you are excited. But "Off to Majorca for two weeks!" posted publicly on Facebook is an invitation to anyone who can work out where you live. Save the photos for when you get back. At the very minimum, make sure your social media profiles are set to private, not public.

Ask a Neighbour to Help

A good neighbour is better than any security system. Ask them to:

In return, do the same for them when they go away.

Lock the Back Door Properly

Do not neglect the back door. Its visibility, construction and access route differ by property, so inspect it to the same standard as the front door rather than making an unsupported Coventry-wide entry-point claim.

If your back door is a uPVC or composite door, the same rule applies: lift the handle and turn the key. If it is an older wooden door, make sure the deadlock is engaged — not just the Yale-type latch.

Secure Garden Tools and the Garage

Your own tools can be used against you. A spade or a crowbar left in an unlocked shed gives a burglar exactly what they need to force open a door or window.

Key Security

Before you leave, think about who has access.

Cancel Milk and Regular Deliveries

Four pints of milk curdling on the doorstep is a neon sign saying "we are not here." Cancel everything that gets delivered regularly — and remember to cancel the window cleaner too, if you have one.

The Quick Version: 10-Point Pre-Holiday Lock Check

Is Your Home Actually Secure? A Quick Test

Before you go, try this: stand outside your front door. Can you see anything through the windows that would tell a stranger the house is empty? Walk around the back. Is the side gate locked? Is the shed secure? Is there anything left out that could be used to break in?

If you are not sure about the condition of your locks, call me on 024 7522 4730. I can inspect the doors and visible product markings, then quote for a suitable lock upgrade where needed. Timing depends on the existing hardware and parts required.

Check my prices page for current rates. A certified upgrade can improve resistance, but it does not eliminate burglary risk.

For wider preparation advice, use the official Police.uk leaving-home checklist.