Home Security Information Series
Type: Knowledge-base article Reading time: 8 min

Important Information

General information

This information is provided as general home security guidance only.

It is not personalised security advice, legal advice or insurance advice.

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Home Security Planning produces independent guidance using publicly available research, official guidance and practical home security principles.

Content is not sponsored by product manufacturers.

No guarantee

No security measure can eliminate the risk of burglary or other crime.

Recommendations may reduce risk but cannot guarantee prevention.

Official information

Where crime statistics are discussed, they are drawn from publicly available official police/government data.

Home Security Planning presents and interprets that data for clarity. Reporting methods, geography and publication schedules differ between jurisdictions, and missing figures are never treated as zero.

Product information

Products discussed are examples of suitable security solutions. They are not endorsements of any particular manufacturer.

Local requirements

Building regulations, security standards and insurance requirements differ between countries.

Users should verify local requirements before purchasing or installing products.

Currency of information

Content is reviewed periodically against current official sources and practical guidance.

Official guidance, standards and datasets may change; always prefer the latest official source for figures and requirements.

Home Security When Travelling in Retirement

Retirement travel is one of life’s pleasures. A short pre-departure routine keeps the house from advertising emptiness. This guide adapts holiday absence thinking for older households and links to both holiday home security and the Home Security for Seniors pillar.

Key recommendations

  • Lock all external doors and windows; arm any alarm you actually use.
  • Pause or redirect mail and parcels so the porch stays clear.
  • Use varied indoor lighting timers rather than one lamp left on constantly.
  • Ask a trusted neighbour or relative to collect mail and watch for odd activity.
  • Avoid real-time public posts that broadcast an empty home while you are away.

Who should read this guide?

  • Retirees planning trips away from home
  • Family helping with absence checks and mail collection
  • Anyone preparing a property for days or weeks unoccupied
  • Households combining travel plans with simple layered security

Supporting information

1. Why absence changes the picture

When nobody comes and goes, small signals accumulate: mail, dark windows on a pattern, bins left out, newspapers. Opportunistic offenders often notice patterns more than sophisticated defences. Your job is to reduce obvious emptiness cues and keep physical security solid.

General absence layers are covered in holiday home security; here we emphasise routines that stay manageable for retirees and helpers.

2. Locks, windows, and last-walk checks

On the final walk-through:

  • Throw deadlocks on every external door — including side and garage pedestrian doors.
  • Close and lock reachable windows; note any that were left on ventilation stays.
  • Confirm timers or smart plugs are set for varied indoor lights.
  • Arm alarms only if you and your keyholder know the disarm process.

If hardware still feels awkward, fix it before the next trip — door locks for older adults.

3. Mail, parcels, and trusted eyes

Arrange mail hold or daily collection. Redirect deliveries. A trusted person who parks occasionally in the drive or opens curtains on a natural schedule helps more than a device you cannot reach while overseas.

Coordinate expectations with family using family help with home security for seniors. Leave contact details and, if you choose, access instructions that are specific — not keys under pots.

4. Lighting, lawns, and online traces

Motion lights on approach paths still help when you are away — motion lighting. Ask someone to manage obvious garden neglect if the trip is long. Prefer sharing travel photos after you return, or with a limited audience, instead of live location broadcasts.

5. Optional cameras and alarms while away

Remote cameras and monitored alarms can help if someone will respond to alerts across time zones. If not, they may only create unread notifications. Keep systems simple — simple systems for seniors and CCTV for older homeowners.

Build the habit into your ordinary checklist so departure day is not improvised — living-alone checklist.

FAQ

Should I leave a key with a neighbour?

Only with someone you trust, and document who has it. A known keyholder is usually safer than outdoor hiding places. Change arrangements if relationships change.

Is it better to leave blinds open or closed?

Aim for a lived-in look consistent with how you normally keep them. Fully shuttered rooms day after day can look unused; wide-open displays of valuables are also unwise. Natural, varied cues work better than extremes.

How early should I start preparing?

Begin mail and delivery changes several days ahead, test timers and alarms a day before, and complete the lock walk-through on departure morning. Rushed exits are when side doors get forgotten.

Sources

This guide draws on widely published burglary prevention advice. It is not a substitute for manufacturer instructions, local building rules, or professional security advice.

  • Police and Neighbourhood Watch holiday and absence home security advice
  • Postal service guidance on mail holds and redirection options
  • Crime prevention advice on lighting timers and occupancy cues
  • Monitoring provider guidance on travel notification for alarm keyholders