For the next few weeks we have a whole month of relaxing, studying, and of course spending time with the family. I can almost taste the Easter eggs! Many of us are heading home and this got me thinking about all the preparation needed for the trip back. Of course, packing your things to take back with you is important but so is making sure your house is safe while you are away. After all, we mustn’t take our security for granted!
Students take thousands of pounds worth of valuables with them to university so it is worth putting effort in making sure your house is secure before you leave. There is more to this than simply locking windows and doors. Here are a few things you can do to keep your things and your student house safe:
Don’t make it obvious that no one’s home
You could invest in a timer switch for a lamp so that there is light on in the evening. Leaving your lights on for the whole time while you are away may cost too much. One other thing is to not leave your bin or recycling out in the street – this may send a signal that there is nobody home at the moment.
Fire and electrical safety
Close all of the fire doors and check that your fire alarm is working before you leave the house. Making sure all of your electrics are unplugged will not only save energy from standby functions but it will also protect your appliances from power surges.
Easy peasy lemon squeezy
Lock your room
This is such a simple and easy mistake to make before going away. Even I find myself doing it. Sometimes we assume that because the main doors and windows are locked it won’t matter as much if we do not lock our room doors. It is best to lock it anyway – in case something does happen. It will make it harder for someone to gain access to the valuables inside your own space.
Let your landlord know
Let your landlord know the dates the house will be empty and request they check up on it. Additionally, once you’ve checked your doors and windows for weak spots you can also let your landlord know about them so that they may be able see to it before the house is empty. Alternatively, you could ask a trusted friend or neighbour to keep an eye on the property while you’re away.
Take valuables home
Laptops, tablets, TVs, expensive clothes and bikes are safer with you. If you can’t take your valuables with you during the break you could arrange for them to be held by a friend or in a secure storage. You could also use an ultraviolet pen to mark your stuff with your University name and student ID number. These pens are usually cheap and you could easily buy them online.
Don’t show it off
It may seem obvious but we may sometimes forget to keep our TVs, computers and other valuables away from windows where they are in full view. Keep them out of sight and out of reach, especially keys! Speaking of keys, burglars know where spare keys are hidden in properties so it is best not to leave one lying around.
Other (equally important) things to remember…
1. Your mail: if you will be gone for the whole month you could even redirect your post. Royal Mail operates a mail redirection service which you could access view their website.
2. Uni work at home: Did you know you view your university desktop on your laptop at home? Simply go to the University’s Southampton Virtual Environment to access all files and software as if you were using a computer in the library. There’s no need to download anything, simply click and log in!
3. For those staying on campus: It might be helpful to know the opening times for the University libraries, so check their websites for information.
Finally, make sure you put out your rubbish, clear out your fridge of anything that will go off, and generally tidy the house- there's nothing worse than coming back after the holidays to a messy house and sour milk!
Not the face anybody wants to make when coming back to their student house.
Have a lovely Easter break!
Rylyn
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