While many Britons may be set to go away over the course of the forthcoming bank holiday weekend, before heading off they should consider ensuring their home is secure.

Such is the claim of the Cheshire Building Society, which reports that on the eve of the extended weekend consumers might not lend as much time as is necessary in safeguarding their properties before leaving the house. To help improve the security of their home before going away, the building society urges consumers take steps to make sure all windows are closed and locked. In addition, homeowners were advised to cancel deliveries for newspapers and milk over the duration of their break, as should items build up outside their doorsteps this could act as an alert signal to thieves that a property is currently empty.

Meanwhile, the financial services firm recommended the installation of timer switches on lights to give the impression that somebody is actually home. Furthermore, the building society put forward that people should take the time to check that all unnecessary electrical appliances are switched off and that all plugs are turned off at their sockets before they leave home. Not only will this help to “significantly” reduce the risk of their home being damaged by a power surge or lightning storm, it could also see Britons cut down on their energy usage.

However, should consumers lack a sufficient level of home insurance cover, or indeed do not have a policy at all, upon their return home they might find that they have to shell out money from their own pockets in order to meet the cost of repairs and replace items. This could mean that they develop problems with managing other constraints on their spending in areas such as personal loan and credit card repayments, mortgages and household bills.

Commenting on the figures, Karen Torson, partnerships business manager for Cheshire Building Society, reminded consumers of the need to take out a comprehensive insurance policy. She said: “The May bank holiday weekend can be an exciting and chaotic time for those travelling and it is all too easy to forget how simple precautions can protect your home. You can also tailor your cover to protect your personal belongings whilst away from home. With an adequate policy in place, you can have a little less anxiety about the security of your property and belongings and reserve your worries for the bank holiday traffic and weather.”

Should consumers discover that they have been the victim of a break-in or that weather has damaged their property on their return home from a holiday, getting a homeowner loan could be advisable. By selecting this type of loan borrowers may be able to find that they can afford the cost repairs to their house and replacing expensive items quickly ad effectively. The additional monetary assistance that a homeowner loan provides could also help consumers to purchase comprehensive contents and buildings insurance. Such a loan could be of particular help after a recent study by Confused showed that about one out of three people are unaware of the true cost of rebuilds.

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