Global Posts

The answer is yes. If you follow the basic steps and tips.

After publishing the Home Care Ideas Before You Go On Leave I searched for more original ideas to help holiday makers come back to their home as they left it.

As you know these tips can help you wherever you are. Although www.LocalEye.co.za provides the info for all around the world,  Local Eye can physically only manage homes in the Cape Town False Bay area e.g. Simon’s Town, Fish Hoek, Noord Hoek and Kalk Bay.

Let met get on with the job and summarise the tips, here, on how you can get back to the same home after a holiday:

Maintenance:

• Turn the water heater to its coolest setting. As this will save you lot’s of money. And get someone to set it back before you arrive home.
• Install new age electronic monitoring systems. For example Cyber-Rain - is a wireless lawn sprinkler Internet controlled unit.
• You can also install many monitoring systems that automatically activate realistic lighting.
• For most homeowners, however, the most affordable and dependable protection is a home manager.

Security

• Get someone to collect parcels and junk mail as you don’t want an overflowing post box.
• All the neighbours garbage cans are out on the street but yours are never out. Have someone put your bin out on trash day.
• Where you can don’t draw all the curtains. As long you don’t expose valuables. Drawing curtains is also a sign that you are absent. 
• Make sure that electrical timing gadgets are not only set for lights. Also set them for radios and TV’s.
• Lock the garage door from the inside with a padlock.
• Turn the telephone ringers to silent mode.
• See if you can arrange to have cars parked in your drive way.

Before leaving for extended trips, spend at least a few hours readying the home. Make lists and take notes to outline strategies and then save the plans in a vacation file. Once a plan has been successfully devised it can be repeatedly implemented each time a holiday opportunity arises, so the entire process becomes easier with practice. Quoted

Leaving your home unattended for a week or a few months creates some uneasiness but with a little planning most of these issues can be laid to rest.

Although crime is very low in the False Bay area, especially Simon’s Town and Fish Hoek, there are steps home owners can take before they leave their home for an extended period. And seeing that this is the season where many False Bay residents plan a break we prepared a list of home care ideas.

• Cancel all newspaper, milk or any other regular deliveries to your home.
• Get timers for your TV, radio and lights to ensure you have light and sound coming from your home.
• Arrange for the removal of mail and especially junk mail as this is a sure giveaway that the owner is not present.
• Ensure that your property is checked for latent issues inside and outside on a regular basis.
• Switch off the geyser before you leave and arrange with someone to switch it before your return.
• Arrange for a cleaning service to clean the house after you have left. If possible get someone to air and clean the house before your return.
• Arrange for must-do maintenance around the house, like mowing of the lawn and watering of plants.
• Ensure all valuables are not visible from the street or byways.
• Ensure that all windows and doors are locked and sliding doors have stoppers to prevent forced entry.
• Lock the door between the garage and the house.
• Install and activate low voltage outdoor lights on a timer.
• Keep some shades and blinds open to keep a normal appearance.
• Never leave a message on the answering machine saying you are not at home. Many people even have an email message saying they are away. Rather leave a message where they can contact you or ask them to contact a local trustworthy person. (By The Way: Set up an answering machine that emails you messages).
• Turn the phone ringer and answering machine softer.
• Turn off the gas.
• Leave the closet doors open to allow air to circulate.
• If the sun shines directly onto furniture you may want to cover these with sheeting or other material.
• Maintain your garden, identify and cut down shrubs and bushes that obscure the view.
• Get involved with your neighbourhood watch.
• Check and activate your security alarm system.
• Make a key available to a trustworthy person in case of emergency but be careful to whom you give access.
• Ensure that a reliable person has your contact number in case of an emergency.
• If you live in a reserve with baboons remove fruit trees or get someone to remove the fruit.

I think the general idea is that you should make your vacant home appear alive and well; by having light, sound and movement in and around your home. You can also inform your neighbours if you know them well and if you can expect your neighbour to do all the work for you. But asking your neighbour can cause strain and that’s why we created www.LocalEye.co.za to take care of your home when you are not there.

Here’s a quick checklist:

• Take a walk around your home and uncover all the spare keys you and your family placed under mats, pots and on top of door ledges.
• While you do your walking check that all windows and doors are locked.
• Ensure that all deliveries are stopped; the newspaper, milk etc.
• Clean the kitchen cabinets and the refrigerator of all perishable food.
• Remove all bug breeding items.
• Unplug empty fridge then, clean and leave dooropen to prevent mould and mildew.
• Ask either the neighbour or Local eye to empty your postbox of junk mail.