When you decide to go on holiday, you should be able to enjoy your journey and look forward to being able to unwind and enjoy having some time to chill out and recharge your batteries, not stressing and wondering if your property is safe and sound. Yet so many property owners come back to unwanted surprises: such as ruptured pipes, burglaries, mould, damaged floors or even the remains from a house fire. What so many homeowners aren’t aware of is that by leaving their home unattended – even just for a short period of time they are gambling with real risks, and the potential ramifications can be serious and very expensive.

​

The majority of home insurance policies contain a unoccupancy clause. In other words, If your house remains vacant for 14-30 days or more, the amount you’re covered for possibly could be reduced or even cancelled. Which basically means in the event of something going wrong – from a robbery to a ruptured pipe – your insurer may not pay out. Employing a professional stops your property from being categorized as “Unoccupied” and safeguards your insurance protection.

​

Based on UK data, burglaries have a tendency to escalate throughout the school/bank holidays. Resourceful criminals keep an eye out for the signs of absence: bins haven’t been moved, lights left permanently on for days, a mountain of mail not picked up. In numerous cases, criminals don’t even have to cause damage to break in, they find an unlocked window or weak back door or that front door key under left in an obvious place like under a rock/brick/flowerpot.

​

On average here in the United Kingdom a burglary costs in excess of £3,000 in stolen belongings and property damage. But the emotional cost, the strain and feeling of violation can often be even worse and for some the trauma stays with them for a very long time. A live in professional is one of the best preventative measures property owners can take to minimize the chances of being broken into while they are away. Their presence goes a long way to discourage criminal activity.

​

The cost of hiring a professional vs unforeseen bills

​

The thought of paying a salary to have a person stay at your home to some might seem ostentatious until you consider the cost of any potential emergency:

​

Water leaks that go unnoticed for days will cost to fix somewhere in the range of £2000-£8000, A broken down boiler mid-winter £2,500+, mould remediation £1000-£5,000, kennelling fees for two dogs will cost you in the range of £280-£400 per week depending on if the dogs are sharing a kennel or need to be housed separately.

​

“The trouble with friends with good intentions”

​

The first solution that many people think of when they are going to be absent from their home is to ask a neighbour or friend to call in and check on the property a couple of times each day – a favour that feels understated and without any financial cost. However, arrangements like these can more often than not come with a sense of obligation, from both sides. As the owner of the property, you may feel un-comfortable in requesting updates or extra assistance and your friend may feel compelled to say yes, even if its problematic for them. This can produce conflict or misinterpretations of a situation, particularly if something goes wrong.

​

If they accidently forget or cancel without any notice, your property is going to be left unprotected. If this occurs it may result in you having to cancel your plans and experience a financial loss.

​

Lobo Security solutions doesn’t just drive onto your property, take a quick look around and then leave! I will in fact be living in your home 24/7 making sure everything runs smoothly and problems are detected early. That’s not a friend doing you a favour, its piece of mind backed up with knowledge and trust.

​

“What does it cost to have Lobo Security come and look after your property?”

​

Our costs vary depending on what tariff and extra services you choose. There is also a fee for travel and a small surcharge added on for all bank holidays. But we will always provide a clear and straight forward quote.

​

Hiring a professional such as myself isn’t an extravagance, it’s a necessity. Such a basic, cost-effective way to safeguard your property.