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What holidaymakers worry about
John Ensor
HOW safe is your home when you’re on holiday? One in four travellers have returned to find calamities such as burglary or theft waiting for them.
A survey of 2,000 adults who have travelled within the past five years reveals a disturbing number of incidents at home, including theft of packages and perishable food turning bad. Conducted by Ring, the study found that a quarter of the respondents faced problems such as a flooded house or pilfered deliveries, and a shocking 18 per cent had their homes burgled.
In the poll, 15 per cent reported their garage being invaded during their absence. Other common issues included spoilage of food due to neglect in emptying the refrigerator, failure in handling waste disposal, and overlooking cancellation of subscription deliveries.
The managing director of UK, EU and International at Ring, Dave Ward, said: “Having an extra layer of security at home when you go away on holiday can help give worried or anxious travellers added peace of mind. Investing in smart home security allows holidaymakers to check in on their home while away.”
A majority of 78 per cent expressed a desire for some mechanism to supervise their property when away. Precautionary security measures were taken by 38 per cent of those polled prior to travelling. Over a fifth (21 per cent) voiced unease about leaving their homes unattended, and 14 per cent felt a week was the longest they could stay away without worrying.
On average, concerns about home safety begin after fiveandahalf days of being away. Currently, 38 per cent of the respondents own a smart security device equipped with a camera, and 15 per cent of them review it regularly.
A list of common home disasters faced by holidaymakers includes mouldy food in the fridge, dead plants, overflowing waste bins, decaying food left out, theft of packages or deliveries, forgotten lighting, burglary, flooding, garage breakin, and neglected subscription cancellations.
