Coming home to a problem ruins a good trip. A quick pre-departure routine protects your home, cuts wasted energy, and gives you peace of mind while you're gone.

Security

  • Lock every door and window; don't hide a spare key outside.
  • Make it look lived-in: a light on a timer, ask a neighbour to collect post.
  • Don't broadcast the trip on social media until you're back.

Prevent damage and waste

  • Turn off the water at the stopcock if you're away a while — burst pipes are the worst-case.
  • Unplug non-essential electronics (TV, chargers, computer) to save power and reduce fire risk.
  • Empty the bins and fridge of anything that'll spoil.
  • Set the heating to a low frost-protection setting in winter, or off in summer.
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The 2-minute checklist

Bins out, fridge cleared, water off, plugs out, heating set, windows locked, timer on, post sorted. Run it every time and it becomes automatic.

Checklist

Start the day before, not on the doorstep

The classic mistake is leaving everything until you're wheeling a suitcase out the door. That's when you forget the stopcock, leave the immersion heater on, or drive off with the back window open. Split the job so nothing rides on a rushed final minute.

  • Day before: run the last load of washing so nothing sits damp, take the bins out for collection day, and eat or bin anything in the fridge that won't survive.
  • Morning of: water off, non-essentials unplugged, heating set, timer switched on.
  • Final walk-through: one slow lap of the house checking every window catch, the back door, the hob knobs, and the taps.
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Don't leave a tap dripping

If you turn the water off at the stopcock, open a cold tap briefly to release pressure, then close it again. A tap left open with the supply on is how people come home to a flooded kitchen.

Longer trips need a bit more

A weekend away and a three-week trip aren't the same job. The longer you're gone, the more small things turn into expensive ones. If you'll be away more than a week or two, add these:

  • Give a trusted neighbour or family member a key and your number, and tell them roughly when you're back so an open door or a running tap gets spotted.
  • Cancel or pause milk, veg boxes, and any scheduled deliveries — a pile of parcels advertises an empty house.
  • Set a mail redirect or ask someone to clear the letterbox; jammed post is a giveaway.
  • In freezing weather, leave the heating on a low frost setting rather than fully off — a cracked pipe costs far more than a few days of low heat.
  • Sort pets, plants, and anything perishable in a freezer that could suffer if the power trips.

When you're away and something feels off

Half the value of prep is being able to act from a beach. Save your neighbour's number, your insurer's line, and an emergency plumber or locksmith in your phone before you go. If a smart doorbell or camera pings you, don't panic-book a flight — call the neighbour first and ask them to look. Most alerts are a delivery driver or a cat.

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Photograph the meters

Snap the gas and electric readings before you leave. If a bill looks wrong when you're back, you've got proof of exactly where things stood, and you'll spot straight away if something was left running.

Written by Niharika Parashar

Frequently asked questions

Should I turn the water off at the stopcock for a weekend away?
For a single weekend it's optional — the bigger risk is on longer trips. If you do turn it off, open a cold tap to release the pressure then close it again. For anything over a week, turning it off is worth the ten seconds; a burst pipe with the supply live can flood the place for days unnoticed.
Is it better to leave a light on the whole time I'm away?
No — a light burning 24/7 looks as suspicious as a dark house and wastes energy. Use a timer or smart plug set to switch a lamp on for a few evening hours, ideally varying slightly. The goal is a lived-in rhythm, not one window glowing at 3am every night.
Do I need to tell my home insurer I'm going away?
Usually not for a normal holiday, but many policies have an unoccupancy clause — often around 30 to 60 days — after which cover changes or lapses. If you'll be gone longer than a few weeks, check your wording and call them. It's a quick call that can save a rejected claim.
Should I unplug the fridge and freezer too?
No — leave them running unless you're emptying and defrosting them for a very long trip. Losing a freezer's worth of food costs more than the power. Just clear anything in the fridge that'll spoil, and don't unplug them by accident when you're pulling out the TV and chargers.
What's the one thing people most often forget?
The final window check. Bathroom and bedroom windows left on the latch are the most common miss because they're out of your normal eyeline. Do one deliberate lap checking every catch, plus the hob knobs and taps, as the last thing before you lock up.

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