However before you set off on your much-earned break, Chubb Fire and Security South Africa, part of UTC Climate, Controls & Security, a unit of United Technologies Corporation, has the following advice for holiday makers:
- Test your alarm before you go on holiday, but notify the Monitoring Centre beforehand.
- Contact your local Monitoring Centre and inform them that you are testing your alarm system.
- Confirm with the Monitoring Centre that it has received your alarm signal.
- Finally confirm with the Monitoring Centre that your alarm system is off testing mode.
- Inform Chubb of any additional key holders staying in your area for the holidays. They will need to contact them in the event of an emergency and in the event of needing access to your property.
- Suspend newspaper and magazine deliveries.
- Ask someone to clear out your post-box on a regular basis.
- Consider asking a friend or family member to house-sit for you or to visit your home on a regular basis.
- Ensure your house-sitter knows how to operate your alarm system. In addition, forward us your house-sitter’s details, to prevent them from being mistaken as an unwelcome intruder.
- Don’t advertise that you are going away. Preferably pack your luggage into your vehicle behind closed garage doors.
- Do not leave notes on the door, underneath the doormat or in the post box to indicate that you are away.
