Home Security

We would be leaving our property and coming back to the UK for several months at a time, whats the options for Home security while we are back home.
Super Secure Grills
Alarm linked to local company (if there are any)
Leave key with someone local?

What would the insurance company expect.

Yes, secure grills. They don't look very nice, I must admit, but are a deterrent. Make sure you get ones that use long bolts and not just the ones that screw into the walls.

All alarms have to be monitored by a company. You aren't just allowed to have one that sets the alarm off without informing anyone. We also fitted window alarms, ones that stick on that set an alarm if the window is opened. Problem is, the sticky stuff tends to melt in the sun here so you are constantly changing the glue pad.

Leaving a key with a neighbour. Now that's a tricky one. Some people say that it can invalidate your home insurance but I'm not sure that's true or not. I feel it's a good idea as I've seen one house here get completely flooded (and flood the one next door) due to a leak and no-one could get access to turn the water off for weeks and weeks. Imagine if you were away for several months! A lot of people leave the water on to keep the automatic watering system going. At the least, tell a permanent neighbour when you'll be back so they can look out for something suspicious.

There are companies that advertise they look after your property whilst you are away but you would have to check it was legal and acceptable to your home insurance company.

A lot of people here, especially Scandinavians for some reason, leave the lights on outside when they are away. I reckon this just tells people that the house is empty. In UK we had those lights on a timer which came on for about five minutes and then switched off. Also one in the living room that came on when it was dark and you could set it for several hours to make it look like someone was in.

All the windows here seem to be the sliding ones. Stick a lock on them when you're away as they don't feel very secure and can easily be slid across.

Liz & Gordon wrote:We would be leaving our property and coming back to the UK for several months at a time, whats the options for Home security while we are back home.
Super Secure Grills
Alarm linked to local company (if there are any)
Leave key with someone local?

What would the insurance company expect.

Not sure if there is anything more specific, for insurance purposes in Spain, than grilles - Our insurance company just asked us to confirm if any external doors were grilled. They didn't want to know anything else but obviously it's highly advisable to have much more security than that and almost everyone does.

In the UK, they ask for deadlocks on doors and patio doors or three point locking doors and keyed window locks as standard and if the alarm isn't professionally fitted and regularly maintained it will not count towards a discount.

As marcliffe says, leaving a key with someone is a good idea for various reasons but from what people say it's better not to tell the insurance company if you have to claim for anything. Unfortunately, insurance companies everywhere will use any excuse not to pay out - It's the name of the game!

We have some security information/hints and tips on this link here, if you haven't seen it already:
safety-security-information-and-property-in-spain-hints-and-tips-f78/moving-into-your-new-property-security-tips-t1399.html

Jan

The best form of security is both an alarm and security grills. We also found having a proper agent key holder was a big help as they call round every week and check everything is ok. We had a Yale alarm fitted which if any of the window or door tampers are moved dials out to tell you. Before we were living here it used to dial the agent looking after our property and then us so that we could always ensure the property was checked and it wasnt left to keep going off disturbing people.

What price peace of mind?
We have an alarm fitted with video surveillance. If the alarm is activated the alarm company can look around the property and inform the police if there are intruders, the police are quicker to react if they have a chance of actually catching someone. The alarm company also hold the keys to the property and should there be a break in or alarm fault while we are away, they will arrange to secure the property.
This is not cheap but at around 10 euros a week I think it's well worth it. If you are non-resident and have to fly out to deal with a problem the cost can well outweigh the year's alarm charge.
Grills are no deterrent to the determined but will deter the sneak thief. I've seen our neighbours grills bent easily with a car jack.
The problem of a leak is a real worry and can run up a massive bill. The only way round this is by trusting a friend to pop into your premises once a week or so. Unless of course you want to pay an agent, better to bung a mate.

marcliff wrote:Yes, secure grills. They don't look very nice, I must admit, but are a deterrent. Make sure you get ones that use long bolts and not just the ones that screw into the walls.

All alarms have to be monitored by a company. You aren't just allowed to have one that sets the alarm off without informing anyone. We also fitted window alarms, ones that stick on that set an alarm if the window is opened. Problem is, the sticky stuff tends to melt in the sun here so you are constantly changing the glue pad.

Leaving a key with a neighbour. Now that's a tricky one. Some people say that it can invalidate your home insurance but I'm not sure that's true or not. I feel it's a good idea as I've seen one house here get completely flooded (and flood the one next door) due to a leak and no-one could get access to turn the water off for weeks and weeks. Imagine if you were away for several months! A lot of people leave the water on to keep the automatic watering system going. At the least, tell a permanent neighbour when you'll be back so they can look out for something suspicious.

There are companies that advertise they look after your property whilst you are away but you would have to check it was legal and acceptable to your home insurance company.

A lot of people here, especially Scandinavians for some reason, leave the lights on outside when they are away. I reckon this just tells people that the house is empty. In UK we had those lights on a timer which came on for about five minutes and then switched off. Also one in the living room that came on when it was dark and you could set it for several hours to make it look like someone was in.

All the windows here seem to be the sliding ones. Stick a lock on them when you're away as they don't feel very secure and can easily be slid across.

Sorry can i ask where did you buy the window alarms?? We have the locks but alarms also is a great idea.

Thanks

Carol