Protect your property on show days

Security company ADT warns that although a show day might help to sell your property, it does leave your home more vulnerable to theft.

Robyn Farrell, executive head of 1st for Women Insurance, urges estate agents and home owners to be vigilant.

"There's no doubt that showing your home to strangers when you're trying to sell it increases your security risk. Not only can valuables be removed without your knowledge but criminals can pose as interested buyers or 'case' your home for a potential future robbery.

"The common modus operandi has been that the criminals come into the house under the pretence of being interested in viewing the property as potential buyers or renting it."

Farrell says the best precaution a home owner can take is to ensure that there is a security guard present during a show day. "A security guard should be provided, free of charge, by the estate agency."

He offers these tips for safeguarding your home:

• Lock your valuables away.
• If other people stand in for your agent on show day, insist on meeting them first.
• Alert your private security service provider that your home will be on show and ask them to stop by.
• Do not leave spare keys within reach of visitors.
• Ensure that your drawers and cabinets are locked.
• Consider "by appointment" viewings as an alternative to a show day.
• Lock away anything that could be used for identity theft such as IDs, invoices, receipts, vehicle registration papers and photographs.
• Make sure not to leave keys in doors.
• Give the estate agent access to a panic button.
• Compile a home contents inventory. Your home contents should be insured.

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