Lay My Hat

Hi all!
Just wondering, do you lovely people mark your valuables (TV etc) with any security pens/micro dots etc?

This is a new venture for me, so any experience or advice most welcome!

HL

Do you mean for burglary or theft by guests?

Either way, my answer is no.

Got a few photos of items and a few serial numbers on the inventory, but you just have to accept that there is a risk in opening your property to strangers &/or leaving the property empty between lets.

Most of it is written-down anyway, so replacing it isn't a problem apart from the pain in the backside.

Would be a shame to lose some of the art on the walls, but life's too short to worry, and I'm sure our cleaner would notice. I'd advise against putting irreplaceable items in the property anyway.

No security marking for us either. I believe that these days most burglars are going for cash, jewellery & small items they can hide in their pockets and walk away with. In fact, an empty holiday let won't have any of those so probably isn't as much of a target as a normal home.

When guests are staying it's a different matter and it might be worth thinking about getting a small safe for them to keep passports, etc. in. All depends on where you are and if you're attracting overseas guests and so on.

Also, definitely get contents insurance specifically for holiday lets.

Hi,

Thank you for replying - ill take that on board!

Theres so much to do before actually being ready to let isnt there!
HL

holidayletter wrote:
Theres so much to do before actually being ready to let isnt there!
HL

Spot on - but most of us discovered that after we started...

ps - No we don’t security mark stuff, instead everything has a small explosive device triggered by a geolocator; if it gets more than 5km from our location it blows up and throws dye everywhere.
Only joking...
Actually, I might have just come up with an idea that is my path to untold wealth... Again...

Early on I got a few hundred stickers from Able Label with the name of the Holiday Rental and website address so that if anything went walkies, I just put it down to "Advertising cost".

Doesn't really work with TVs and big stuff, but little things like plug adaptors, phone chargers and drinks coasters etc.

No but I do have bright yellow stickers with the name of the cottage on all my maps and walking reference books! it does seem to help them stay at home

A tad off topic and not relevent to FHL's.

I often get phone calls from people, perhaps monthly asking me for an appointment to visit and perform security checks on laptops and computers.

Nine times out of ten the customer has recently returned home from a holiday and there home has been broken into.

Very little and sometimes nothing has been taken!!!! There insurance company and or the police have asked that Laptops and desktops should be professionly checked.

Customers are instructed to change passwords on all devices and bank and building society accounts, indeed ALL passwords for all online services that have stored card details etc etc.

Why.......... Intruders are breaking in for UserNames and PassWords etc for these online services. I get to see a lot of peoples banking details stuck to screens, office noticeboards etc everyday!!!!!!

Roughly six out of Ten of these customers have had there bank accounts cleaned out and there eBay and PayPal accounts highjacked.

Police say that Eight out of Ten burglaries are performed by somebody you know!!!

In addition an overwhelming number of these situations may of happened because a family member posted online, (usually farsebook) "Can't wait, we are going on holiday for two weeks at the weekend, Crete here we come!".

What a way to advertise the fact that the house is empty for two weeks to the world and family bearing in mind that " Eight out of Ten burglaries are performed by somebody you know" Well maybe not directly but somebody that knows someone you know.

Don't use postit notes stuck to screens and noticeboards with UserNames and PassWords or your banking details written on them. Burglars will love you for it.