Should I tell my security company I'm going on holiday?

Yes. Tell your monitoring or armed-response provider the property will be unoccupied and for how long, and confirm who they should call on a trigger instead of you - some providers treat an away period differently, escalating faster since nobody's home to answer a verification call.

How long can a home sit unoccupied before it affects my insurance in South Africa?

It varies by insurer and policy, but many South African home insurance policies place conditions on unoccupied properties somewhere between 30 and 60 days. Check your specific policy wording before an extended trip rather than assuming standard cover continues unchanged.

What's the most common security mistake people make before leaving home empty?

Broadcasting that the house is empty - stacking visible deliveries and post at the gate, posting departure countdowns on social media, and leaving one porch light on 24/7 instead of a varied timer pattern. These are free to fix and matter as much as the electronic layers.

Leaving Your Home Empty: 7 Security Steps Before You Go

Updated 2026-08-05

An empty house gives an intruder something a lived-in one doesn't: time to watch it and confirm nobody's coming back soon. Most of the layers on this site (alarms, CCTV, armed response) already help, but an empty property for a week or a month needs a few extra steps most homeowners skip.

1. Tell your monitoring company you're away

If you have a monitored alarm or armed response contract, call ahead and tell them the property will be unoccupied and for how long. Some providers flag an away period differently - treating any trigger as automatically unverified-confirmed rather than waiting to phone a household member who isn't there. Confirm who the control room should call instead (a neighbour, family member or the person holding a spare key) and give them a current number.

2. Arm the alarm properly, not just close the door

A system that's switched off, or only partially armed because someone's still coming in to feed a pet, defeats the point. If you need a pet-sitter or gardener to keep coming in, ask your provider about a separate access code so the whole system doesn't need to be disarmed and re-armed by someone unfamiliar with it - see our access control guide for keypad/code options that support this.

3. Check CCTV storage and remote access before you leave, not after

Confirm you can actually view the cameras remotely from wherever you're going (signal, app login, password not expired), and check how many days of storage the recorder holds - a 7-day loop is no use if you're away for two weeks and only discover a break-in on your return. See our CCTV buyer's guide for storage and remote-viewing basics.

4. Don't broadcast the empty house

Hold or redirect deliveries and post rather than letting them stack up visibly at the gate.
Skip the countdown-to-departure posts on social media, and wait until you're back to post holiday photos.
Ask a neighbour to park in your driveway occasionally, or park your own second car there, rather than leaving an obviously empty driveway for the whole trip.

5. Lights and timers, not just one bulb on a switch

A single porch light on 24/7 reads as empty within days. A timer (or smart plug) that varies a light or two on a normal evening pattern is a cheap, low-tech deterrent alongside your electronic layers.

6. Ask someone to physically check the property

A monitoring contract watches the alarm signal, not the gutter that's overflowing or the gate left ajar by a delivery driver. Ask a neighbour, family member, or a property-check service to physically walk the perimeter every few days, especially for trips longer than a week. Give them the same instructions you'd give the control room: what looks wrong, and who to call.

7. Confirm your insurer's unoccupied-property terms

Many South African home insurance policies place a limit on how long a property can sit unoccupied before certain cover is affected or extra conditions apply (commonly somewhere between 30 and 60 days, varying by insurer). Check your specific policy wording before an extended trip, and see our insurance discounts guide for what insurers generally want as proof your security system was active.

Before a short weekend trip vs a long holiday

A weekend or a few days: steps 1-5 cover most of the risk.
Two weeks or more: add steps 6 and 7, and consider asking your armed-response provider whether they offer periodic property checks as part of an away package - some do.

Read our full home-security layers guide for how these pieces fit together day to day, and how to choose a security company if you're setting up monitoring for the first time before a trip.

Frequently asked

Should I tell my security company I'm going on holiday?: Yes. Tell your monitoring or armed-response provider the property will be unoccupied and for how long, and confirm who they should call on a trigger instead of you - some providers treat an away period differently, escalating faster since nobody's home to answer a verification call.
How long can a home sit unoccupied before it affects my insurance in South Africa?: It varies by insurer and policy, but many South African home insurance policies place conditions on unoccupied properties somewhere between 30 and 60 days. Check your specific policy wording before an extended trip rather than assuming standard cover continues unchanged.
What's the most common security mistake people make before leaving home empty?: Broadcasting that the house is empty - stacking visible deliveries and post at the gate, posting departure countdowns on social media, and leaving one porch light on 24/7 instead of a varied timer pattern. These are free to fix and matter as much as the electronic layers.