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Going away on holiday – What Dubai homeowners need to remember

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It’s almost time to head to another part of the world for some much needed time off, but there are a few things you’ll need to remember before you jet off.

Making a list before you leave is a good way to make sure you’ve done everything before opening your door to a disaster when you come home.

Air Conditioning

Deciding to turn your air conditioning off while you are away could mean you run the risk of mould appearing in your home. As cold sinks, leave your air conditioning on upstairs as it is more energy efficient. Leaving the doors open will allow the air to circulate throughout the house.

Bills

Before heading off on your getaway double check that all the bills have been paid. You would hate to come back only to find a huge pile of letters and no electricity.

If you are going to be away for a month or longer, then you can set up your bills to be paid online in advance. This will save any unexpected surprises when you return.

Valuables

Even if you have the latest security, you don’t want to risk your prized valuables being stolen. You could either have them stored with a company that specialises in looking after valuables or invest in a quality safe that can be hidden in your house.

Pets

If you have pets then it’s important you sort out where they will be staying or who will be looking after them as soon as you have booked your own holiday. You can either send your pets to a suitable kennel or have a friend look after them. For small animals such as fish, its easier if you find someone who is happy to come in and feed them everyday.

Plants

It can be useful to have someone look after your plants while you away to reduce the amount of damage control you will have to make when you get home. If you already hire a gardener then you might need to have them come in an extra couple of times to look after the plants they wouldn’t normally water.
You can also get an automatic watering system to water your plants while you are away. Although you can set these to go off at certain times and for a certain period of time, it is still advised that you have someone check on it to make sure your plants aren’t being overwatered.

Services

If you are away for longer than a week, then it is a good idea to notify your services to tell them that you won’t be needed them for a little while. If you use a maid agency then you can get them to come in the day before you get back just to freshen the house up in time for when you come home.

Food

In the run up to going away it is crucial to use up all perishable food to avoid coming home to flies and who knows what else! If you want to turn your fridge or freezer off while you’re away then make sure you thoroughly clean them and keep the door open to avoid mildew. You should also do this with any appliance that uses water; this includes your washing machine and dishwasher.

Car

If you are not taking your car with you, either on holiday or to the airport, then you can either leave it with a friend so they can look after it, leave it in your garage or just keep it where it is. If you will be away for a long period of time then getting someone to occasionally start your car for you will mean that you shouldn’t have any problems starting the engine when you get back.

The Obvious

The most obvious things to remember are often the ones we forget the most. We’ve all gone half way down the road and thought “Have I locked the front door?” this is something you’ll want to avoid when going on holiday. Double check you’ve locked everything, all the windows and all the doors, then get someone else to double check them for you.

Another obvious thing people forget about is unplugging all electrical appliances. Unplug everything! Even if you will need to reset it when you plug it back in, it’s better than risking a fire.

Remember not to tell anyone the specific dates you are away, including putting it on social media. It is important to not let anyone find out that your house will be vacant for a week or more, as it can become a target for burglaries.

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