Prepare Your Home for the August Bank Holiday Weekend

By AtheneNet Home Desk | Updated 24 August 2026

Before leaving for the summer bank holiday weekend, use the final working day to reduce avoidable security, water, waste and insurance risks. The holiday falls on Monday 31 August 2026 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, making Friday 28 August a useful time for a calm pre-departure check.

Most homes do not need elaborate preparations for a short break. Locking accessible entry points, removing food waste, keeping essential appliances powered and giving a trusted person your contact details can cover the main risks. Longer absences may justify delivery pauses, water precautions and more detailed arrangements for pets, plants and home security.

Secure every accessible door and window

Begin with the openings a person could reach from the ground, a flat roof, a balcony or an adjoining structure. Close and lock external doors, patio doors, garage access points and accessible windows, including any that are usually left slightly open for ventilation.

Do not hide a spare key beneath a plant pot, doormat or garden ornament. Leave it directly with a trusted neighbour, friend or relative if someone needs access. If the property has an alarm, test it early enough to replace a battery or resolve a fault before departure.

Complete these security checks before loading the car, when possible:

• Lock sheds, garages, gates and external storage containing tools or bicycles.
• Move keys away from letterboxes, windows and glazed doors.
• Keep valuable items, travel documents and electronics out of street-level sight.
• Check that outdoor keys have not been left in locks.
• Set any alarm or connected security system according to its instructions.

Avoid public social posts that announce exact travel dates or show that the home is empty. Holiday photographs can be shared privately with selected contacts or posted after returning. Check whether children or other household members have included location details in their posts.

For a lived-in appearance, place one or two lamps on timers rather than leaving the same light on continuously. Use safe, well-maintained lamps and avoid positioning them close to curtains or other combustible materials. Smart lighting schedules should be tested before the household leaves.

Reduce water-leak and appliance risks

Look beneath sinks, around toilets and beside appliances for damp patches, drips or unusual sounds. A small leak is easier to address while someone is still home. Confirm that taps are fully closed and that no hose is running outside.

For a longer absence, consider isolating the water supply if that is appropriate for the property. First identify the correct internal stopcock and make sure it turns without forcing it. Homes with boilers, heating systems, water-dependent equipment or automatic devices may require a different approach, so follow the relevant manufacturer, installer or property-management instructions.

Do not switch appliances off indiscriminately. Refrigerators and freezers normally need to remain powered if they contain food. Boilers, alarms, broadband equipment, smart-home hubs, medical devices and security cameras may also need electricity to operate correctly.

Before unplugging or changing settings:

• Read the manufacturer’s instructions for each appliance.
• Switch off suitable non-essential items such as hair tools or portable chargers.
• Check that the hob and oven are off.
• Empty kettles and coffee machines if their instructions recommend it.
• Leave ventilation routes clear where appliances require airflow.
• Avoid turning off power at the consumer unit unless the property can safely be left that way.

If a dishwasher or washing machine has just finished, check its hoses and surrounding floor before leaving. Do not begin a wash cycle immediately before departure unless someone will remain until it has completed and can inspect the appliance.

Pause deliveries and clear anything that may smell

An overflowing letterbox, parcel on a doorstep or repeated delivery can suggest that nobody is collecting items. Pause suitable subscriptions and reschedule grocery, meal-kit or parcel deliveries. If a cancellation is not possible, ask a trusted person to collect them promptly.

Take food waste, recycling that contains food residue and general rubbish to the appropriate bins. Empty indoor caddies and clean spills that could attract pests. Check fruit bowls, opened dairy products and leftovers, especially before a trip lasting several days.

A quick kitchen reset should include:

• Removing perishable food that will expire during the trip.
• Washing dishes and clearing sink strainers.
• Emptying coffee grounds and food-waste containers.
• Checking the collection date before placing outdoor bins out.
• Securing rubbish so animals cannot scatter it.

Do not leave a bin at the kerb for the entire absence. Arrange for a neighbour to bring it back after collection if local schedules overlap with the trip.

Arrange reliable care for pets and plants

Confirm pet care directly with the person, boarding provider or sitter responsible. Leave feeding instructions, medication details, veterinary contact information and an emergency number in one clear place. Test any automatic feeder or water device in advance rather than relying on it for the first time during the holiday.

Even pets that usually cope alone may need visits, exercise or supervision appropriate to their species and welfare needs. Make sure the carer can enter the property and operate alarms without improvising.

Water plants shortly before leaving if appropriate for the species, but avoid saturating pots and creating a leak risk. For a longer trip, group suitable plants away from intense sun or ask a trusted person to check them. Test self-watering equipment before departure and place it where an overflow would not damage flooring.

Give a trusted contact a simple home plan

Choose someone nearby who can respond if an alarm sounds, a leak is reported or a parcel arrives unexpectedly. Give them your travel contact number, a spare key if necessary and concise instructions for entering the property.

The contact plan can include:

• Where the internal stopcock and electrical consumer unit are located.
• How to silence and reset the alarm safely.
• Which pets or plants need attention and when.
• Who to call for an urgent repair.
• Your expected return date and any change to it.

Do not hand over passwords that are unnecessary for the task. Temporary smart-lock or alarm codes can be useful where supported, but they should be tested before departure and withdrawn after the trip.

Match the precautions to the length of the trip

For one night away, focus on locked doors and windows, cooking appliances, food waste, pet needs and a final check for running water. Delivery pauses and water isolation may offer little benefit unless a delivery is already scheduled or the property has a known vulnerability.

For several nights or longer, consider timers, mail and parcel arrangements, plant care, a trusted-person visit and additional leak precautions. Review the unoccupied-home conditions in the household’s home insurance documents, particularly any limits on how long the property may be left empty and any requirements involving heating, inspections, alarms or water supplies.

Insurance terms differ between policies. Following this checklist does not guarantee cover, so use the policy wording and contact the insurer if a condition is unclear.

Complete one final walkthrough before locking up

Walk through the home in the same order each time, beginning upstairs or at the furthest room and ending at the main exit. This reduces the chance of returning repeatedly to check something from memory.

Use this final sequence:

1. Check taps, toilets and visible pipework for running water or leaks.
2. Confirm that the hob, oven and suitable portable appliances are off.
3. Remove food waste and close internal and external bins.
4. Verify pet, plant and delivery arrangements.
5. Close and lock accessible windows, external doors, sheds and garages.
6. Set lighting timers, alarms and approved security devices.
7. Photograph nothing for proof unless it is genuinely useful; a written checklist is usually simpler.
8. Lock the final door, test the handle and keep keys secure during the journey.

If several people are leaving together, give one person responsibility for the final walkthrough. The last useful check is not whether everything in the home is switched off, but whether each item has been left in the safe operating state recommended for that property and appliance.

Source: Editorial research