More than a quarter of Aussies have no home security

As Aussie families prepare to head away for the Easter long weekend, we asked, just how safe are our homes when we’re away?

Turns out, 60% of us worry about burglary and theft when away on holidays, according to a recent survey by Safewise. And with 40% of us planning to head away for the Easter long weekend, it’s a good time to start the conversation around home security.

We surveyed 1,000 Aussies about the kind of security they have installed in their homes. Security cameras topped the list, with 38% of respondents saying they had a security camera installed. Alarm system came in next, with 28% saying they had one activated in their home. Just over a quarter (27%) said they had a smart doorbell installed to keep their home safe. Just under 20% (18.6%) said they have some kind of smart lighting installed in their homes, and 16% responded saying that they have a remote locking system in place.

Just over 1 in 10 respondents (11.6%) claimed they had other kinds of methods to keep their home safe, including deadlocks, guard dogs, security screens, or employing house sitters for when they go away.

But it was the 27% of respondents who said they have no kind of home security to protect their homes that really alarmed us.

We also wanted to find out how many Aussies commit some common home security mistakes when they go away.

Just under half of respondents said they post holiday snaps on social media while they’re away. While it’s tempting to share the gorgeous colours of the Mediterranean sea, or the incredible chicken parma you bought in an Outback pub, posting on social media tells your friends and followers that you’re not home. This can be extra risky if your social media profiles are set to public, meaning anyone can see your snaps—and therefore know that your house is likely empty.

25 to 34-year-olds were the most likely to post holiday snaps while away (30.75%) followed closely by 35-44-year-olds (27.5%). Those aged over 54 were the least likely to post on social media while away (11.4%).

While it makes sense to close your curtains and blinds while on holidays so nobody can see inside your home, it can also signal to potential burglars that your house is empty. A huge two-thirds (66.2%) of respondents said they are guilty of shutting all their blinds when they go away.

We’ve seen it in movies where the spare key is hidden under the flower pot, and 35% of respondents said they hide a spare key somewhere around their home. While it might be convenient if you ever lock yourself out of your house, it’ll also be the first thing potential burglars look for, so it might be time to re-think the hidden spare key.

Having a good relationship with your neighbours can help with home security, and just over two thirds of respondents said they would feel comfortable asking their neighbours to keep an eye on their place while they were away on holidays.

We surveyed 1,000 Australians about their home security habits via Pollfish.