Home security while travelling is something many Kenyan families think about only as they lock the door on the way to the airport or the bus station. But an empty home is exactly what burglars look for. Whether you are travelling upcountry for Christmas, going on safari, working abroad for a few months or visiting family for a funeral, a few hours of preparation can make the difference between returning to a safe home and returning to a break-in.

This guide gives you a practical plan for protecting your home before, during and after a trip, whether you are away for a weekend or several months.

Why empty homes are targeted

Criminals prefer homes where nobody will interrupt them. Signs that a home is empty include:

• Lights off every night, or on all day
• Newspapers, parcels or rubbish piling up at the gate
• No cars in the compound
• A guard or house help who tells visitors the family has travelled
• Social media posts showing the family on holiday

The goal of home security while travelling is to remove these signs, strengthen the physical protection of the house, and make sure someone reliable is watching and ready to respond.

Before you leave: the two-week plan

Two weeks before

• Confirm your guard’s schedule and relief cover for the whole period
• Service your alarm and test the link to your response company
• Check CCTV is recording and viewable on your phone
• Check electric fence batteries and lights
• Arrange a trusted contact who can visit or respond if needed

One week before

• Arrange for deliveries to stop or be collected
• Settle bills that could lead to disconnections
• Store valuables and important documents securely, or away from home
• Brief your guard and domestic workers on who may visit and who may not

The day before

• Test all door and window locks
• Set timers for some lights
• Give your emergency contacts your travel dates and phone numbers
• Give your security company the dates and a contact number abroad or upcountry

Guards: your most important layer

If you have a guard, make sure your security company knows you are travelling. Ask for:

1. Extra supervision visits during your absence
2. Strict visitor rules: nobody enters without your confirmation or your trusted contact’s
3. More frequent perimeter patrols at night
4. A daily check-in message from the supervisor, if possible

If you do not usually have a guard, consider hiring one for the travel period. Short-term guarding is common over the festive season. Read hiring a home security guard in Nairobi.

Alarms and response

An intruder alarm linked to a response team is one of the best tools for home security while travelling. When the alarm triggers, the control room contacts your nominated contacts and sends a response team. Make sure:

• The alarm is serviced and tested before you leave
• Your contact list includes someone local who can meet the response team
• You leave the alarm set while you are away

Learn more about our alarm response services and how alarm response works.

CCTV: watching your home from anywhere

CCTV lets you check your home from your phone wherever you are. Before you travel:

• Confirm every camera is working and recording
• Check you can view live footage on your phone
• Set up motion alerts for key areas, such as the gate and doors
• Make sure recordings are stored for long enough to cover your trip

See how to view CCTV on your phone and our CCTV monitoring services.

Make the home look occupied

Social media and information

Many burglaries are planned using information the family shared themselves. While travelling:

• Avoid posting that you are away until you return
• Turn off location tags on photos
• Ask children and relatives to do the same
• Brief domestic workers and guards not to tell visitors the family has travelled

Domestic workers during your absence

Decide whether workers will continue coming while you are away. If they will:

• Agree their hours and duties clearly
• Tell your guard exactly who is allowed in and when
• Limit access to rooms, keys and valuables
• Ask them not to receive visitors at the house

If they will not, collect keys and tell your guard nobody should be admitted without your approval. Read our guide on vetting domestic workers.

Long absences: months away

For long absences, such as working abroad, add:

• A written arrangement with your security company covering the whole period
• Monthly inspection visits by a trusted person or your security supervisor
• A plan for paying guards and utilities while you are away
• Regular CCTV checks and a clear contact for incidents
• Checks on the property’s physical condition: roof, plumbing, electricity

Worked example: a December trip from Kileleshwa

A family travelling upcountry for three weeks in December asked their security company for extra supervision and increased night patrols. They serviced their alarm, confirmed their CCTV worked on their phones, set lamp timers in two rooms, paused deliveries and left keys with a trusted cousin who was listed as the local contact for the alarm company. They briefed the guard that nobody, including relatives, should be admitted without a call. During their trip, the alarm triggered once at night; the response team arrived, found a gate left slightly open by the wind, and the cousin was called to confirm. The family watched the footage from upcountry and slept easily.

When you return

• Check the property before unpacking: gates, doors, windows and valuables
• Read the guard’s occurrence book for the period
• Review any alarm events and CCTV alerts
• Thank your guard and contacts, and note anything to improve next time

Read our festive season security tips for more holiday advice.

Home security while travelling checklist

• [ ] Security company informed of travel dates
• [ ] Extra supervision and patrols arranged
• [ ] Alarm serviced and tested
• [ ] CCTV working and viewable on phone
• [ ] Lights on timers
• [ ] Deliveries paused
• [ ] Valuables secured
• [ ] Trusted local contact briefed
• [ ] Guard briefed on strict visitor rules
• [ ] Social media posts held back until return

How Bestcare Security can help

We can increase supervision and patrols at your home while you travel, provide short-term guards, and link your alarm to our response team so every alert is acted on. Learn more about our residential security services.

Choosing your trusted local contact

Your trusted contact is the person who acts for you while you are away. Choose someone who lives nearby, answers their phone, and is comfortable meeting an alarm response team or the police at night if needed. Give them:

• Your travel dates and how to reach you
• Your security company’s control room number
• A spare key, if appropriate, kept securely
• Clear permission to act, for example to admit a plumber for an emergency leak
• The names of anyone else allowed into the house

Tell your security company and your guard who this person is, so they are recognised and trusted at the gate.

Short trips vs long trips

Home security while travelling does not need to be complicated. The longer you are away, the more you rely on people you trust and systems you have tested before leaving.

Insurance and documentation

Check your home insurance before a long trip. Some policies have conditions for homes left empty for extended periods. Keep photos of valuables and serial numbers of electronics, stored online, so you can report losses quickly if anything happens.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most important part of home security while travelling?

A reliable guard or alarm with a response team, plus a trusted local contact who can act on your behalf.

Should I tell my security company I am travelling?

Yes. They can increase supervision and patrols and apply stricter visitor rules.

Is it safe to post holiday photos on social media?

It is safer to wait until you return. Posting while away tells people your home is empty.

Can I hire a guard just for the holiday period?

Yes. Short-term guarding is common, especially in December.

How can I make my home look occupied?

Use timers on lights, pause deliveries and ask a trusted person to check the property occasionally.

Should domestic workers keep working while I’m away?

It depends on your arrangement. If they do, agree clear hours and tell your guard exactly who may enter.

What should I check when I get home?

Doors, windows, valuables, the occurrence book, alarm events and CCTV alerts.

How do I arrange extra security while I travel?

Call 0709 004 600 and we will plan cover for your dates.

Related reading

• Home Security Checklist for Nairobi Homeowners: 40 Things to Check
• Perimeter Wall and Gate Security in Kenya: A Homeowner's Guide
• Electric Fence vs Razor Wire in Kenya: Which Is Better for Your Home?

Explore our residential security services or see all our security services in Kenya.