Quick Answer
Before leaving your Melbourne home for more than 2 weeks, cover five areas: security (locks, alarms, lights on timers), water (turn off the mains or isolate appliances), electrical (switch off non-essential circuits), garden (irrigation timer, pot plants covered), and admin (trusted contact, mail redirected, insurer notified). Most tasks take 2–3 hours and cost nothing — but skipping them can cost thousands.
Security: Protecting Your Home While You’re Away
Doors and Locks
Walk every entry point — front door, back door, side gates, garage access, and any internal door connecting the garage to the house. Check that all deadbolts are engaged, not just the latch. Sliding doors should have a security bar or pin in the track in addition to the lock. Timber French doors need bolts top and bottom.
Alarm System
Test your alarm before leaving — press “test” on the keypad and walk through the sensor zones. Ensure your monitoring company has current emergency contact numbers (a neighbour or family member who can attend within 20 minutes). If you don’t have monitoring, set the alarm to trigger the external siren only. Check that the battery backup is functional — cut power briefly at the switchboard to verify the backup kicks in.
Smart Lights and Timers
An obviously dark, unoccupied house is an invitation. Set 2–3 indoor lights on random-interval smart plugs (Kmart, Bunnings, or Officeworks stock $20–$40 Wi-Fi plugs) — living room and bedroom lights on different schedules. Avoid the pattern of lights going on and off at exactly the same time each night. Outdoor sensor lights should be left active.
Security Cameras
If you have Wi-Fi security cameras, confirm they are functioning and that motion alerts are directed to your phone. Check the camera angle covers the driveway and front door. Ensure recordings are saved to cloud or an SD card that won’t fill up during a 4-week trip — most systems store 7–30 days of motion-triggered clips. Solar-powered cameras need full charge before departure.
Water: Preventing Leaks and Flood Damage
Water damage is the most expensive risk for an unoccupied home — a burst pipe or leaking washing machine hose can cause $20,000–$80,000 in damage over several weeks before you return. Take these steps before every trip over 2 weeks:
| Action | Why | Time to do |
|---|---|---|
| Turn off washing machine hose taps | Rubber hoses fail without warning; flooding can go undetected for days | 30 seconds |
| Turn off dishwasher inlet tap (if accessible) | Same risk as washing machine | 30 seconds |
| Turn off hot water system (or set to “holiday” or “vacation” mode) | Saves electricity/gas; reduces risk of element failure causing leak | 1 minute |
| Turn off mains water at the meter (for 4+ week trips) | Eliminates all internal water pressure | 2 minutes |
| Flush all toilets and pour water down rarely-used drains | Prevents p-trap drying out and sewer gas entering | 5 minutes |
Electrical: Reducing Risk and Standby Power
A house fire from an electrical fault in an unoccupied home is a worst-case scenario — and harder to detect than in an occupied home. Switch off non-essential circuits at the switchboard or at the powerpoint:
- Switch off: dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, oven, electric blankets, secondary TVs and entertainment systems
- Leave on: fridge/freezer (unless emptied), alarm system (has its own battery backup), smart lights on timers, security cameras
- Consider switching off: air conditioning if not using a smart controller for return-home comfort
Check that your smoke alarms have fresh batteries before you leave — if you have hardwired alarms with battery backup, test them. If an alarm is older than 10 years (check the manufacture date on the back), replace it before departure.
Garden: Keeping It Alive and Tidy
A dead garden is both an eyesore and a visible sign of an unoccupied house. Before you leave:
- Set the irrigation timer for appropriate watering frequency — in Melbourne summer, established gardens need watering every 2–3 days; pot plants daily or move them into a shadier spot
- Mow the lawn the day before departure so it looks tended for the first 2–3 weeks
- Ask a neighbour or hire someone for fortnightly mowing on trips over 3 weeks
- Move pot plants into a shaded location or group them together to reduce water loss
- Clear gutters before leaving in autumn — blocked gutters during winter storms cause fascia and ceiling damage
Admin: The Non-Physical Checklist
| Task | Notes |
|---|---|
| Notify your home insurer of absence | Some policies have a 60-day unoccupied clause that may affect cover — check your PDS |
| Redirect mail or ask a neighbour to collect | Overflowing letterbox signals absence; redirect via Australia Post ($31 for 3 months) |
| Give a spare key to a trusted neighbour or friend | They can check for leaks or respond to alarm callouts; leave emergency contact for trades |
| Leave emergency contacts and council bin day with your key-holder | Overflowing bins are a visual signal of absence |
| Check if solar battery system needs supervision | Some home battery systems (Tesla Powerwall, Sungrow) have fault modes requiring reset |
Complete Pre-Holiday Checklist
| Category | Task | Done? |
|---|---|---|
| Security | All door and window locks engaged | ☐ |
| Security | Alarm tested and activated | ☐ |
| Security | Smart light timers set with random intervals | ☐ |
| Security | Security cameras working, cloud storage active | ☐ |
| Water | Washing machine hose taps off | ☐ |
| Water | Hot water system on holiday mode or off | ☐ |
| Water | Mains shutoff if 4+ weeks (leave info for key-holder) | ☐ |
| Electrical | Non-essential appliances switched off | ☐ |
| Electrical | Smoke alarm batteries tested | ☐ |
| Garden | Irrigation timer set and tested | ☐ |
| Garden | Lawn mowed | ☐ |
| Garden | Pot plants moved/watered | ☐ |
| Admin | Insurer notified | ☐ |
| Admin | Mail redirected or neighbour collecting | ☐ |
| Admin | Spare key given to trusted contact with emergency numbers | ☐ |
Top 8 Tips and Gotchas
- Check your home insurance PDS for unoccupied home clauses. Most policies cover 60 days of absence, but some standard policies reduce cover after 30 days — don’t assume.
- Don’t leave the front door key under the mat or in a fake rock. These are the first places burglars check. Use a properly installed key safe with a combination code.
- Washing machine hoses are the #1 cause of holiday flood claims. The tap behind the machine is there for a reason — turn it off every time you’re away more than a few days.
- Test your irrigation timer the day before you leave. Automated timers fail silently — a dead battery or programming error won’t show up until your garden is half-dead.
- Don’t leave obvious signs of absence. Park one car at home if possible, or ask a neighbour to occasionally park on your driveway. Bin nights still need handling.
- A letterbox that fills up is a burglary invitation. Australia Post mail redirection costs $31 for 3 months — worth every cent.
- Smart home systems need checking before you leave. Wi-Fi cameras, smart locks, and app-controlled lights all need charged batteries and working internet to function remotely — don’t assume they’re working.
- Consider a housesitter for 4+ week absences. In SE Melbourne suburbs, housesitting is increasingly common — websites like MindMyHouse.com or TrustedHousesitters can find reliable housesitters, often for free accommodation in exchange for home care.
Local Melbourne Resources
- Australia Post — Mail Redirection Service
- Solar Victoria — Smart Home Battery Program
- Bunnings — Smart Plugs and Timers
- TrustedHousesitters — Housesitter Matching
- Search “home security installer Melbourne SE suburbs” for alarm installation and camera setup in Berwick, Narre Warren, Pakenham
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to tell my home insurer when I go on holiday?
Yes — most standard Australian home insurance policies have an “unoccupied home” clause, typically covering 60 days of absence. Some policies reduce cover or require specific precautions (like draining water pipes) for longer absences. Check your Product Disclosure Statement or call your insurer before any trip over 30 days.
Should I turn off the water main before a long holiday?
For trips of 4 weeks or more, turning off the mains water at the meter is the most reliable way to prevent flood damage from a burst pipe or appliance hose. Your mains shutoff is typically a brass disc valve in a small concrete pit at the front boundary. Leave the location and instructions with your key-holder.
How do I stop my garden dying while I’m on holiday?
Set your irrigation timer to run every 2–3 days for established Melbourne gardens (daily in summer heatwaves). Test the timer the day before you leave. For pot plants, group them in a shaded spot and ask a neighbour to water once a week if you’re away for more than 2 weeks.
Is it safe to leave my alarm on when I’m on holiday?
Yes — and it’s essential. Test the alarm before leaving, confirm your monitoring company has current emergency contact details (ideally a neighbour who can attend quickly), and check the battery backup by briefly cutting mains power at the switchboard. Alarm monitoring typically costs $30–$60/month in Melbourne.
What home tasks should I do the day before I leave?
The day before: mow the lawn, test alarm and cameras, test irrigation timer, turn off washing machine taps, set light timers, check smoke alarms, hand over spare key to your contact, and redirect mail if not already done. Give yourself 2–3 hours to cover everything without rushing.
Final Thoughts
Preparing your Melbourne home for a long holiday is a 2–3 hour investment that can prevent tens of thousands of dollars of damage and give you genuine peace of mind while you’re away. The washing machine tap, the alarm test, and the smart light timer are the three most impactful steps — do those even if you do nothing else. For SE Melbourne homes where summer storms, reactive clay, and opportunistic burglaries are all real risks, taking this checklist seriously every time you travel is simply good home ownership.