4 home-security precautions for house sitters

House sitting is a big responsibility. Read on to find out what you can do to keep both you and the home you're watching safe.

This one might seem obvious, but even if you live in a neighbourhood where you can leave your doors unlocked, you should always lock the doors of a home you are house sitting for.

• Locking the doors will ensure that you keep the owners' belongings safe, in the case of an emergency or break-in. This is also important to protect your safety.
• Just make sure you take the keys with you whenever you leave the house so you don't get locked out.

Most houses have an alarm code that will allow you to arm the alarm system when you leave or while you're asleep.

• If the house you are house sitting for has an alarm, make sure you ask the homeowners for the code.
• If they are comfortable giving it to you, they should give you both the code and the password to tell the alarm company should the alarm accidentally go off while you are there. The password will allow you to tell the company the alarm was set off by mistake and they don't need to send police.

One of the most important ways to keep a home (and the sitter) safe is to make it look like somebody is at home.

• Gather the newspapers that are thrown on the lawn, and make sure you get the mail every day. Newspapers that pile up or mail that gathers in the mailbox is a sign to potential intruders that homeowners are away.
• Make the house looked lived in so people looking for empty houses to rob will know you are there.

Potential burglars are drawn to dark homes because they can sneak into areas without being seen.

• Learn where the outside lights are on the house you are house sitting, and keep them on at night.
• Also, ask the homeowner if there are motion-activated security lights you should switch on. These lights turn on when there is someone walking near the house and can alert you if someone is approaching.