Going to sleep is seen by many as the moment you become most vulnerable to some kind of home invasion; a robbery or break in. You won’t hear sounds, you aren’t fully alert to react etc and, as such, people spend a lot of time before they go to sleep making sure that their houses are fully and properly secured before going to bed and then to sleep. My dad had a very specific routine that I think has rubbed off on me so that, before I sleep, I have to run through the checklist.

First you have to check the heating isn’t on all night – losing money that way is just as bad. Check the oven is not on, check the TV is not on, check the windows are all secured and the curtains are drawn, check the front door, back door and any other doors are securely locked before you head off to sleep. It is a simple check, quickly done, that could well save you a lot of hassle.