Leaving Dubai for the Holidays? How to Protect Your Villa
Dubai Police offers a free Home Security service for villas while you travel. Here's how it works, plus the checklist I go through before a family leaves and before they come home.
Last updated: October 2026
Before the villa sits empty
December is when many families fly out, and the villa sits empty for weeks. Here's what I always do before a family leaves, starting with a free service most residents don't know about.
Dubai Police Home Security: free, for villas
Dubai Police runs a free Home Security service. Once you register, patrols include your villa in their regular rounds while you're away.
- Who it's for: villas only, not apartments
- How to apply: through the Dubai Police app or website
- What you need: Emirates ID, mobile number, email, Makani number, villa number, travel dates and an emergency contact
- Cost: free
You'll receive a reference number by SMS and email. Register before you fly, not from the airport.
Before you lock the door
- AC: don't switch it off completely. Leave it on at a moderate temperature to keep humidity and mould away from furniture, curtains and wardrobes.
- Water: turn off the water supply to washing machines and any appliance that can leak. A small leak over three weeks becomes a big repair.
- Valuables and keys: nothing visible through windows, and no car keys left near the entrance.
- Pool and garden: confirm that maintenance continues while you're away. Let the pool company and gardener know your dates.
- Deliveries: pause subscriptions and deliveries, so parcels don't pile up at the door and show that nobody's home.
- Someone local: leave a key and your dates with one person you trust, so they can check the house once a week and handle any emergency.
When you come back
Have someone visit a day or two before you land. Run the taps, test the AC in every room, check the fridge and open the windows. Coming home should feel like coming home, not like starting a to-do list.
