Asking the police to keep an eye on your house when you go away

Each year the Ministry of the Interior renews its Opération Tranquillité Vacances and this year is no exception. As a householder, you are invited to inform your local gendarmerie of your planned holiday absence so that your property can be added to their rounds. The gendarmes are then supposed to tour around randomly, having a quick look at each of the properties they’ve been informed about. The objective is to deter burglars by their being out and about.

Asking your local gendarmerie

To have your property added to their list, here’s what you need to do:

  • Download the Acrobat PDF document listed here: Formulaire_OTV.pdf. (This is made available from the Gendarmerie Nationale web page listed at the bottom of this article.)
  • Complete the form. It asks for your details, the details of your property, a nominated person to contact in case there’s a problem, and your holiday location.
  • You need to visit your local gendarmerie 48 hours before your planned departure.
  • You need to take with you some ID and a document to prove that you live at the address in question (a valid utility bill).

You are requested to notify the same gendarmerie if you return from holiday earlier than planned.

Standard advice for vacating your property

Standard advice for leaving your property empty is basic common sense. Don’t let your post box fill up. Have someone empty the box or have La Poste transfer it to a different address. Close all windows, doors and shutters. Verify your locks are in good working order. It is always worth checking your insurance policy to see if there are special conditions attached to the vacation of your particular property. Not everyone’s policies are identical.

Links

The information provided here is for general guidance. The exact details of your policy will define your legal and contractual obligations. What is written there will take precedence over what is written here.

Ces informations sont données à titre indicatif. Pour connaître précisément vos obligations légales ou contractuelles en relation avec votre contrat d’assurance, veuillez vous référer aux conditions générales et particulières de votre contrat.