Check that your doors are locked or see who rang the doorbell without even moving from your sofa. Create a 'bedtime' button - one switch to shut your house down for the night. Lock doors, arm the alarm, close blinds, switch lights off and turn the heating down. Light sensors can trigger low level lighting in the hallways at night. Imagine the convenience of lights switching on automatically as you enter your property with armfuls of shopping.

Even when you are on holiday, a text could alert you of an emergency - perhaps a water leak or the house alarm going off. Set your home to 'holiday' mode where the blinds and lights work on timers to give the illusion that someone is home. The same mode can also make sure you have lowered the heating temperature and switched off the iron or straighteners. You can even double check as you arrive at the airport.