The month of May has certainly arrived with a bang as the UK has been enjoying a mini heatwave, boding well that this summer will be a classic. That means it well be a season of parties and barbeques, resulting in open windows, French doors, conservatories and entrances to the garden as everyone basks in the sunshine.
With that, comes the greater risk of opportunistic attempted break-ins as properties are less secure, becoming an open invitation to would-be burglars and intruders.
Property security starts with the landlord
As a landlord there's a multitude of things you can do to make a property secure straightaway. You can make sure doors are strong and well-fitted and that windows aren’t so old to be considered obsolete.
We also recommend that all door locks and keys are checked to make sure they’re fit for purpose. Ask the question, does the front and back doors need a more modern lock, or an additional one such as a Yale or bolt lock to support the existing primary lock?
Another thing to think about is potential security weak-points such as if anyone could climb onto a shed or garage roof and then gain easier access to the upper levels of the property?
As a landlord you can also offer advice oh how tenants can keep the property safe and secure while they're living there. For example, advising them of the following:
Simple ways a tenant can instantly make a home secure during the summer months
- If you’re in the garden for a prolonged period or planning to go somewhere, remember to keep your window partially open so as to still provide air circulation without having the windows ajar or fully open . Most double-glazed windows have this feature, but you may need an additional restrictor with older types like sash windows.
- Again, if you’re spending a lot of time in the garden, it’s a good idea to lock the front door.
- At night, keep downstairs windows closed and locked or partially-open, but you can be more lenient with harder-to-reach windows on upper floors.
Provide this advice to tenants to secure the property while on holiday
From May onwards people will start to travel abroad for summer holidays. With that in mind, there’s a couple of things tenants can do to make sure the property is as secure as possible while away.
- For patio and French doors, the police recommend adding a padlock or bar-lock to them. This will lock the doors together, adding an extra line of defence against intruders.
- Shut all windows, and lock them if possible. Don't leave window lock keys near the windows, store them somewhere secure.
- Consider timers for your lights or use smart bulbs that you can control through Alexa, Siri or Google. The lights will come on in the evening, giving the impression to onlookers that someone is home.
