Home Security Guide
Before you embark on your adventure in student living, check out the tips below. They should help you choose a house that's as secure as it can be, giving you peace of mind and the freedom to enjoy your year. Safe!
What your property should have
Make sure any house you look at has:
- Well maintained external doors, windows, garden walls / fencing and gates
- Window locks
- British standard locks
- Burglar alarm
- And possibly security lighting
What to look for:
- British Standard 'kite marks' on door locks - normally on the locking mechanism
- Wooden window frames that aren't rotten and have no gaps between the frame and the wall
- Opening windows that actually open and are fitted with window locks - on UPVC frames the lock is normally in the window handle.
- Alarm control pad with either a key or keypad - usually in the hall
Dos & Don'ts
Do:
- Make sure everybody has a set of keys and that window lock keys are supplied
- If the alarm has a keypad, ask for the code to be changed.
- Make sure the house is locked whenever it's empty - in the past, tenants have left windows open and alarms off over the holidays: not a good idea
Don't:
- Let contractors - or anyone else - in without seeing some ID
- Leave your house unsecured - this can invalidate your insurance and your landlord's. You might then face a claim for items that are stolen or damaged.When you're in the house, lock windows and doors when you're in anotherroom and don't leave laptops etc on display
Links
You can find further information at www.direct.gov.uk . Follow the link for 'home and community', then 'private renting and letting'.
