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Security advice when moving into a new house
Moving house can be an exciting, yet stressful, time and the last thing you need to add to your stress is worrying about your home security or, even worse, experiencing an actual break in. There are a few things that you ought to do when you move into a new home that will make your home more secure and give you peace of mind:
Change the locks
This is in no way a reflection on the honesty of the people who previously lived in the house but there really is no way of knowing who has a key. Keys could have been lost in the past, given to tradespeople or there may be even be an old one still under a plant pot or hiding place that they’ve forgotten about. Changing the locks enables you to control the all the keys to your house plus you can make sure you choose high security anti-snap locks. Get them changed by an MLA approved locksmith so you know it’s a professional job.
Get to grips with the burglar alarm
If the house has a burglar alarm then you need to make sure it’s all in order and working properly so that you can use it. You also need to change the code to your own. It’s therefore a good idea to get it serviced, even if it has been well maintained. It means that you can get the code changed and familiarise yourself with the system. This is also your opportunity to amend or upgrade the system including adding sensors, swapping for pet sensors etc. You don’t necessarily have to use the company that installed the system but make sure it’s an SSAIB approved contractor.
If you don’t have an alarm at the property, consider having one installed.
Do a visual security check
You may have viewed the house a few times before you bought it but chances are you were more focused on whether it had good parking and where you would put your sofa than the finer details of its security. Now you’re in, have a good look around outside. Does the front door have any glass panels that you can see through? Are there any hedges and trees that offer good hiding places? Where are the weak points in terms of accessing the house? Try to put yourself into the mind of a burglar and see the opportunities that they might see.
Take a look around your street
Burglars will invariably go for the easiest option so the house with the least amount of security is usually the most vulnerable. Do the other houses have burglar alarms or CCTV? Do their front doors look robust? Do they have security lighting? Make sure your home is at least as secure, if not more so, than your neighbours’ homes.
It can take a while to settle in when you move house but we do recommend that you attend to these things sooner rather than later so you know your home is secure.
What if your home is rented? If you are a tenant rather than the owner of the house then you would need to ask permission from your landlord to implement many of the actions above. That said, you do have the right to live in a safe environment and it’s in their interests for their property to be secure as well so speak to them and see if you can agree some reasonable home security measures between you.
Want a professional opinion? Whether it’s getting an alarm back on line, swapping your locks out or just giving you some advice, we can help. We are MLA approved locksmiths and SSAIB registered contractors for intruder alarms, CCTV and access control. Call us on 01924 371941 or send us a message.