Table of Contents
Ensuring the safety of your home and the people and valuables in it is of utmost importance. After all, your home is your safe space, whether you own or rent it, and the best way to keep it that way is to take the correct safety and security measures.
When it comes to securing your valuables, you not only need to keep them safe from theft but also secure them against damage due to fire, water, and other environmental factors. Security safes are made for this exact reason and are the perfect solution for keeping your belongings safe for years to come.
Homeowners have complete freedom when it comes to securing their homes (while abiding by the law, of course), but renters face somewhat of a challenge due to certain restrictions and limitations, especially regarding permanent installations.
Since many safes need to be permanently installed, renters might assume that they can’t invest in safes. But the good news is that there are several types of safes especially suited for rentals. They offer versatility since they can protect your belongings without needing a permanent installation.
Read on to find out all about safes for renters and how you can secure your valuables without any permanent installations:
TYPES OF SAFES FOR RENTERS
Everyone has certain belongings they need to protect such as cash, jewellery, bank documents, passports, legal documents, digital devices, data, and things with sentimental value. Security safes are a great investment in securing these valuables from theft and damage.
Safes are strong, secure lockable boxes that store valuable items and protect them from unauthorised access and environmental damage. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes with different locking mechanisms. Some are more secure than others based on their build, quality, and type of lock.
Some security safes require permanent installations that need to be fixed into the construction or bolted to the floor or wall. While this shouldn’t be cause for concern for homeowners, it may be an issue for renters since they are restricted from making any significant changes to a rental property and may require special permission from the homeowners to do so.
Luckily, there are security safes that need no permanent installations and are 100% renter-friendly. The best safes for renters offer security for your valuables without violating any lease agreements. Here are a few great options to choose from:
Heavy-Weight Freestanding Safes
A good and reliable safe is one that can secure its contents to the fullest and withstand vandalism and force. It should be heavy enough for a single person to lift and have a minimum weight of 150 lbs (70 kg).
Heavy-weight safes can weigh up to 1500+ kg and are a great option for renters as they can make do without any permanent installations. Although it is recommended to bolt down all kinds of safes for maximum protection, these heavy-weight safes are difficult to carry and need not be anchored to the wall or floor, hence the term “freestanding”.
Due to their weight, they cannot be easily picked up by an intruder or burglar, making them ideal for renters to secure their valuables. They offer a high level of protection and are strong enough to withstand vandalism and damage.
Heavy-weight safes have thick, multi-layered walls and a sturdy structure that gives them their weight and allows them to provide a high level of protection against theft and damage. They are resistant to heat and fire damage and can also withstand something heavy falling on them in case of a fire or flood.
The level of security of heavy-weight safes is determined not only by their weight but several other factors that include build, quality, features, and type of lock. As a rule of thumb, the heavier the safe is, the more secure it is.
Portable Safes
Portable safes, as the name suggests, are safes that can easily be carried around. They are compact and lightweight and do not require any permanent installations, making them a suitable choice for renters.
Portable safes offer the same utility as regular safes except that they can be carried around and are not fixed in place. They weigh much less making them easy to carry and can be used to secure items such as cash, jewellery, and documents.
Although incredibly convenient, portable safes may not be the most secure option out there due to their size, weight, and portability. There are, however, ways to make them more secure without any permanent installations.
Since portable safes are typically small and compact, they can easily be hidden in places around the house. Most come with a steel cable that can be used to attach them to a piece of furniture or fixed object. This feature prevents burglars from simply picking up the safe and is a great option for situations where permanent installations are not possible, such as in rented properties.
Although small and lightweight, portable safes are made from durable and sturdy materials and are specially designed to withstand tampering. They come with a secure locking mechanism and some types are also resistant to water to some extent.
Diversion Safes
Diversion safes look like everyday household objects but are actually secure storage boxes for keeping valuables safe. They can be anything such as books, candles, jars, hairbrushes, cans, food items, electrical outlets, furniture, and wall clocks.
Also called hidden safes or secret safes, diversion safes are great at protecting your valuables as burglars are less likely to inspect ordinary-looking everyday objects. They are also a good option for renters as they come in various shapes and sizes to look like different objects, many of which do not require any permanent installations.
Unlike regular safes that look like safes and make it obvious that they have valuables in them, diversion safes seamlessly blend in with the surroundings and don’t stand out. Make sure you choose one that closely resembles a common household item and doesn’t look too fake or different.
Placement of diversion safes is highly important as an out-of-place object is sure to attract attention. For instance, a diversion safe disguised as a hairbrush placed in the kitchen or one disguised as a soda can placed in the bedroom may raise a few eyebrows.
Depending on the shape and size of diversion safes, they may or may not come with a lock and key. While this may impact the level of security, they do allow quick and convenient access to your valuables. They are also generally more affordable than traditional home safes and are a great option for people on a budget.
FEATURES TO LOOK FOR IN SAFES FOR RENTERS
The market is filled with different types of safes – some very secure, others not so much. The level of security is determined by the features of the safe and how well it can protect the valuables inside it.
When choosing the best safe for renters, the first thing to look for is that it shouldn’t require any permanent installations, as we have already discussed above. Other than that, there are several factors to consider such as:
- Size and capacity
- Locking mechanism
- Build quality
- Fire and water resistance
The size and capacity of the safe will depend on what you plan on keeping in it. If the valuables in question are small and compact, a small safe would do. If the valuables require more space, it would be recommended to get a bigger safe.
The locking mechanism is a crucial part of any safe. A secure lock prevents burglars from opening the safe and accessing its contents.
Several types of locking mechanisms can be used with security safes. They range from traditional lock and key to digital and biometric locking systems. When looking for a secure safe, opt for one with a strong lock that cannot be opened or tampered with by unauthorised individuals.
Key safe locks are simple, cost-effective, and a good choice for people who have trouble remembering codes and combinations. The downside to using a traditional key is that there is no way to tell who opened the safe, which is especially true in the case of several users having their own key, and the very high possibility of the key getting lost.
Electronic combination safe locks are another good option that comes with a keypad for entering codes. Since there are no keys involved, there’s no risk of losing them. There is, however, the need to remember the codes for access. These locks are perfect for multiple users as different codes can be given to different users which makes it easy to track usage.
Mechanical combination safe locks are dial locks or wheel combination locks that require a code combination to access the safe’s contents. The best thing about these locks is that if the code is compromised, such as when an unauthorised individual gets access to it, it can very easily be modified, unlike physical keys that need to be replaced.
Last, but certainly not least, biometric safe locks are high-tech security devices that provide the highest level of security. They use biometrics such as fingerprints, retina scans, and voice recognition to grant access to the safe and are highly secure. There’s also no stress or worry about losing any keys or forgetting any codes or combinations since you always have your biometrics on you.
When it comes to build quality, safes are made with different materials and offer varying levels of security. For the highest level of protection for your valuables, look for sturdy safes, that cannot be opened or tampered with easily, and have multi-layered walls.
Fire and water resistance is a salient feature of security safes as it protects the safe’s contents from fire and water damage. In case of a fire erupting in your home or in the event of flooding, fire- and water-resistant safes keep your valuables safe from such environmental hazards.
The intensity of heat that a safe can withstand is determined by its fire rating. The higher the fire rating, the longer it can withstand the fire. Fire-resistant safes have a double-walled steel body with their cavity filled with a special fire-resistant composite such as alum or gypsum that releases water vapour to create a pressure seal and keep the interior as cool as possible. They also have vents placed strategically in various areas to control the pressure and humidity levels inside the safe.
Water-resistant safes are fitted with airtight seals on the door(s) of the safe to protect its contents from water hazards from sources such as sprinklers, hoses, and even flooding to a certain extent.
LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR RENTERS IN THE UK
When living in a rented property, whether it is a house or a flat, renters must consider certain legalities in terms of the changes and alterations they can make to the property. In the UK, renters usually do not have the liberty to make significant changes or permanent installations to a property without proper permission from the landlord.
Although several safes do not require permanent installations, as discussed above, if you absolutely need to permanently install your safe, you are required to take written permission from your landlord, who has the right to both approve or reject the request.
In cases where the landlord allows the renter to make permanent installations, the latter is required to restore the changes to their original state by the end of the tenancy.
Not taking the landlord’s permission before making any permanent installations to your rented home may result in you not getting your security deposit back and risking eviction.
The best way to go about this is to always get a written agreement from your landlord before you go ahead with any permanent installations in your home in order to avoid any conflict. This applies not only to permanently installed safes but also to other security systems and devices such as burglar alarms and CCTVs.
CONTACT CALDER SECURITY
We, at Calder Security, are members of the Master Locksmith Association (MLA) and are familiar with a wide range of safes, cash boxes, and strong boxes. Our SSAIB-approved contractors can help you assess your security needs and recommend a suitable safe perfect for your requirements.
We offer professional safe installation services to not only prevent theft and fire damage but also ensure that the safe is secured in place properly, cannot be removed, and is not in danger of falling or damaging anything.
We also offer safe opening services since misplacing the keys, forgetting the code, or failure of the safe itself can all lead to the contents of the safe being inaccessible. By design, of course, safes are very difficult to access in these circumstances and you need a professional safe engineer to do it for you. Our Calder specialists can open most safes and restore them to full working order afterward.
When you need to relocate or remove your safe entirely, you can count on us to carry out the job with ease. In addition to that, our professional safe repair and maintenance services ensure that your safes are always in optimal health providing you with the best security.
Contact us here or call us at 0800 612 9799 to talk to our security professionals for more information on safes for renters and how to secure your valuables without any permanent installations.
Photo by Chittima Stanmore on Unsplash