Ten Top Tips for keeping your home safe and secure

Your home and possessions can be at risk to anything from burglars to accidents and overheating appliances.

Follow these 10 important safety steps and you could save yourself a lot of money, headache, and time – and even enjoy some peace of mind along the way!

1)    Lock your doors

Keep all doors and windows locked. It may sound obvious, but many burglaries are actually unforced – meaning thieves gain entry through unlocked back doors and open windows.

2)    Invest in an alarm

House alarms are a great deterrent – but only if they are switched on!

A false alarm is better than having treasured possessions stolen or being woken by someone in your home during the early hours of the morning.

3)    Scare thieves with security lighting

Motion sensors put burglars off as crooks don’t want to be under the spotlight up to no good.

The higher up you place them, the wider the area they illuminate.

4)    Hide any valuables

Don’t leave valuables such as laptops, tablets and games consoles out in full view.

Thieves want easy and valuable targets they can grab and carry. Portable devices are just what they are looking for.

5)    Keep keys out of sight

Keep your keys away from the front door.

A small hand or a bent piece of wire through the letter box and a skilled thief could snatch your house and car keys.

6)    Unplug electricals

Electrical items such as hair straighteners, irons and clothes dryers are a fire risk if left switched on and unattended.

Unplug electricals and check things are switched off before you head out.

7)    Fake it

Give the illusion that someone is home by drawing curtains and using timer switches to bring lamps on at different times and maybe a radio to help foil anyone who may be nosing around.

8)    Don’t make their life easier

Ladders and tools can come in very hand and they make the job of breaking in a lot easier for visiting burglar.

Make sure you leave them out of sight.

9)    Lock up any garden furniture

Garden furniture, outdoor toys, bikes and expensive potted plants are all very tempting.

Ensure sheds, gates and garages have secure locks and fix gaps in fences to prevent opportunistic crooks from getting access.

10)  Look out for each other

Let neighbours know when you go away, so they can keep an eye on things.

But, resist bragging about travels on social media – you never know who is just waiting for an opportune moment.

If you are looking for a great rate on your tenant contents insurance, quote and buy here or give us a call on 0800 294 4522 and we will do our best to provide the right policy for you!

Categories: keep your home safe