Whether you're renting or buying, moving into a new home can be a very exciting time. However, there's so much to think about before and after you move in. Your chances of being burgled are pretty high, and even greater if you're renting. Below are some tips to consider, if you plan on moving into a new house.
Before Moving in
Inquire about the crime rate in the area. Has the house been burglarized in the past?
Upgrade/rekey and install new locks and fit key-operated locks to alarms and windows. If there is an alarm system, change the access code. And if it's connected to a monitoring service, you'll need to register your details with the company. Of course, all of these require planning ahead, before the actual move.
Talk to your insurance company, local police, or housing officer about the security of the house you'll be moving in.
Check with the people you'll be dealing with. Make sure that you can trust your movers, tradespeople and real estate agent. Use people who are recommended by family members and friends, or those whose credentials are advertised in directories, such as the yellow pages.
Who has an extra key?
With all the excitement, no doubt you've talked about enhancing your new home by replacing fixtures and fittings, or changing the color, but what about upgrading the security? About 5% of burglaries happen because the intruder has a key.
There's no way of knowing whether or not the previous owner or tenant didn't leave a spare for a friend or neighbor, or handed back all their copies. They might have even left the key with a tradesman or housekeeper, or even left it under the doormat.
In all those cases, it's very easy for someone to make a copy. Get your locks rekeyed by a professional locksmith. Rekeying your locks will provide the comfort of knowing that only you have a key—all old keys and spares will no longer work.
By changing the euro profile cylinder in a multi point lock, or the rim cylinder in a night latch, your home can be secure in minutes, without having to change the entire lock.
This is very simple and something you can do all by yourself, but if not, get a professional locksmith to get it done. Do this every five years.
If you locks cannot be rekeyed, there's the option of changing all your locks.
Other Tips
Be sure that you fit all security devices with strong bolts and screws. Keep all your doors locked even when you're at home. Use enhanced security doors, mortise deadlocks, or fully double-locked mode, especially at nights.
Get the help of a professional locksmith to check, install, or upgrade the locks and other security systems in your new home. Follow these simple tips to reduce the risk of your home being burgled.
