How to Protect your New Home

If you move house this spring, you really should get the locks of your new home changed. You don’t know who might have duplicates to the keys you are given. Even when former residents have the best of intentions, they could have forgotten about a set of keys left with a neighbour to fall back on in an emergency. Some new home owners have been known to find keys tucked under a bush or a pot in the front garden. Even if you move into a newly built property you can’t be sure of the integrity of everyone employed by the building contractors.

High Risk of Burglary

Recent police statistics indicate that the occurrence of burglary is almost twice as high for those in their first year in a new home. There is so much to do once your belongings are moved in that it is hard to focus on making the place secure. Thieves pick up on clues such as curtain-less windows and visible packing boxes, so it is worth making curtains or blinds a priority and trying to keep the boxes out of sight. Try to make the property look normal as early as you can.

However, the best way of protecting yourself is by installing new locks on all external doors. A survey carried out in 2013 by a firm of mortgage brokers found that only 42% of the new home owners in its sample changed any of the locks, and only 30% changed them on all external doors. The rest were really leaving things to chance.

Would you Be Fully Insured?

If you were to have items stolen from your house, first you would probably feel violated, angry and fearful. Then you might collect yourself and call your home insurance claims department. But some insurance companies will only pay out if there is evidence of a break in. If the burglars have used a key and are not caught, you might never receive any recompense.

Have New Locks Installed

Changing the locks on moving day or very soon after is obviously a good idea. It is also an opportunity to have a one key system installed, so that you save yourself the trouble of memorising which key fits which door. If you select a system which needs a key registration card, no one can make a duplicate key without the card.

At Barry Bros Security, we have been helping families keep their homes safe and secure for over 60 years. Our master locksmiths will be happy to help you find and install the system to suit your needs, so put a call to us at the top of your list of things to do before you move.