How to keep your place secure when living with flatmates

When you move into a shared property, there are a lot of things that will go through your mind. Will you all get on? How are you going to navigate sharing a shower in the morning? Who’s going to be in charge of bills? What you might not have thought about, though, is how you can keep the place safe when there are a few of you living together. It can be easy to lose track of who’s in the house, or get into bad habits about locking the front door. As always, it’s better to be safe than sorry, so follow the tips below to make your rental as secure as possible!

Locks are a tenant’s best friend

As a general rule, when it comes to keeping your property secure, there’s no such thing as too many locks. Most front doors have one or two external locks; if your place has a back door, then you at least want to be able to lock it from the inside; and to be extra safe, all windows that can be reached from the street could do with a lock as well. Having lockable bedroom doors is also a plus, especially if you keep anything valuable, such as a laptop, in your room.

If your place doesn’t have that many locks, it’s definitely worth asking your landlord to install some – even if they’re just latches that can only be used from inside. It’s in both of your interests to have a secure property, so they hopefully won’t take much convincing. If you don’t have some already, installing a chain or latch on your front and back doors, as well as fitting locks on ground and first floor windows could go a long way. Getting into the habit of checking all the easily accessible doors and windows are locked before you go out could be really helpful, as could putting the door on the chain/latch whenever everyone’s in. Aside from making your rental more safe, you’ll feel more comfortable as well – everyone’s a winner.

Know your housemates’ working hours

This might not seem that intuitive, but is generally really good advice for a group of people living together. Not only does it make the queue for the shower a little easier in the mornings, it means that the last person out of the house knows to lock up properly. It gets a little trickier on weekends, when people are more likely to be in and out throughout the day – just try to keep track of things on your group chat, or assume no one’s in when you leave. The main thing is that someone always double locks the door when no one’s going to be in. If you’re all out at night, then it’s a good idea to leave a light or two on, so any potential robbers think someone’s in.

Contents insurance

Contents insurance doesn’t necessarily make your property any more secure, but it’s a good safety net should the worst happen. What contents insurance does is cover your things – such as any furniture you might have, your gadgets, and your clothes against various risks. These risks always include fire, theft, and flood, and with Urban Jungle your things and your landlord’s are also covered against accidental damage. You can cover your things in and out of the home, so you can cover your phone when you’re out and about. It might not stop anything from happening to your things, but it can stop you from having to dip into your savings after a break-in or flood.

Get a burglar alarm

If you already have a burglar alarm, that’s great! They can come in really handy, not only do they deter anyone that tries to break in, but if it’s visible from the street, then it can put off anyone who’s considering breaking in. A burglar alarm is also a great way to put your mind at rest when you’re out and about. Just make sure you remember to set it when you leave, and that you remember the code! If you don’t already have one installed, then it could be a little trickier, as it’s the landlord’s decision if one gets installed or not. Ultimately, a burglar alarm is in their best interests, so it’s definitely worth suggesting installing one.

Get a safe

This might sound a bit drastic, but it’s a good solution if you’ve got anything that you’re really worried about – for example an expensive watch. A safe will often come with its own insurance, so anything you keep in there may well be covered automatically. This is a slightly more expensive option, so only relevant if you really want to keep some high value or important items safe.

Don’t get used to buzzing anyone in – make sure you know them

This is a big one if you’re living in a flat! It’s really easy to get used to buzzing people in out of habit, but it’s a lot safer to only do this if you know the person you’re letting into the building (or know they’re bringing you your Saturday night takeaway).

We’ve all heard stories about break-ins down your street or in your area, and it’s really easy to let these stories freak you out. If you’re worried about how secure your rental is, tiny adjustments to your behaviour can make a huge difference – you don’t need to have door locks worthy of a bank vault or an electric fence around the property to be safe! Little things like always checking you’ve locked up properly when you leave, or that lights are on if the place is empty at night can do wonders for deterring burglars, and they can really put your mind at rest. The key is communication – both with your housemates and with your landlord. Don’t be afraid to pipe up if you’re worried about something!