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Landlord Security Tips for an Empty Home

10-January-2023
10-January-2023 10:40
in General
by Admin

You find that there are times when your rental is empty. It could be down to maintenance work, or there might just be a gap between changing tenants.

It's wise to think about keeping your rental safe during these times. Read on for our tips to help keep an empty property safe.

Regularly inspect the property

Make sure you check the property at regular intervals. If there is a problem, the longer it is left the harder it will be to rectify.

Check it’s secured correctly

Inspect anything with a lock to make sure it’s working correctly. Check for any signs of a break-in, if there are any signs that a lock had been tampered with, it’s best to replace it

Before you leave the property, check that everything is locked up and secure.

Alarms/CCTV

If you have a burglar alarm, make sure it’s working correctly. It’s a good deterrent for anyone looking to break in.

If you have cameras, regularly check the footage. You may not have noticed anything untoward, but you might have caught something on camera. Like, a potential burglar checking the locks and looking through the windows. It’s also a great way to keep an eye on any unwanted pest problems.

Light it up

Leaving some lights on can give the impression that someone is in the home. There are ways to set lights on a timer or look into purchasing smart bulbs as these can be turned on and off remotely via an app.

Signs a house is unoccupied

If you haven’t redirected the post it can tend to build up quickly, and a pile of post will be an indication that a home is empty. If you can’t collect it regularly, consider investing in an external post box – this way it’s not on display.

Parking a car on the drive is also a good way to give off the impression that someone is home. So, think about asking a neighbour if they would park on your driveway.

Protection for an empty property

It’s important to check you have the right insurance for an empty property as they can be open to some risks.

Check with your provider that your insurance covers unoccupancy periods and the duration. You don’t want to get caught out if you do need to claim by having invalid insurance.

We hope you’ve found this helpful, but please note that this article is to provide guidance only and is not intended to give legal advice.

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