As the holiday season gets fully underway, Belvoir Sheffield, the leading lettings agent in Sheffield is warning both landlords and tenants to step up security, after if was established that many landlords and tenants are confused about whose responsibility it is to keep a rental property safe.
Despite statistics demonstrating that the number of burglaries in the UK has significantly decreased over the past decade, Belvoir Lettings, which has an office on Campo Lane Sheffield, is urging its clients to be as vigilant as ever.
Rick, from Belvoir Sheffield, who specialise in providing flats to rent in Sheffield, said: “If you’ve ever been the victim of burglary you’ll know that it is an upsetting, stressful and ultimately pretty scary experience we often find that landlords and tenants place less importance on security than homeowners and sometimes there is even confusion over whose responsibility it is. Here at Belvoir Sheffield, we always advise that both parties need to take precautionary steps to ensure security is of the highest level.
“I think that people have become a little complacent lately as year on year we hear that the number of incidents is decreasing,” he said. “However burglaries are still a very real threat – especially during the summer months when lots of people are on holiday – and so both landlords and tenants need to take steps to increase security.
“At Belvoir we take the safety and wellbeing of our tenants and maintenance of our landlords’ properties very seriously and so are always on the other end of the phone to advise them if they have any worries,” Rick added.
Although the risk of a burglary cannot be completely eliminated there are certain steps that landlords and tenants can take to reduce it considerably. Here is a selection of Belvoir’s top tips for both landlords and tenants:
- Ensure home security is of a high level – Common sense tells us that households with ‘less than basic’ security are more likely to become victims of burglary than households with ‘enhanced’ home security. Burglars like to operate without forced entry so the first measure you should take is to install dead-bolts on all external doors. Attaching a timer switch on your lights is also advisable as light will give the illusion that there are people in the property. This is especially important if you are experiencing a void period.
- Remove the opportunity – Take measures that tell a burglar your property is too difficult or risky to target. Try to avoid; leaving windows open that are easily accessible, letting hedges become overgrown and leaving ladders out after use. These make access to the building far simpler and indicate to a prospective burglar that it’s worth a second look.
- Keep all valuables out of sight – You wouldn’t ask someone to mug you in the street so why would you make it simple for a burglar to gain access to your valuables? Burglars are opportunists so if they can see your car keys lying unattended they are more likely to strike. Make sure all valuables are hidden, or even better locked away.
- Tell a friend if you are going away – It’s a well known fact that the most likely time you’ll get burgled is when you are on holiday. If your letterbox has an old newspaper sticking out of it or your curtains haven’t been closed for a few days it indicates there is no one home. Ask a friend or neighbour to keep an eye on your property and to contact the police immediately if they see any suspicious activity.
- Keep doors locked at all times – This may seem like an obvious one but often people, especially those who live in flats, only lock the door when they are leaving the property or at night. Thieves can also attack in the day time, and many of them will resort to violence if faced with resistance.
- Mark your valuables – Police routinely check recovered stolen items for SmartWater, an invisible fluid that can be used to mark most household items. If your valuables are marked with SmartWater, or UV pen, it increases the likelihood that you will be reunited with your stolen goods.
Rick, whose office on Campo Lane specialises in providing houses to rent in Sheffield, added: “Although they aren’t as frequent as they used to be, burglaries do still take place in both rural and urban areas across the UK. Our aim is to look after the welfare of both our landlord and tenant clients, and the properties they own or live in and so urge them to take precautions and remain vigilant.”
Your local lettings agent can offer specialist insurance, speak to your closest Belvoir office for more information.
Belvoir Lettings Agency Sheffield is the One Stop Specialists for Lettings including Property Management, Tenant Find, Investment and Wealth Management Advice, Fit-outs and Renovations, Furniture Packs and Investment Property Insurances
