Buy Abroad News

06 Jul 11

Overseas Property And How To Protect Your Home

Many of us take the safety and security of our homes for granted. Burglary in the UK has been steadily falling during the past decade and we have thus become a little blasé about our home security. We also don’t do enough to secure our second homes and overseas properties when we are not there. Here are 10 things you must do to improve the security of your property at home and away.

A burglar alarm works two fold. It firstly acts as a deterrent. Burglars tend to avoid the houses with burglar alarms and head straight for the ones lacking them. If you do get burgled, the alarm will alert neighbours and the emergency services, enabling police to catch the burglar red handed. Burglar alarms are so good at reducing burglary and vandalism that insurance companies will lower your insurance premium if you have one.

Make sure all doors and windows are locked with nationally recognised locks. In the UK, this means they should carry the British Standards Kitemark.

Use deadlocks, bolts and chains on any exterior gates and doors and make sure fences and garden walls are in good condition. Easy access gives opportunist burglars a reason to act.

However, don’t build walls to high or let trees and bushes get overgrown. You want your property to be protected and you want some privacy, but so much that a burglar’s actions would be hidden from view from the road and neighbours.

Security lighting also acts as a burglar deterrent. It will also alert your neighbours to any unexplained movements during your absence.

Set your lights on a timer. You want your property to look occupied. Don’t just close the curtains so that no one can see in, this can act as cover for a burglar if one does manage to get inside. Instead set lights to come on in the evening then again in the morning.

Secure your shed, garage and any other outbuildings. Not only can these get broken into as well, but the tools inside such as ladders and wheelie bins are perfect aids for breaking and entering and carting it all away.

Join your local neighbourhood watch. Not only is this a great way to meet the locals if you have bought a second home, it has been proven that crime is reduced in areas where the groups operate.

Don’t let your mail overflow out of the letterbox. This is an obvious sign that no one’s home. Get a neighbour to either push it through or collect it.

Remember to get home contents insurance as well as buildings insurance. You can get combined packages that will save you money and hassle. If you don’t have any insurance, you’ll will have to pay for replacement goods and deal with damages out of your own pocket. As part of Legal and Generals executive home insurance package, you can add on second or overseas contents insurance for an additional fee.