While KC Locksmiths Brighton have advised new home owners and tenants to change their locks upon moving home, the numbers of third party keys from previous tenants or owners remains staggering. Estimates of around 37,000 keys per year will have a spare set with their whereabouts unknown.
While it is a recommended best practice to leave a spare set of keys with a trusted family member in case of emergency, KC Locksmiths Brighton advise all that new home moves to invest in changing their door locks. As many as 7% of tenants in rental properties don’t reclaim spare keys when moving on, meaning that spare keys could easily fall in to the wrong hands.
KC Brighton Locksmith recommend that a new change of locks will eliminate the chances of non- forced entry, and by taking this step it can prevent the risk of void insurance issues in the event of lost or stolen items over the Christmas period. KC Worthing Locksmiths offer the same advice; they are father and son team.
- Lock all windows and doors when leaving the house, upstairs included. If you have recently moved home, be sure to get your home and contents insurance completely sorted for your peace of mind. They will also advise that that a new set of keys be made, whether as a tenant or homeowner.
- Many homes in the UK still do not have an alarm system fitted. The idea of burglary is scary, yet nothing is more scary to an opportunist thief than a visible security system. KC Locksmiths Brighton can give some excellent advice with this.
- Always make sure your home looks as occupied as possible as this, also acts as a deterrent for would-be Christmas thieves! Leave lights on and curtains drawn and invest in some timers for lamps if you are making family trips away over the festive period. A cheap but useful investment, these are available from most larger chain stores across the UK and online.
- Never advertise you’re ‘out’. If you are going away over the holidays, be aware that social media can overshare your personal information, if you must advertise your holidays, then it is probably a good idea to post anything after the trip has happened rather than beforehand, and check your privacy settings.
- Car security! If you have just moved house, and Christmas is starting to get a little stressful, it is easy to over look the security of your other essentials – namely- your car. Always use a steering lock and your custom car alarm settings. Don’t leave things to chance, as many thieves are simply opportunists. When heading out to the supermarkets or retail parks for the big Christmas shops, or, later on dropping off presents, to your love ones, never leave gifts on display in the car, as convenient as it might be. The same goes for mobile phones, sat navs or stereos –get them out of sight and mind- and wherever possible keep your car in a garage.
Lastly, enjoy your first holiday season in your new home! Burglaries around the Christmas period are easily prevented with a few small precautions.