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As a private landlord, there’s nothing worse than discovering that one of your properties has been broken in to and your tenant’s personal possessions have been stolen. Sadly, this is the reality for thousands of private landlords up and down the country, as a home break-in occurs every 90 seconds in Canada. But, with part of your job as landlord being to provide safe and secure accommodation to your paying tenants, it’s essential that you utilize all the security measures you can.
General safety first
Burglars don’t want to be seen. Therefore, most thieves will target a property which offers a hiding place for them, such as a large bush outside the front door. Objects outside the front door can also provide accessibility issues for tenants who have mobility issues. So, for everyone’s benefit, ensure that the property you’re letting out is as open as possible. Meanwhile, keeping the property well lit will put burglars off, too. 84% of burglars told the ‘Decision-making by house burglars: offenders perspectives’ study that perceiving a house to be occupied is enough to make them move on. Consequently, a security light out of the front of your rental property is highly recommended, as are emergency power lights on the inside.
Send thieves a warning
CCTV cameras are the biggest deterrent to burglars, according to former thieves. Therefore, before letting out your property, it’s recommended that you hook up a CCTV and alarm system. When tenants move in, it’s essential they understand how to operate the system. Make sure the system is clear to see from the road to truly deter thieves, and provide extra security to your tenants by installing sensors inside the property to alert them of anything untoward.
Set ground rules
According to SGI Canada, the majority of burglars gain entry into a property via a ground-floor door or window. Obviously, if these entry points are left open or unlocked, it’s easy for thieves to gain access. Therefore, make sure latches and working locks are fitted to all windows and doors. It’s also advisable to add terms to your tenants’ rental agreement, stipulating that these security measures must be used. Similarly, you should pledge to respond to all maintenance requests in a timely manner, and routinely inspect all entry points, so that you can arrange for replacements locks and ledges to be fitted as and when required.
Private landlords have a substantial amount of responsibility to safeguard both their tenants and their accommodations. But by implementing multiple security features and technology, and taking steps to keep everyone as safe as possible, you’ll keep everyone except the burglars happy.