Tips for New Home Owners

Moving into a new home is not only an exciting time, it can be an incredibly daunting time as well.

Furniture to be packed, mover and unpacked, utilities to be connected, rates to be paid, neighbours to meet, all in a miniscule period of time. Something that can often slip the mind of new homeowners is the security of the property.

Here are some tips to ensure your house is secured from day 1.

  1. Buy new locks. Regardless if the previous owners appear to be trustworthy and promise there are no existing keys floating around, it is imperative that the locks are changed. There is no way of knowing how many keys have been cut in the past, who has them or where the keys are. For complete piece of mind, have new locks installed.
  2. Have a peep hole installed. If there isn’t a peep hole installed or a video intercom at the front gate, have one installed. For a small outlay you will have the ability to see who is at your front door/gate before opening it
  3. Install Motion detectors and light timers. Motion detectors are a great way to not only provide you light when walking to your front door, but they will alert residents inside the house if someone has been detected in the front and back yards. Light timers are useful if you are often arriving home late, or going away on holidays. It will create the illusion to be would be thieves that someone is in the house
  4. Have your alarm checked and old codes deleted. Just like changing the locks to render existing keys useless, the same must be done for your alarm system. Have all the alarm codes deleted and new ones put in. At this time have the security technician check the health of the alarm system and make any necessary repairs. If this alarm system is not currently monitored by a control room, have the technician carry out these works.
  5. Secure all skylights. Skylights are often forgotten by homeowners and house burglars often capitalise on this forgetfulness. If your house has skylights, ensure they are secured and cannot be opened, just the same as a door or window.
  6. Do some gardening. Keep your hedges and vegetation trimmed away from doors and windows. While they might look nice, they provide excellent cover for potential home invaders.
  7. Meet your neighbours. Above all these changes to your house, the most effective tool against home invaders is the community. Get to know your neighbours and build a support network, When you are away your neighbours can bring in your mail/ newspapers, check on pets and maybe even mow the lawn!