Nobody wants to be afraid of being in their own house. Landlords owe it to their tenants to keep the premises as secure as possible. As a landlord or owner of the property, you want your tenants to feel safe.
Suppose you are a property owner or manager of a property. In that case, it is critical to maintain the security of your rental property, not only for the safety of your renters but also for the prestige and image of your rental property. Even if your property has suffered minor damage as a result of a crime or some natural disaster, your renters’ lack of trust in your property’s security might come back to harm you in the long run.
Thankfully, with the advancement in the tech realm, there are many ways that can assist you in keeping your rental home secure so that your tenants feel comfortable at all times. Here are five ways to boost security for rental homes
1. Get the Best Lock for Your Rented Property
The first and the most important thing that you are required to do to boost your rented property’s security is securing your doors. It would help if you changed all the locks to the most secure and sturdy lock systems to avoid any infringement on your property. While choosing the lock for your doors, you need to keep in mind a few things – the degree of security it provides, how easily installable it is, how user-friendly it is, etc.
Keeping all these factors in mind, smart locks and double cylinder deadbolt locks have proved to be the best locks in the market today. They are sturdy, easy to use, and, most importantly, they provide an uncompromising degree of security to the renters.
Smart Locks
Landlords or property owners should consider installing keyless locks, especially on main entrance doors, to make their property securer. Going keyless is easily possible by choosing smart locks. Smart locks that can be used with a card, fingerprint, or even a smartphone are examples of keyless locks.
You will lessen the danger of renters misplacing keys, causing you to repair or change the locks, and you will have a quick and easy solution to ensure that past tenants cannot access your house anymore – by simply changing the code! Smart locks have taken the security market by storm. You can now get the best smart locks for Airbnb rentals as well to protect your rental property even when you are far away from it.
Photo by Frankie on Unsplash
2. Secure Your Windows
Many people are ignorant of the fact that doors are not the only entrance to the house. There have been numerous burglary cases where thieves and burglars have barged into properties through windows. You must, therefore, also ensure that all of the property’s windows are secure.
Window Locks: Windows may be another easy entrance for burglars, especially if they are not adequately guarded. Frequently, landlords focus on protecting doors but overlook windows, making them vulnerable. If you have not already, install window locks, or consider changing your locks if you can’t find the keys.
Particularly if you have a new renter, you should ensure your tenants are aware of the whereabouts of the keys to the window lock. All windows should have functional locks. It would be best if you changed all your locks whenever new renters came in. Make sure to lock all units so that the thieves do not use the fire escape to enter or exit your place.
Security Bars: Window security bars, often known as burglar bars, may quickly make your house or rental property “trespass-proof.” It features a long-lasting coating that adds to its durability, is simple to install, and can be activated from the inside, protecting renters from thieves and robbers.
You might want to consider putting security bars on the first-floor windows. This will certainly alter the visual attractiveness of your house, so you must decide whether you believe your current and future renters would react badly or favorably to this.
3. Install Security Systems
Security Cameras: Consider adding security cameras at your rental property for further multy-family security. If your rental property is multi-family, this option may make more sense because more renters will benefit from the higher expense. These cameras may be installed at the property’s front entry, back entrance, communal rooms, stairwells, corridors, and wherever else you think is required. These cameras are not permitted to be installed in the apartments of renters.
Motion Sensors: These should be installed in a major doorway or passageway on the ground level of a property to detect motion and notify you when your security system is activated. Because certain motion sensors are pet-sensitive, they won’t go off every time a pet goes by.
Entry Sensors: These can be easily installed on your rented property’s windows and door frames. When one of these openings is opened or closed, these sensors employ magnets to detect it. The sensor will notify you if it believes an entrance point has been opened. We recommend installing entry sensors on the bottom floor on windows or doors. The majority of them are battery-operated, and many of them come with adhesive backings for quick installation.
Glass-break Sensors: Intruders will sometimes smash open windows instead of opening them, which is the traditional method to avoid setting off the entrance sensors. A glass break sensor, on the other hand, detects the sound of glass shattering and sends us a text message.
4. Install Lighting to Ward-off Burglars
Installing outdoor lighting around your rental property is one of the most effective strategies to dissuade would-be robbers. After all, no one wants the spotlight shining directly on them when they are committing a crime. At the absolute least, provide outdoor lighting to your rental property’s main entrance. Install motion-sensor lights if possible to only turn on when it detects movement.
Your tenant’s electricity bills will be reduced as a result of this. Install timers for lights, so your tenants don’t have to remember to switch them on every night. This is especially useful while your renters are on vacation or when the property is empty. The presence of automatic lighting gives the sense that someone is at home. They also keep your home or business from becoming a target.
5. Do Away With Any Hiding Spots
Someone attempting to break into your rental home may conceal themselves before entering so that no one detects anything out of the ordinary, especially if the property’s doors are illuminated by exterior illumination.
Consider eliminating any heavy shrubs near the entrance to your property or near the windows. Alternatively, have your renters cut them so that no one can hide in them in the dark.
In Conclusion
If you want to increase the safety and security of your rental property, tech gadgets and systems can help you prevent property damage and build confidence with your tenants. To keep the security of your property on track, try trying some of the ways to boost the security of your rental property, and let us know how it worked for you!
Cover photo by mk. s on Unsplash
