Did you know that the police recorded more than 243k burglaries in the regions of England and Wales in 2024? It shouldn’t come as a surprise that burglaries happen in residential quarters mostly; two-thirds of burglaries in the UK consist of somebody breaking into one’s home. 

And when it comes to tenants renting, landlords have a legal (and moral) obligation to make sure that tenants are safe and secure in their homes. This guide is created by expert locksmiths specialising in securing properties. Here you’ll understand the benefits of investing on your rental property’s protection and cost-effective ways to protect your tenants while they are living in a house that you own.

Why Should You Invest in Rental Property Protection?

Wondering why reading this blog post is so important for you? Here are 4 amazing reasons why UK landlords should invest in rental property security solutions:

Keeps Your Tenants Safe & Happy

We are not talking about rental property safety from a moral perspective only. But the business point of view also says that you should keep your tenants safe, happy, satisfied, and protected. Your renters are a source of income for you. If you don’t feel safe in your home, then they won’t recommend this rental property to others. They say, “Customers are always right!” Tenants are like your customers who pay you for accommodation. So, you should make your product, i.e., rental home, live up to their expectations.

Makes Your Property Burglary-Free

Why should you let burglars and other criminals break into your property? A housebreaker who gains access to your renter’s home is essentially vandalising your property. They are damaging something you own! That’s why you shouldn’t let your house become a target. 

According to an expert locksmith in Doncaster, the best way to do this is first conducting a security assessment to identify vulnerable points in your rental property, afterwards they can advise you if you need to upgrade entry points like windows or doors, perimeter fencing, install CCTVs, or a security system that you can trust to deter burglars. 

In turn it’ll automatically lower the rental property maintenance cost, saving you heaps of cash in the long run. So, property safety is a lifelong investment with an almost infinite ROI (you can’t put a price tag on protecting lives, can you?).

Ensure the Safety of All Occupants

As a landlord, safeguarding your tenants is partially your property (even legally speaking, you may be held liable if negligence by your side leads to harm inflicted upon your renters). That’s why you should ensure that the people living on your property are safe from burglars, invaders, & other criminals. Making your property burglary-resistant will require some initial spending from your side. But shelling out some cash in the beginning will lead to long-term benefits. 

Reduces Property Vacancy Rates

You don’t want tenants to move out of your home because it’s not safe. Imagine the vacancy rate of a property in a crime-ridden neighbourhood. That’s why you should make your property crime-free & burglary-resistant by putting adequate security measures in place. It’ll invite more tenants to your rental property and encourage the already existing renters to continue residing. A constant stream of rental income for you! It’ll also improve your reputation as a landlord.

8 Tips on Protecting Your Rental Unit and Tenants

The average price of a house in the UK exceeded £375k in 2024. That’s why you should invest in rental property security measures right away. These tips from expert locksmiths will help you protect your rental units from burglars and instill confidence in your UK tenants:

• There Should Be Ample Lighting

The best way to ward off would-be burglars is to make sure there’s ample lighting in the area. A burglar will think twice before even attempting to break into well-lit buildings. Locksmiths also suggest to set up motion-activated lights near front/door doors so the moment a burglar steps inside, you get a much-needed alert. It’s a great way to deter burglars and keep unwanted characters from even approaching your rental property.

• Make Front/Back Doors Unbreachable

Since 76% of burglars in England & Wales will gain access to your property simply by walking through the front door, you can make your rental property safer by putting on a strong lock on all front and back doors. 

Get rid of old door locks that are broken with snapping. The best type of front door or internal door you can install are the ones with anti-snap locks as this is what locksmiths install in order to prevent burglars from easily snapping your locks. Deadbolts can offer an extra layer of safety and make your front/door doors even more unbreakable. 

• Secure Windows and Sliding Doors

After doors, open or unsecured windows are a criminal’s second-favorite entryway. Burglars can also get access to your home if it has sliding doors. That’s why you should install:

• Window Bars: Window bars are the best option to make your windows inaccessible to wannabe burglars. Sure, these bars may look huge and are easily noticeable. But that’s exactly the point of installing strong, black bars outside your windows; the mere sight of them will discourage a burglar from attempting something awful, especially if you have a rental property on the ground floor. Also, you can prevent little kids from falling out of a window by installing these bars.

• Security Films: Another amazing option is to install a security film. This material keeps your window’s unique, atmospheric, nature-friendly, and open look but also makes it less breakable. Security films will keep your window from shattering!
• Window Locks: But the easiest option is to simply get a lock on your windows. That’s it! Now, this window can be opened from the inside only!

Of course, don’t just install this yourself! You should get the expertise of a locksmith to help you with these added security measures as they can suggest state of the art burglary-proof locks and window bars. Alongside this, they can also give you security tips on how to maintain your doors and windows so they don’t get easily damaged.

• Install Alarms and Security Cameras

A burglar will usually pick a house with no alarm system. If your rental property doesn’t have a dedicated security system, then there’s a high chance that local burglars will target it next. You should deter criminal activities in your neighbourhood by installing an alarm. 

Burglar alarms will take your rental home’s security up a few notches, alerting tenants the moment a shady person tries to infiltrate their homes. Here are some curious tips to be mindful of when installing a new alarm on your rental property:

• Choose the entryways of the property to set up with an alarm system.
• Inform tenants how the footage recorded by the security camera will be used to monitor suspicious characters lurking about and not to spy on unsuspecting tenants. Installing a camera without your tenants’ consent (or knowledge) isn’t legally recommended.
• Place these cameras (and alarms) outdoors.

If you don’t want to spend money on an alarm system, then you should consider alarm stickers or signs that can ward off potential burglars. However, we still recommend using the real thing!

• Create a Sense of Camaraderie among Renters

Don’t forget to leverage the power of the people when it comes to making your rental property safe from potential property crimes. For instance, your renters can collectively keep an eye on suspicious characters, forming a sort of Neighbourhood Watch. When neighbours start looking out for each other, they will actively work against local burglars by reporting potential criminals. That’s why a neighbourhood where renters enjoy a strong sense of community will become less appealing to housebreakers. As a landlord, you can promote these feelings of friendship among your tenants by organising events where renters come together to share these concerns.

• Use Tech Tools to Control Access 

You can also utilise the power of tech to regulate who enters or leaves your rental property. So, your rental property will become immune to the most common forms of burglary. For instance, an intercom system will allow your renters, especially the ones living in multi-family buildings, to verify guests’ identity before letting them in. They won’t have to open their doors just to check who’s standing outside, calling for help, claiming to be delivering someone, or knocking at their door after midnight. So, you can add an extra layer of security with an intercom system.

• Keep the Landscaping Neat & Tidy

Given that one-fifth of the folks living in England and Wales belong to the generation rent class these days, you should resort to unique methods to make your rental property difficult to break into! 

For instance, trees standing near a second-floor window often become burglars’ helpers. According to locksmiths, a tree in front can used by a criminal to hide so they may sneak into your rental property when the coast is clear. That’s why they suggest the front side of your rental property to have better visibility so potential burglars are discouraged as they can be easily spotted. High hedges and garden walls on the rear and side are helpful too as this can act as a shield for your perimeter and all sides of your property are accounted for. 

• A Security Protocol Goes a Long Way

Lastly, you should come up with a security protocol if you want to improve the security of your rental property. This protocol is a set of guidelines, including security suggestions like telling your tenants to:

• Always lock their doors/windows before heading out
• Remembering the emergency contact numbers they should call if someone has broken into their homes
• Never duplicate their house keys before letting you (the landlord) know
• Report maintenance issues right away

Also, you should schedule regular inspections of your rental property. When a tenant moves out, you must change the door locks right away to prevent unauthorised access.

What’s Next For You?

We covered a few reasons why making your rental property burglary-proof is actually in your best interests. Then, we went over eight amazing ways to bring your rental home’s security up to scratch. If you don’t know what to do next, don’t worry; just contact us at Lock & Key, and we will conduct a home security check to let you know what’s lacking in your apartment’s security. Call us, and our locksmiths will replace all old door locks with high-security ones.