Security Products and Tips for Students in the New Term

It’s safe to say that typically students aren’t the most security conscious and student houses aren’t always finished to the highest quality. Paired with the fact that most students will be taking up to ten tech gadgets each to university with them, including laptops, smart phones, speakers and even TVs it’s no surprise that student homes are the perfect target for burglars.

Here at Safe we care about student safety at university and whether you’re a concerned parent or a student with home security on the mind, we have put together some tips and tricks to utilise to help prevent a burglary.

Halls

Most students will live in halls during their first year of university, usually in shared buildings or gated communities. It’s a fun time of meeting lots of new people but can also be a time where security goes out of window, doors are left open for people to come and go.

Don’t let people in behind you. It sounds obvious but the most important thing that you can do to prevent burglary is to make sure that you’re conscious of who you’re letting in the building. It’s a simple trick for a burglar to use, but sneaking in behind you as you’re walking in, or telling you that they’re so-and-so’s friend is a well-known method of gaining entry. Be aware of who you’re giving out building codes to.

Lock your doors! On a more personal level, locking your bedroom door every time you leave it will ensure that if anyone does gain access to the building, they can’t get access to your belongings.

Private Rentals

Private rental properties are perfect for second and third year students – you’ve found some friends you trust and are happy to live with. You’re confident that you can do the living-away-from-home thing and can handle bills and other life admin. It’s important to note that most student properties are cheaply fitted out, and are unlikely to be very secure.

Easy to break in. It’s so easy to get carried away when you and your group of friends are viewing your potential new home but before you set your heart on a house or flat, try to think the same way that an intruder might. Is there a burglar alarm? Did you know that only 22%* of student homes have an alarm fitted, making a burglar alarm a bonus! Make sure you ask the estate agent or landlord about them. Do the external doors or windows look like they could be easily forced? We’ve already mentioned student homes aren’t known for their quality, making it easy for burglars to use weak entry points to get inside.

Neighbours. Once you’re all moved in, make an effort to get to know the neighbours. Not only will it help smooth things over when the occasional party gets too loud, but they will be able to help spot any suspicious behaviour.

The Basic Home Security Principles

There are some things that you can do as a student to make sure – even if your house isn’t the most secure – that the risk of your items being burgled is reduced.

1. Lock up. Lots of burglaries occur because doors or windows are left open, so double check that everything is locked before you leave the house, and always lock your bedroom door. Keep valuables hidden away, so any burglars looking for an excuse to break in will struggle to find anything of value!
2. Be cautious. When it comes to new tech, be discreet. Don’t shove all your packaging and boxes outside, because it’ll alert everyone else to your new laptop. Instead, break the box up before recycling or put it out just before it’s due to get collected.
3. Keep tidy. Keep the outside of the property looking tidy. The more obvious it is that it’s a student house, the more likely it is that it’ll be targeted.
4. No one home? If the house is completely empty for a period of time, perhaps over Christmas or reading week, set the lights on a timer, and make sure anything valuable is stored safely.

Protecting Your Belongings

Contents insurance. While it’s important to do everything you can to prevent burglary, you should think about what might happen if you do get burgled. The first thing you should do is get contents insurance. It might seem like an unnecessary cost – especially if you’re living on a student budget – but think about whether you’d be able to afford a new laptop, phone or TV if it got stolen. You could see whether your parents’ home contents policy could be extended to cover your belongings too.

Personalise. You should also security mark your valuable items using UV security pen, and register them with www.immobilise.com. This means that if your belongings get stolen, they’re more likely to be returned to you if they fall into police hands.

If You’re Concerned