How To Best Position Home Security Gear Around Your Rental Property

It is reasonably straightforward thinking to secure a rental property, but you need to plan and ensure it is well-executed. Good home security starts with getting the right tenants and carrying out regular property maintenance. It also involves strategically placing security gear around your property. This deters potential intruders and alerts you of their activity if they do get onsite. 

This ensures your plan covers the security features and keeps your property in good overall shape. 

Why is home security needed?

Burglary statistics in the US are high. A burglary takes place twice a minute across the country and reaches a staggering total of 3,000 times every day. 

As well as the likelihood of being burgled, the average loss is high too. The average burglary in the US amounts to $2,799 in lost valuables and money. A pretty significant loss for households where every penny counts. Additionally, some items are precious on a personal level and cannot be replaced. For example, wedding rings or gifts from a late relative or friend that you may have stored in a room or safe. 

As well as financial loss, a burglary can lead to nervousness and uncertainty in your own home. Additionally, it can impact family tensions, a good night’s sleep, stress, and mental health. In short, the more precautionary steps you can take to avoid burglary, the better.

This article will outline the importance of getting the right tenants and home security. It will cover basic physical security features and how to position them around your rentals. Additionally, we provide security systems to consider and tips for keeping your property well-maintained. 

Getting the right tenants

Whether you rent your whole house out to one family, rent it out by the room, or live at home and rent space to a tenant, securing your rental property is not just about physical security. Getting the right tenants is also vital to have a secure and well-run property. 

More than a quarter of tenants have some kind of criminal record on file. Given this number and the fact that the number of potential tenants with favorable credit scores is reducing, it is important to ensure good tenant vetting. 

Although not all renters will have a serious criminal record, it is still worth doing background checks to ensure you know your renter. In addition, ask for references from previous landlords to check out their rental history. 

Physical security

The bread and butter of good security for a rental property are to get the basics right. Good quality locks, keeping a spare key for yourself if you need to enter in an emergency, and robust security on the windows, to name only a few. 

Let there be light

You will also want to install good lighting around the outside of the property. At the very least, consider installing motion sensor lighting in the front and back yard, in addition to any side access points or blind spots. 

Suddenly illuminating a dark corner can act as an immediate deterrent for potential burglars. It is pretty cheap to buy a set of lights, so ensure all corners are covered in addition to any outbuildings, sheds, garages, and on all your gates. Should the burglar try to hide when lights come on, it can also enable security guards or police to locate the perpetrator more quickly.

Do not forget the garage

Intruders can enter properties through the garage. As well as being a relatively obscure access point, garages are often filled with semi-valuable goods. Garages in rental properties, in particular, can be packed full of the landlord’s furniture and other property in storage. 

Install a proper security system in your garage, and ensure you have the right alarms and surveillance equipment in place too. A security code is also a good added layer of security, and a smart door opener adds extra peace of mind, ensuring the only person that can open your garage is you. 

Doors and windows

For all the creative methods intruders deploy, an eye-opening 34% of burglars can enter a property through the front door and a further 23% through a window. Locked or unlocked, windows and doors are the most vulnerable points of any property.

On top of quality locking systems, it is also advisable to install intruder alarms on every door and window. 

Home security systems

Installing a comprehensive home security system in a rental property is also a sensible move. 

A well-positioned array of cameras, security lights, and motion sensors are vital to modern security on rental properties. 

In addition to securing your property and deterring would-be intruders, cutting-edge home security systems can perform monitoring in your stead. Some are also likely to reduce your landlord insurance premiums. If the insurer feels the home is well maintained and secured, this reduces the risk assessment on the property and the cover price accordingly. 

In summary

Burglary statistics in the US prove that it is vital to secure rental properties. From vetting and signing up the right tenants, to ensure that all access points are secure and vulnerabilities addressed, a comprehensive home security plan is vital for well-managed rental properties. 

Positioning a carefully selected range of home security system devices is also important, both as a deterrent to intruders and as a warning system should they gain access to the grounds or the property itself. 

It is wise to take a proactive approach to home security and to produce a solid plan to ensure your property and its contents are well looked after. This is especially important if your property is let out furnished, as you will have valuable assets such as sofas, domestic appliances, and artwork and decorations. 

Author’s Bio

Currently with Deep Sentinel, Tomasz Borys specializes in home safety and security technology. Prior to joining Deep Sentinel, Tomasz has over a decade of marketing leadership experience, ranging from Microsoft to Kissmetrics. tomasz@deepsentinel.com.