Do you cast a glance in doubt at your neighbors becoming too friendly despite not being welcoming to them? Or whenever you see a stranger visiting the building in which you have a rental apartment, you get alert or become all ears to any irrational sound coming from the street at midnight?
Let us just remind you that living in fear is not living at all. And it is something the tenants can relate to the most. Since they do not own the property, they always feel their privacy and security are at risk. Protecting yourself, your family, and valuables is always the priority, and it can not be compromised at any cost.
Though living in rental houses seems not-so-beneficial for some obvious reasons, people, at large, prefer to live there. However, these risks have been nearly diminished nowadays because of the modern solutions introduced for the concerned masses. Yes, you heard right. If you have just moved into your new rental apartment and are worried about how to reinforce or strengthen your security, we have got you covered. Fortunately, we have got a lot more solutions to relieve you from the fear of unwanted break-ins or accidental intrusions in your rental apartment.
Ask Your Landlord For Rekeying or New Lock
You know that someone was living in the apartment you have just moved in. And even though they have returned the original keys to the landlord, you never know how many copies they make while living there. You neither know them nor the ones with whom they might have shared their duplicate key to access the apartment in their absence. Therefore, the best practice is to politely ask your owner to change the locks. Also, the landlord should not mind installing the new locks or allowing the new renter to do so. Nobody will be happy spending a fortune on things they can not carry with them while moving out. But against living with the fear of not knowing who may enter your apartment without your knowledge, it’s better to make this small investment. Luckily, we have got some inexpensive yet effective security solutions that can be quite helpful for renters.
Know Which Locks Are Installed On Entry Doors
Today, deadbolts are considered the most affordable and secure type of lock for varied properties. So when you move into your new apartment, you may see the one installed on its doors or at least on the front door. Having no deadbolt lock on any of the doors of the apartment interprets that your landlord is not very serious about the security of his/her property, and you should show your concern about installing one. Sometimes, the owner takes it as his/her responsibility to change the locks or may permit you to do it yourself.
If he/she allows you to install new locks yourself, you should know how to find the best deadbolt lock. Deadbolts entirely made from solid steel are the best ones. They can not be picked by burglars, and if someone intends to open them by force, they will either need to apply huge pressure or make an attempt to destroy the lock. Since both attempts may alert the residents or the passerby hence, intruders will not go for them. However, you have to make sure that the lock installed on your door is highly functional.
Reinforce Your Deadbolt Locks
If deadbolt locks are already installed, you should carefully examine how intact they are to do their job. Sometimes, the locks are old, loosen, or not working smoothly. This also makes you vulnerable to burglar attacks. To improvise or strengthen your locks, you can opt for some useful techniques.
Since deadbolts do not have exposed screws, there is no opportunity for burglars to target them. However, old locks may have some weak points, making them an easy target. The common practice is to reinforce the deadbolts by installing a strike plate. It is a metal plate that is meant to strengthen the door frame into which the deadbolt slides. Having long anchor screws to install the plate is usually preferred for enhanced security.
For extra peace of mind, you can also opt for other options. Several people go for getting door jammers or security bars to boost the robustness of their door locks.
Consider DIY Security Systems
Having security alarms is another cheap option to secure your apartment against intruders. However, we know they need a complete wired setup to work. That’s why they often can not make it up to the list of solutions for renters. But now, considering the increase in demand for rental security systems, home security companies have started making such portable smart devices for tenants. We can clearly see an outburst in the DIY security systems by conventional security companies. Alexa, Ring alarm, peephole camera, and the list goes on. Even we have some 24/7 monitored security alarms giving us full control to keep a check on who has access to our apartment.
Get Renter’s Insurance
As they say, hope for the best and prepare for the worst.
Renter’s insurance can not be a preventive measure to avoid burglars’ attacks. However, it may help you to deal with catastrophic situations. God forbid, if you suffer from a burglar attack or robbery, you may use this insurance to cover the cost of damages. It is affordable and also covers the cost of other catastrophes such as fire damage, vandalism, or water damage. It may vary from policy to policy. Some insurance companies also cover the cost of car theft if it’s occurred while parked on your rental property. It’s better to talk to the insurance agent in detail to know how and when you will get the insurance.
Final Words
Rather than homeowners, maintaining home security is pretty difficult for renters. You do not have permission to make improvements yourself. But since security is not something to be compromised, you can discuss with your owner to allow you to do the basic security system installation.
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