Last Updated on: 21st November 2023, 09:27 pm
Moving into new property? Exciting, isn’t it? But as many people will attest, it can also be stressful, what with transporting furniture and decorating. Amid the chaos, it’s all too easy to leave safety-proofing until the last minute. It’s crucial to do it as early as possible, though.
To help, we offer a few simple tips.
Change all locks
Securing the keys to a new property is an exciting moment – but did yours belong to the previous owners? If so, you may want to change the locks in your home. They could have given spare keys to anyone – a friend, a neighbour – and forgotten about it. Before you’ve even properly moved in, there may be someone out there who you’ve never met with a key to your new home. While they’re unlikely to pose a threat, it’s still disconcerting to think that people can enter your new home without you knowing. Change your locks, however, and you’ll be able to settle in with complete peace of mind.
Update every alarm
After all the paperwork for a property has gone through, it can be all too tempting to rush the moving in process. Before you start shifting furniture, though, it may be best to check all alarms in your new living space – this is especially important when it comes to smoke alarms. If you haven’t made an offer yet, you could assess alarms at your next one. Once you’re certain that all alarms are working, it’s obviously up to you to maintain them. So, why not set aside a specific day every week to sound them? That way, you’re guaranteed to maximise the safety of your new home.
Bond with neighbours
Getting to know your neighbours isn’t just good for local morale – it can help to keep your home safe, too. If you bond with your fellow local residents, you’ll get to know the friends and family who visit them regularly, and vice versa. And so, you’ll each be able to spot when strangers are lurking near either of your properties. If you want to boost safety in your area, you could get involved in the Neighbourhood Watch. As its name suggests, this scheme involves communities working together to prevent crime by detecting suspicious activity.
Sort out insurance
Insurance should ideally be on everyone’s moving checklist – whether you’ll be renting or buying. If you’re a buyer, you’ll want to invest in Building Insurance Cover. It’s designed to cover homeowners financially in the event of property damage; as it’s applied to anything “fixed”, it extends to appliances as well as the building itself. There are also insurers that specialise in theft, too – and this brings us nicely onto Tenants’ Insurance.
There are two main kinds of Tenants’ Insurance: Liability cover and Contents Insurance. While Liability Cover deals with damage to the landlord’s contents (including furniture), the latter protects tenants’ own items if a fire, theft or accidental damage occurs. Whether you require Building or Tenants’ Insurance, financial protection is fundamental to ensuring home safety.
Enhance its safety, and you stand to make the most of your new property. With our top tips, and you can do just that.
