Property break-ins are a concern for all landlords, so it becomes your concern as their residential leasing agent as well. If the tenants and their possession are not safe in the property you offered them, it will also reflect negatively on you. Your tenants will expect you to take the necessary measures to ensure their safety. Sometimes, it means encouraging your landlords to invest in security features.
Security gadgets are a little expensive, but they will help your landlords and tenants greatly, no doubt. However, if the landlord cannot afford these gadgets yet, you can suggest alternatives that can help with the security which can fit their budget.
• Lights and electronics
One of the things that can make burglars hesitate is if they think there are people inside the property. If they can sense activity inside the house, they will probably second-guess their plan. How can there be any activity if the tenants are not around? You only have to make it seem like the house is not vacant.
Some lights and electronics can automatically turn on and off through a motion sensor, or you can invest and install timers to turn the lights on at random times. That way, even if there is no one home, it can seem that someone is.
• Decoys
Another thing that can cause the criminals to back off is when they know that they would be recorded on camera. They are aware that some properties do have surveillance cameras, and they try to avoid those.
If the landlord does not have enough budget for security cameras or alarms, there are effective alternatives such as placing signs around the property indicating the presence of such gadgets can deceive trespassers. Fake cameras could also be a good option.
• Tenant reminders
You and the landlord will not be around the property 24/7, so that makes it difficult for you to protect the property from break-ins. The best people to do this are the tenants themselves. They have a role to play in preventing these things from happening.
Remind them to lock their doors and windows when they are going out. They should also avoid opening their doors if they do not know who is outside their property.
If they are planning to go out of town, they should let the landlord know. He or his property manager can check the property from time to time while they are away.
• Conceal the interior
A lot of break-ins happen during the afternoon when they know that most people are at work and school. You have to remind the tenants to close their curtains and blinds when they are not at home.
Closing the curtains will conceal what is inside. Their belongings will not be visible to anyone, hence, avoiding tempting any burglars. Also, with closed curtains, it will be difficult to tell if someone is inside or not.
• Utilize a checklist
There are a lot of things to recall if you want to keep the property safe and free from break-ins. To make it easier for the tenants to remember, suggest that the landlord provide a checklist of the things they should do before they leave the house.
The list can include the doors and windows that they need to lock and the curtains that they need to close. Once they make it a part of their routine, it will help them get used to the process of securing their homes.
• Keep the valuables
Burglars are known to take things that they know are valuable and expensive. They will also target items that are easy to hide and carry, such as jewelry, gadgets, and money. They will also spend a short time inside the property to look for such things.
The first place that the burglars will check is the master’s bedroom because they know that is where the personal stuff is hidden. Suggest to tenants to keep their valuables in areas that are not obvious. It can be a box with a random label or hidden behind books. They can also invest in a safe for their valuables.
There you have it. These hacks are definitely within budget while keeping the bad guys away. Although these tips can help the landlord save a lot of money, it’s still encouraged to invest in more effective security gadgets.
The tenants will feel safer if there are surveillance cameras and alarms in the property. If you highlight these features on the property listing you will publish on Padleads, you could grab the interest of more clients.