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Locksmith Tips for Landlords
If you are a landlord it is your responsibility to keep your tenants and their belongings safe.
If you are a landlord it is your responsibility to keep your tenants safe. This means that you must have smoke alarms installed annual gas safety checks and electrical testing etc. But it also means that you have a responsibility to ensure that your property is secure and will keep your tenants and their belongings safe. If you are worried that your locks are not up to scratch it is worth calling a local locksmith so that he can replace any dodgy locks with good quality high security ones (BS3621).
Door Locks
Unless you know your locks, most people find it difficult to tell if their doors have the right kind of locks fitted. Having the right lock is extremely important when it comes to protecting your rental property, particularly since lock snapping has become much more common in Edinburgh. Lock snapping is a technique commonly used by burglars to break into homes which have poor quality euro cylinder locks fitted on external doors. This type of lock is most commonly found on UPVC doors but can also be found on wooden and aluminium doors too.
A good locksmith will be only too happy to upgrade your locks to home insurance approved ones and will be able to recommend high security locks to suit all budgets. Although this may seem like a lot of inconvenience and extra expense, it can save a lot of hassle, upset and money if your rented property is broken into.
Window Locks
All ground floor and accessible windows need to have locks fitted. These come in a variety of styles and a locksmith will be able to recommend the best option for your particular type of window.
Garages, sheds and outbuildings
If you have a property with a garage, shed, summerhouse etc. these should also be protected. You may be offering these building as extra facilities for your tenants or they may be somewhere that you want to keep off limits. Either way it is important that they can be locked securely. Your locksmith will be able to supply and fit any locks if necessary.
New Keys
When choosing a locksmith to replace your locks it is always worth asking if he has a mobile key cutting service. If he does, this will enable him to cut spare keys (for most types of common lock) while he is at your property. This will save you an extra trip to get spare keys cut and is usually much cheaper too. In addition the locksmith will be able to properly test that all the new keys are a perfect fit and turn smoothly in the new lock.
Security tips for tenants
Preparing a list of hints and tips on how to maintain good security may be useful for some tenants, particularly young people moving into rented accommodation for the first time. This could include
- A reminder to close and lock outer storm doors at night and any time the property is empty
- A suggestion to keep their keys out of sight from a window or glass door so that a passing burglar does not spot them
- A suggestion to put a couple of lights on a timer when they are away from the property for any length of time
If you are a landlord it is important to know that your properties are properly protected. It will give you peace of mind when they have tenants and also when they lie empty between tenancies. If you need to upgrade or replace any of the locks in any of your properties, please get in touch or Tel 0131 603 7329. Hero Locksmith is a local Edinburgh Trusted Trader locksmith and provides affordable locksmith services for homes and businesses throughout Edinburgh and the Lothians.
Author: Richard Hamilton
admin@smsystematic.com.my
+603-2144 9291