Car Key Replacement FAQs

AC locksmiths Auto

  1. What is the difference between getting my replacement key from the manufacturer and an auto locksmith?

The manufacturer will usually be able to have your key replaced just from knowing your vehicle ID. You usually get your replacement key within the week. You know your manufacturer will have the key type you require.

The auto locksmith will have the ability to generate a new key on the spot. While it might not be a genuine brand replacement, your new key will be just as good (if not better) than the manufacturer key. The auto locksmith can reprogram your vehicle on the spot, so that any lost/stolen keys are unable to start the vehicle. The auto locksmith comes to you, meaning you can still go to work on time. Most of the time, you will pay a lot less for the convenience of an auto locksmith.

  1. What is cut to copy?

This is where the key is cut using the existing key as a template.

  1. What is cut to code?

Some vehicle keys can be cut using codes taken from the vehicle VIN number or from other sources.

  1. What is key cloning?

This is where the key is completely copied including the data on the transponder that talks to the car. While there may be two keys, the car will believe there is only one. This is important to know because some vehicles must have two separate keys programmed.

  1. What is a vehicle PIN?

This is a code that works like the pin number on your cash card. Without your pin, you can’t draw out cash. Without a vehicle PIN, you can’t extract the information needed to program new keys.

  1. Can I buy replacement keys on line?

Yes, and they can be quite cheap. But often, there are hidden extras, like programming the remotes to your car.

  1. Can I call my breakdown service company if I lock my keys in my car?

Yes you can, but they often call an auto locksmith and you then have to pay. As an example, I was called by a breakdown service provider recently. The breakdown engineer took an hour to get to them, spent two hours trying to fish the keys out of the vehicle with the top of the door wedged slightly open and failed. He called me. Within 45 minutes, I had arrived, opened the vehicle and was on my way home.

  1. What are the most common mistakes people make?

In no particular order; shutting keys in the boot without having the main doors unlocked, leaving the spare key 200 miles away at home when going on holiday, letting children play with the car keys, letting the remotes go way past their best condition, treating remotes poorly, letting batteries die, losing keys on the beach, not getting a replacement when the first key is lost, buying a vehicle with only one key (who has the other, and do they know your address?

  1. Why should I get new keys when buying a second hand car?

How well do you know the seller? Most of us buy cars from someone we don’t know. We often give over our address if the vehicle is being delivered, or if we are taking finance, etc. But we don’t know if the seller has already had extra keys made. If you are paying out thousands of pounds to have a car, is it not wise to pay a little more and make sure the vehicle will only drive away from your driveway with keys you possess?

  1. How do I know I am paying the right price?

Get quotes. Two or three at least. A good auto locksmith will advertise prices on their website, but these will be guidance only as the cost of parts and software packages vary a lot between manufacturers. Some work is simple, other work might involve having to get behind your dashboard and removal of computer chips. A difference of just one year can make a particular vehicle much harder to deal with. In rare cases, the auto locksmith might have to walk away unable to do anything. If he is any good, he will not charge you when this happens, unless you have made some prior agreement. If you get three quotes, and one is much less than the other two, investigate further before accepting the cheapest quote. Has he quoted the full job, or been a bit vague? People who quote too little are often not properly trained and are more likely to do something that harms the computer in your vehicle. If that problem takes a while to arise, they will not be around when you go after them for damages.

If you have any questions you would like answered, please contact through any method on the contacts page.

Thanks for reading.

admin August 31, 2017

Car keys cut / car keys lost / lock replacement / reprogrammed car keys /

Are you inviting Burglars to look at your Home?

Unfortunately, I seem to be attending more houses that have been burgled recently, so I decided to write this piece that just might help you send the would-be intruder on to another property.

Look at your security

Burglars love dark shadows to hide what they are up to. Having motion detector lights around the outside of your house is one of the best deterrents. Also timer switches on interior lights will make your property look lived in even when you are on holiday, or out for the night. Neighbours who will draw and open your windows for you are a big help if you are going away for a few days. Can’t decide on dog or a cat for a pet? People get used to barking dogs, so they are only good as security if you are home. And people take dogs away with them or put them in kennels when they go on holiday. Cat people tend to get family or friends to feed their moggies at home while they are away, so these people are more likely to have someone make the property look lived in. Crunchy gravel is also a great turn off for burglars who want to be stealthy. If you can, make sure you have to cross some crunchy gravel to access any part of your house, not just the drive.

Driveway A C LocksmithsSpeaking of driveways, an empty one for any period of time indicates a vacant house. Most homes have two or more cars these days. Ask a neighbour to use yours while you are away. And have someone put your bins out just like you would if you were home. Don’t just leave next week’s bin at the end of your garden unless you would do that normally.

Thieves often use open windows as their entry points. Visible locks that are obviously locked are a great deterrent. Secondary locks like cable restrictors show you mean business. It’s nice to have maximum sunlight pouring in through windows, but blinds or even nets, block out easy vision of what’s on display in your home. If they can see something worth the effort of trying, they might not get in, but they might also do a lot of damage to your door or windows trying. The trick is to make them walk away before they even try.

Overgrown lawns show someone is not taking care of the garden, ask or employ someone to keep your plants and grass in order while you are on any extended absence from your home.

Social Media is the biggest advert that your home is empty. Why post that you are going away next month? Surely the people that need to know can be told face to face. And is it not more important to enjoy your holiday while you are there without reminding the world you are enjoying a beach in the Balearics? Post your pictures when you get home.

I help my kids do a paper round (I know they should do it themselves, but I spoil them!). I see plenty of properties that have days of post in plain view to anyone who happens to be interested. Also, with online shopping getting to be as big as it is, not only to packages left in plain sight advertise you are not home, but those vary packages are saying: “I’m free! Steal me!” Nowadays, no one is going to question a white van pulling up on your drive. And if someone is carrying stuff away from your house to load the van, it just looks like a common return. So the burglar gets an unknown item free, and knows you are out.

Don’t Sheds & burglarsneglect the security of your shed, either. I recently had a case where a customer wanted a top level lock for his shed. I pointed out that the hinges were simply screwed to the outside of the door and demonstrated how the shed could be broken into in just seconds with a battery operated screwdriver, giving me access to thousands of pounds worth of bikes, gardening equipment, etc. Plus tools in the shed could help the burglar get into your home. Make sure it isn’t easy to get into.

Spare key under a plant pot? Or in the broken brick? Or on that secret ledge in the porch? Chances are, if you have a key hidden about the outside of your property, no matter how inventive you think your hiding place is, the burglar is likely to have seen it before. The other problem with doing this is when someone calls me out and tells me they have hidden a key in the garden, but they were incredibly inventive and actually forgot their super hiding place, so still needed me in the end! Leave a spare with a trusted neighbour or invest in a good quality keysafe and put it somewhere that can be seen from the road in built up areas, so that anyone attacking it will be obvious, or hidden in quiet areas, somewhere that the intruder might have to get down on his knees to attack it, or in a recess so that he can’t get to it with a lever.

Just bought a big television? Don’t leave the box by the side of your recycling bin. Break it up and put the box pieces inside the bin. Otherwise, you advertise the sort of expensive items you have inside.

Not everyone can afford expensive alarm systems, but you can get dummy devices that are easy to install. Stickers saying beware of the dog, or alarm protected, stuck on windows that have to be passed will deter the opportunist. But you can now buy out of the box alarm systems from DIY stores that really are cheap enough to be affordable if you can afford a holiday. They don’t need much skill to install either, and come with all sorts of add-ons that will do things like capture an image of the intruder and message you direct when the alarm is triggered. Wireless and simple, no one should go on holiday without at least installing a basic alarm. It might mean you have to do one less excursion, but it might also mean your valuables are still there when you get back.

Finally, I hear this said a lot: “If they want to get in, they will.” Yes, that is correct, but they want to get in quickly without anyone knowing about it. The harder you make it for them to get in quickly and quietly, the more likely it is that they won’t even try. And while they might prefer to get in through a window, they want to leave via a door because their hands will be full. Don’t leave keys in back doors, French doors or on pegs close to doors. What could be easier for the burglar than to get in through a window, open your front door with a key from the hook just by it, take your jewellery and also get to take your car with the keys from the very same hook. Which has just reminded me, if you are going to leave a car for a couple of weeks, why not disconnect the battery or, if you know more about cars, immobilise it further?

If you have any questions about any of the above, please contact me via any of the methods on my contacts page.

Thanks for reading!

admin July 27, 2017

Burglary prevention / Home security /

AC Locksmiths Norfolk Auto


At the time of writing this blog, I am very excited. It is just a couple of short weeks until I can finally go live with the Auto Locksmithing arm of my business: AC Locksmiths Norfolk Auto !

From August 1st 2017, I will be able to rescue you if you have lost or had your car keys stolen. I will be able to create new keys for your car, either by copying (cloning) your existing key or by reading information direct from your car’s on board computer that will allow me to use information I have from the manufacturer, to produce a key right there while you are waiting. And because I am mobile, I can come to your house or place of work to carry out the procedures so you don’t have to take time off to see your dealer or wait for your dealer to send your key off and leave you without a car for a week. All this and it will (in most cases) cost less than going direct to your dealer as well!

So if you need an auto locksmith in the East Anglia region, why not give me a call? You can go direct to my prices page to get a really good idea as to how much it will cost. I might not be the lowest price, but my prices are fair and I do not change them if you call me at night, on weekends, or even bank holidays. And at the time of writing, I still don’t have to charge VAT so the price you see or the price I quote you, is the price you pay. No other locksmith in East Anglia that I can find advertises prices on their web site. If their prices are not fixed, how can you trust you are getting a fair deal?

You can see from my testimonials page how I treat my customers. If you are not happy with the work I do, and I cannot rectify that for you, I will not charge you a penny. Just as with my commercial and domestic buildings locksmith work, I am happy to talk you through every stage of what I do and if, for example I have to do something that could potentially cause damage (when gaining entry), I will always talk to you first about the ongoing options and why certain actions are needed before going any further. Everything I supply to you comes with a full 1 year guarantee, so you have peace of mind that if goods are faulty, and have not been mistreated, they will be replaced at no extra cost to you.

Be it lost keys, broken keys, stolen keys, car keys locked inside the boot, or keys locked in the car, whether you live in Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire or Lincolnshire, don’t despair. AC Locksmiths Norfolk is just a phone call away.   07846643176


admin July 18, 2017

AC Locksmiths / AC Locksmiths Norfolk / Auto Locksmiths Norfolk / Car locksmith / Car locksmiths /

Car Locksmith Norfolk

Car Locksmith Norfolk

A C Locksmiths
From this August, I will be fully equipped to take my locksmithing training into the area of cars, vans and lorries. The car locksmith training has been hard, but I have come through the other side able to offer my customers even more services with the same value for money I hold central to my ethos.

My computerised key cutting equipment is as good as you will find in any shop, but I can come to you. My diagnostics computer will provide transponders for most makes and models of vehicle. My picks will get you into your car without the need for damage. And if for any reason, I cannot get you into your vehicle or help you, you won’t pay me a penny.

Have you ever tried to get a spare key from your dealer? They charge you a reasonable price, you give up a lunch break or take a morning off to go and pick it up, only to find you can get into your car, but you still can’t start it. When you take it back, they reveal it still needs to be coded to your car. That’s when the price increases drastically, and by the way, it will take a week and you are going to have to give up more of your precious time to go and get it again.

How much better would it be if you could park your car at work, and the auto locksmith could do the job there with no interruptions to your normal day, except when you get a text message to say it’s done, and can you come to collect the key, taking no longer than a cigarette break? What if the flip key was even better quality than the original manufacturers? What if you could have a key fob that usually goes with other cars?

Car locksmithSo, if I told you that this convenience and choice was going to be more expensive than going to your dealer, you wouldn’t be surprised, would you? But, what if I told you that in most cases, it will still cost you less to use me than to use the dealer direct? But that is exactly what will happen. By the time August 1st comes around, my main prices will be on my prices page, something you won’t find on any other local locksmith’s web site. My prices will be fixed, so it won’t matter if you call me for an emergency on a Sunday, evening or a bank holiday, the price will be exactly the same as it is on a Tuesday at 10.00am. All non-emergency work will be carried out during normal hours, but as shown above, I can come to you at work if needed. How convenient is that?

So whether you want a car locksmith in Kings Lynn, a van locksmith in Cromer, a motorbike locksmith in Norwich, or a Lorry locksmith in Great Yarmouth, I’m ready to come to your aid.

You might need your car reprogramming because the keys were stolen. I can do that. You can get some very new looking second hand cars these days, but the remotes that have been in pockets or handbags often look a bit dull and chipped. I can provide new ones or even the extra one as you usually get one flip and one ordinary key. Lost car keys are not a problem. I can provide new ones no matter where you are. From Downham Market through Thetford, up past Fakenham and across to Stalham and Caister. All over Norfolk, AC Locksmiths Norfolk is the only auto locksmith you will need.

Commercially owned or private vehicles, if I can’t help you, I won’t charge you.

admin June 21, 2017

auto locksmith Norfolk / Car keys cut / Car locksmith /

Which lock have I got?

Can you see your lock? Do you know what type of lock you have? Is it secure? Is it insurance standard? – All are important questions to look at your home security.

This weekend, I found myself walking through the high street of a Norfolk coastal village. One that is much quieter in winter because most of the homes are holiday lets. My wife, who is usually bored by my lock information, has obviously been taking in a lot more than she cares to admit, because she pointed to a door and told me it was not insurance rated. She was correct. This prompted me to look at all the other doors we passed and I soon discovered the majority of houses in that street would not receive insurance pay outs if they were burgled. On top of that, many would have been extremely easy for the burglar to gain access to.

So here is another visual guide to what makes you a burglar’s target, and what makes him look elsewhere.

If you have a door with one of these Horizontal sashlocks;

Sashlockthen beware! Most of these in Norfolk at least are three lever locks. If this is the only lock on your door, the burglar might just have a go because they have short bolts, no anti-drill reinforcement and are usually quite old. The five lever versions are very strong, but equally very expensive and require more holes in the door. Having a five lever deadlock fitted as primary security is the cheapest option that will satisfy the insurance people.

If I see a door with handles like the one in this image below,

Door handle
then I have no clue as to the strength of the lock fitted into the door as the mechanism is essentially hidden when shut. While your insurance is still going to demand a five lever version of this sashlock, the burglar is less likely to waste time on this unless he knows what is in your house and is specifically going after it.

 

Yale lockNow, if you have a lock like this as your only security, then get it looked at right now. This is the nightlatch (often called a “Yale” lock) and will probably take seconds to bypass. Seriously, I could walk up to one of these and be in so fast, a passerby wouldn’t even notice I didn’t use a key. There are some that have handy little additions to slow the burglar down, but mostly it is so easy, the burglar has nothing to lose when attacking this type of lock. The outside of the British Standard version of this type of lock looks like this.


Nightlatch

When I am faced with this type of nightlatch as a locksmith, I know I’m going to be earning every penny of my fee and there is probably going to be sweating and cursing going on before that door is open. The burglar is simply going somewhere else. Again, these are more expensive than their basic cousins, but they do have many features to make life harder for the intruder.

 

UPVC door

Next, we have the upvc door;










Or composite doors;

Composite door

These doors are supposed to be super secure. After all, they have all those extra hooks and bolts and rollers that engage when the handle is lifted. But the door is only as good  as the lock, and the standard locks are not very good.

                                               standard lock

Here is the standard lock,









Snapped lock cylinder

And here is what happens with cylinder snapping.

So, while these locks are still acceptable by your insurance provider, they will not deter the burglar. 





Kite marked lock
To do that, you need a cylinder like this one;
From a distance, the intruder can see the lock is not standard. If he does get close, he will see the kite mark. These locks are reinforced where the standard ones are weak, and actually designed to break closer to the front, meaning the attacker still cannot get to the bits he wants to.





Finally, if you have any version of a rim lock which will be in a similar style to this,

Rim lock









as your only door security, then you need something else as well. I find these on many farm houses and older buildings. They are very poor for stopping the burglars and easy to spot from the outside because they look like the horizontal locks but the key hole is usually lower or higher than the knob handle, so the intruder can identify them with ease.

There are many variations to all the types of lock mentioned above and this information is for guidance only. If you feel your security is not adequate, then ask your local locksmith for a security check. If he/she is any good, they will provide this service for free. Please also check elderly friends and relatives. I often visit older people who have lived with the same locks since before British Standard kite marks were even thought of. By talking to them about their security, you just might be saving them from an intruder.

Should you have any questions about the information above, please feel free to get in touch via any of the ways on my contacts page.

Thanks for reading.

admin March 1, 2017

What lock have I got? / What's wrong with my lock? / Which lock? /

AC Locksmiths putting the customer first

When I started up working for myself as a locksmith in 2009, I hadn’t dreamed it would be such a rewarding job. I’ve lost count of the number of times people have told me I have saved their life or that I am their hero. Only this week I was called to a flat in Fakenham where a toddler had pushed shut a door on his Mum, locking her out and him in at the bottom of a flight of stairs. The potential for disaster was very high, but I was able to get to that customer in less than half an hour and gained entry soon after arrival. Being able to do things like that are reward enough for the cost of my training.

AC Locksmiths

I believe I am still the only locksmith in Norfolk to advertise prices, so my customers know exactly what will be charged and what they are getting for that price. I don’t charge any more money for working unsociable hours. You pay the same for a normal Tuesday morning as you do for a Bank Holiday Monday. On kite marked products, I offer a longer guarantee than any of my competitors (if they offer any guarantee at all), which runs right up to the industry recommendation for regular lock changes.

I do everything I can to keep my prices as low as possible for my customers, like running a second hand vehicle over a new one. But unfortunately, I cannot continue to offer the same rates that I have stuck to for the last two financial years. My suppliers have used Brexit as an excuse to raise the prices of the locks I fit, and Norfolk has too sparse a population to keep me busy all the time. While I want to continue to be a knight in shining armour to those who need me when they are locked out on a cold, wet night, I want to offer a full locksmith service to motorists as well, once again advertising prices and being competitive. I also want to offer bespoke alarm systems and CCTV solutions to my residential and commercial customers.

It will therefore be necessary to increase my prices at the start of the new financial year. I have looked at different ways of doing this. I could pass on the increase in the price I pay for stock, or I could be like my competitors and charge nearly double for Sundays and bank Holidays along with somewhere in between for evenings. I could charge by the hour rather than have a flat fee for all jobs. But I like simple.

My flat rate for all jobs will increase from £50 to £60, regardless of whether the job takes five minutes or five hours. This price still beats the Nationals. It will not go up for evenings or weekends or bank holidays. You will still not have to pay VAT. The locking products will remain the same price they have been for over three years, and while I cannot compete with large DIY store chains on price, I can compete with them on knowledge of brands that are good enough for me to guarantee for much longer than their one year. The only difference to my flat rate pricing will be to multi-lock upgrade jobs where the price will be per half day (or uncompleted part of a half day – i.e. a job lasting from 9.00am to 12.00 noon will be £60, while a job from 9.00am to 2.00pm will be £120). A am also unable to offer my customers a free second visit. Many have benefited in the past when they have wanted additional work done to different locks. This is simply no longer affordable.

However, I will now be signing the back of my business cards and anyone who presents a signed card as a recommendation from another customer will have their job discounted back to £50. Security checks are still free with no obligation to take up my quotation for any works carried out.

Norfolk is still a relatively safe place with regards to burglaries, but they do happen. It is still my aim for my customers to have the best possible security at fair prices from a friendly professional.

If you have any questions regarding the above or any of my other topics, please get in touch through any of the methods on my contacts page.

Thanks for reading.

admin February 18, 2017

Locksmiths prices /

Burglaries in Norfolk

Burglaries Alert

In the last month or so there have been some burglaries in the North Norfolk area. I know of at least one in Holt and two in Stifkey. In the last year, I have also attended burglaries in Wiveton and other villages along the North Norfolk coast.

Norfolk Winter sky and beach

In general, Norfolk has a low crime rate compared to the rest of the country, but it is not immune. And I still see properties without insurance standard locks every week. At the time of writing this, I am ordering locking products for one property that has two main doors and two sets of French doors. The locks I am replacing are so poor, that it only takes a hard shake to force the French doors open. The customer only called me to replace one lock that they thought was temperamental, and that was the good one. The cost of the job is now four times what the customer had anticipated, but at least now if they fall victim to the burglar (less likely as the locks are much better), their insurance will cover the material loses.

Kite marked lock AC LocksmithsPlease, for your own peace of mind, check your locks right now. Try to see if they carry a British standard kitemark that will tell you they are insurance approved and a better deterrent to the burglar. If you are unsure, call your local locksmith. If they are any good, they will do a free security check (or for little cost if you live remotely). If you have elderly relatives or even know older people who might not be able to get this message or might not be able to check themselves, take a few minutes to talk to them about their locks, especially if they live in older properties or have lived in the same one for years. Remember, the locksmithing industry recommends that you change your locks every five years anyway as often keys go missing, or accidentally get kept by someone you might have given access to your property etc.  

Burglary is an awful crime that leaves one with feelings of violation, but the nightmare is much worse if you find the insurance company will not pay up due to invalid locks. Be wary of the requirement that states you must have a five lever mortice lock. This does not mean the hooks and bolts on a upvc door – it means the ‘Chubb’ type lock on a wooden door. These locks come in two, three and five lever configurations. Only a five lever will satisfy the insurance and anything less is easy pickings for the intruder.

Should you have any questions regarding the above, please do not hesitate to get in touch via any of the methods on my contact page.

Thanks for reading.

 

admin January 18, 2017

Burglary prevention / Burlaries in North Norfolk / Crime prevention / insurance standard locks / kite marked locks /

Safes: locks & maintenance

How safe is your safe?

safe

Recently, I have been having a few calls from customers asking me to gain entry to their safes. Either codes have been forgotten, keys have been lost, or batteries (in electronic safes) have been allowed to run down to flat.

Within the locksmithing industry, opening safes is a whole extra level of learning and the courses, along with the correct quality tools are rather expensive. This in turn makes the cost to the customer quite expensive as well. In Norfolk, there are just not enough customers for me to take on the extra expense. To make it worthwhile, I would have to put up my normal prices, and I am trying to keep as competitive as possible. While there are other locksmiths in Norfolk who will gain access to your safe, and I will be happy to guide you to them, safe opening is not something I generally do. There are exceptions, however. If your safe is small, the chances are I can get in through destructive methods and provide a new safe for a similar cost to the safe specialist simply gaining entry (they might also use destructive methods and charge more).

Safe

Better still, good practical maintenance of the safe is always the best course of action. A common scenario is when an elderly relative passes away and the family discover that the safe with all the important documents is battery operated and the batteries have long since gone flat because they were never changed. If you have elderly relatives, remind them to change the batteries yearly. Make sure you have at least two keys and they are stored in places where they cannot be damaged. One key should be kept at another safe location. I have had a case where one key was lost and the spare had been kept….in the safe itself (a common mistake with spare car keys as well – keeping the spare key in the glove compartment is not a good idea)! Simply opening the safe on a regular basis just to make sure all the levers seem to be working good, is also good practice. And always observe the “you get what you pay for rule.” If you buy a cheap safe from the high street, the chances are it will not last.

While I have said I do not generally gain entry to safes, I do provide and install all sizes of safe from the small ones that will hold documents to commercial sizes. I recommend that any household safe be replaced every ten years at the very maximum. I am also happy to arrange annual safe maintenance visits and do the things like battery changes that many people seem to forget. My aim is to make sure you can access your valuables when you need to by having the work done when it is economically convenient, rather than face a high call out fee at a time when you least need it.

Should you require a free consultation about safe installation, or just a question about the above or any of my other blog subjects, please do get in touch via any of the methods on my contacts page.

Thanks for reading.

 

admin November 2, 2016

Locksmiths norfolk / maintenance / safes /

Home Insurance know-how

I was sorting out my home insurance for this coming year and thought I would quote from the financial expert Martin Lewis’ website Money Saving Expert about home insurance. Please see the exert below:

Better locks pay for themselves

Don’t know your five-lever mortise deadlock from your rim automatic deadlatch? Well you should, as getting the right lock on your doors could massively lower your contents premium. Insurers ask what type of lock you have, so you risk invalidating your cover if you put down the wrong type.

Quick questions

What are the main types of lock?

Which lock is best?

How do locks affect my rates?

Help! I don’t know which type of lock I have

Please go to the link below to see the whole article:

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/home-insurance

admin September 29, 2016

Money Saving Expert advise for Home Insurance /

Holiday Let Security

Recently, I attended a job where a family holidaying in Norfolk were demanding widow locks to be fitted to the upstairs windows. The gentleman was very apologetic for getting the property owner to call me out and said I must think he was being over cautious, not because of any security issue, but because he was worried his toddlers might open a window and fall out. I was actually more surprised that the property owner hadn’t already thought about this, especially as the windows were very low with a deep enough sill for an adult to sit or a toddler to play on.

window

The fact is, if you own a holiday cottage, you should really make sure that every possible opening has a working lock on it.

Families don’t just bring their clothes and a Frisbee on holiday any more. They bring their mobile phones and ,possibly, tablets and hand held games consoles as well. My own children seem to go into meltdown if they can’t take at least one gadget on holiday to get their fix of screen time.Some adults may bring their work laptops so that they can keep abreast of what they will be coming back to after the holiday (or more likely, catch up on who’s posting what on social media). All this means the holiday cottage owner is more obliged to make sure the security of the property where all these expensive gadgets will be kept, should be properly protected. I know from experience too many properties in Norfolk do not have the correct locks for home insurance, and this includes plenty of holiday lets.

Norfolk windmillI therefore urge holiday let owners to have regular security checks and lock services. And holiday makers, check that your cottage does have adequate locks. You are quite within your rights to have a safe and secure home to live in for the duration of your stay.

I know many owners buy these second properties as an investment for topping up the pension. But the pension will not be topped up if you are spending it on compensation claims.

If you have any questions regarding the above topic, or any of my other blogs, please get in touch via any of the methods on my contacts page.

Thanks for reading.

admin September 29, 2016

urity in Holiday Lets /

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