The Importance of Changing Locks When You Move House
Why Replacing Your Locks Should Be a Top Priority After Relocating
Moving House? Don’t Forget to Change Your Locks
Moving into a new home is an exciting time, marked by new beginnings and fresh opportunities. Amidst the flurry of unpacking boxes, decorating rooms, and meeting new neighbours, one crucial task often slips down the to-do list: changing the locks on your new property. While it might seem like a minor detail, replacing the locks is a vital step in ensuring your family’s safety and peace of mind.
Security Starts at the Door
When you receive the keys to your new house, you can’t be certain how many copies exist or who might still have access. Previous owners, tenants, estate agents, cleaners, or even tradespeople could have keys that open your doors. By changing the locks, you take control of your home’s security from the very start, ensuring that only those you trust have access. I have lost count of the times that workers doing long jobs like extensions or renovations, lose keys. If you hand your key over to a tradesperson for an extended period, you simply don’t know if they or one of their employees makes a copy. Always give them a key to a minor use door if possible and change the lock once they have finished the work.
Peace of Mind for Your New Chapter
There’s nothing quite like the reassurance of knowing you’re the only keyholder. Changing the locks eliminates any risk of unwanted visitors and allows you to settle into your new home with confidence. The last thing you want during your first night in a new place is uncertainty over who might be able to let themselves in unannounced. I have actually known this to happen. After six months in their new house, a couple came home to find a neighbour looking around. The neighbour explained she had a key from the previous owner and was concerned because she had been watching the new owners and they had not returned at their normal time.
Insurance and Legal Considerations
Many home insurance policies require evidence of forced entry to cover burglary claims. If a break-in occurs and the thief uses an old key, you may find yourself ineligible for compensation. By replacing the locks, you not only protect your belongings but also ensure your insurance remains valid and effective. There are also an incredible number of older properties that simply do not have insurance rated locks. It is always best to seek professional advice. Many people confuse the locking mechanism on a upvc door for a 5 lever lock as stated in insurance policies.
When Should You Change Locks?
Ideally, locks should be changed as soon as you move in – before you start bringing in valuables or spending the night. If you’re renting, check with your landlord about replacing the locks, and ensure you comply with the tenancy agreement. For homeowners, it’s a straightforward process that can often be done in a single afternoon. As a tenant, it is worth offering to pay for new locks if the landlord won’t do it. Legally, they don’t have to, but morally your landlord should change the locks for you. This is an allowable expense, so no-one loses out. If you are a home buyer and intend to have work done quite quickly, either leave the lock changing until after the work is done or ask your local locksmith if they have some 2nd hand locks that can go in temporarily before the main change further down the line.
Professional Help or DIY?
While some may feel comfortable changing locks themselves, hiring a professional locksmith guarantees the job is done correctly and to a high standard. A reputable locksmith can also advise on upgrading to more secure or modern locking systems, offering an added layer of protection against break-ins. You might want to discuss smart locks or just get some advice.
Don’t Overlook Windows and Outbuildings
It’s easy to focus on doors, but remember to check and, if necessary, change locks on windows, garages, sheds, and side gates. These entry points are just as important for your overall security. A comprehensive approach ensures no weak links in your home’s defenses. When you move in, check all windows have a lock and key and that they operate correctly. Getting everything done in one go will save the cost of repeat visits in the future.
Wndow shuts & mechanism cleaned & serviced
Final Thoughts
In the whirlwind of moving house, changing the locks might seem like a small detail, but it’s one of the simplest and most effective ways to protect your loved ones and your possessions. By making this a priority, you’ll be able to enjoy your new home safe in the knowledge that you’re in control of who comes and goes.
After all, home is where you should always feel secure. Don’t leave it to chance—change your locks and start your new adventure the right way.
(OK, maybe not THE perfect Christmas present – but definitely something to think about!)
Practical, Thoughtful, and Full of Meaning
When it comes to choosing the perfect Christmas present, most of us find ourselves stuck between the latest gadgets, novelty jumpers, or a box of classic chocolates. But sometimes, the most memorable gifts are the ones we least expect. This year, why not consider breaking tradition and giving the gift of security, privacy, and peace of mind? Here’s why a lock could be the perfect Christmas present for your loved ones.
1. A Symbol of Security and Care
Christmas is all about showing the people in your life that you care. Gifting a lock—whether for a home, bicycle, locker, or suitcase—reflects your concern for their safety and well-being. It’s a gesture that quietly says, “I want you and your belongings to be safe,” and that’s a sentiment that will be appreciated long after the festivities are over.
2. A Practical Present They’ll Actually Use
Let’s be honest: how many presents end up collecting dust in a drawer by January? Unlike some novelty gifts, a lock is something people actually need. From safeguarding bikes on the daily commute to securing precious memories in a diary or jewellery box, a good lock is the gift that keeps on giving. With so many styles available—padlocks, smart locks, combination locks—there’s one to suit everyone’s needs.
3. Suitable for All Ages and Lifestyles
Locks are versatile gifts for all generations. Children might need a sturdy padlock for their school locker, while teenagers could use a lock for their gym bag. Adults will appreciate a reliable bike or door lock, and seasoned travellers will love a TSA-approved luggage lock. No matter the age or lifestyle, everyone has something worth protecting.
4. Encourages Good Habits
Giving a lock as a present isn’t just about the item itself—it’s about encouraging responsibility and good habits. For children and teens, it’s a gentle nudge towards looking after their possessions. For adults, it can be a timely reminder to update security, whether at home or on the move.
5. Personalisation Adds That Special Touch
Locks may seem utilitarian, but they can also be deeply personal. Many locks can be engraved with a name, a special date, or a message. Imagine the delight of receiving a padlock with a heartfelt engraving, perhaps to commemorate a special Christmas or a new home. It transforms a simple object into a keepsake.
6. Affordable Yet Meaningful
The festive season is not just about grand gestures; it’s the thought that counts. Locks are typically affordable, making them a brilliant choice for stocking fillers or Secret Santa gifts. Yet, their meaning runs deeper than their price tag, offering both practicality and sentiment in one neat package.
7. A Nod to Tradition (With a Modern Twist)
In some cultures, locks are exchanged as tokens of love and longevity—think of couples attaching padlocks to bridges as symbols of enduring affection. Gifting a lock this Christmas gives a nod to those traditions, while also embracing the latest in security technology, from fingerprint padlocks to smart door locks.
Conclusion
So, if you’re on the hunt for a Christmas present that’s practical, meaningful, and sure to be appreciated, look no further than a lock. It’s a gift that says “I care,” and offers peace of mind all year round. After all, isn’t that what Christmas is all about?
Changing Locks When You Move – and why it’s important
Securing Your New Beginning
Moving into a new home is an exciting experience, filled with possibilities and the fresh promise of a new start. Amidst the bustle of packing, unpacking, and redecorating, one critical step is often overlooked: changing the locks on your new property. While it may seem like a minor detail, changing the locks & updating them is an essential measure for protecting your home, belongings, and loved ones.
Why Changing Locks Matters
When you take ownership of a new home—be it a flat, house, or even a let property—you can never be entirely certain how many sets of keys are in circulation. Previous owners, tenants, estate agents, cleaners, builders, and even neighbours might still have a copy. By changing the locks, you establish control and peace of mind, knowing exactly who has access to your property.
Protecting Your Family and Belongings
Your new home is likely filled with personal possessions, treasured items, and, most importantly, the people you care about. Failing to change the locks leaves you vulnerable to uninvited guests. Burglaries and unauthorised entries are often crimes of opportunity; ensuring your locks are unique to you greatly reduces the risk.
Meeting Insurance Requirements
Many insurance policies require evidence that the property has secure locks, and some may void claims if it’s discovered you did not change them after moving in. By updating your locks, you not only strengthen your home’s defences but also ensure you’re meeting the terms and conditions of your insurer—potentially saving you a headache should you ever need to make a claim.
Peace of Mind
There’s no substitute for the peace of mind that comes from knowing your home is secure. Sleeping soundly in your new surroundings is easier when you know you’ve taken proactive steps to protect your household. It’s a simple one-off task that can save you worry and stress down the line.
Don’t Forget Internal and Outbuildings
While the front and back doors are obvious priorities, don’t overlook other access points. Garages, sheds, garden gates, and even internal doors may also require updated locks—particularly if they provide access to valuables or private areas.
How to Change Your Locks
Contact a reputable locksmith who is approved by a recognised trade association.
Consider upgrading to more secure lock types, such as anti-snap cylinders or smart locks.
Retain control of all new keys, and only provide copies to trusted individuals.
Dispose of old keys securely to prevent them falling into the wrong hands.
Conclusion
Changing the locks is a simple, affordable step that makes a world of difference to your home security. As you settle into your new home, make lock replacement a top priority—it’s a small investment in your safety, comfort, and peace of mind. After all, your new chapter deserves to start on the right foot: safe, secure, and truly yours.
I am an avid reader of Q & A websites. I see lots of questions relating to lock picking and how easy it might be for burglars to pick certain locks. I can say right here, lock picking is not a skill your average burglar possesses. Honestly, I’ve been doing this job for close to 15 years now, and I’m certainly not great at it. Why? Because there are much easier ways to bypass most locks.
Lock picking is a major hobby in some countries and they even have speed picking competitions. They have nice new locks that are well oiled, set up at a comfortable height and they have spent hours every day picking the same locks over and over and over again. What they don’t have is the real world problems of trying to pick locks that are so low, you have to kneel on a wet floor in a howling gale near the sea and the lock is not only rusted, but salt encrusted as well. Strangely, that never happens to the TV hero either who, despite being by-the-book, can suddenly pick any lock in seconds using nothing but a tooth pick or hair pin. Hmmmm.
I was called out to a job in Sheringham the other evening. It was a latch type lock so my first attack was to try and slip the lock. While it would be against common sense to explain how to perform entry methods, I can tell you that in the right circumstances, slipping is a super fast entry method that can take seconds. On this occasion, the door was too tight. This particular door was also devoid of a letter box, meaning I (and potential burglars) could not use a special tool that goes through the letterbox and opens latches easily, again in seconds under the best conditions. At this point, I considered picking the lock. I have picked locks like this in under 20 seconds but I knew this was not going to be on this night. The door being a very tight fit meant the actual latch was pushing hard against the keep in the door frame. Lock picking requires two tools; the pick and a tension tool, which is barely more than an ‘L’ shaped piece of thin metal. It has to be thin, because if it is too thick, it stops the pick doing its’ job. I could pick that lock 50 times and the tension tool would just not be strong enough to rotate the lock.
At this point, as a locksmith, you have to make a decision. Do you persevere possibly for hours, charging the customer a small fortune, or do you break and replace the lock. For this lock, it was a no-brainer. Three of them are equal to my hourly rate, so I went and got my drill. The drill was so fast, neighbours didn’t even bother to come and see what was going on. Had I been a burglar, I would have been in without anyone worrying about the noise made. My customer was happy because after two hours waiting for a locksmith who didn’t show, and then having to wait for me to finish my previous job, getting in quickly and getting a new lock was better than getting in later and being charged more money with no visible gain. I even changed a second lock while I was there.
All the above has a point. Burglars don’t often pick locks. Even easy to pick locks can more effort than they are worth. Burglars snap, slip, drill, smash and use plenty of other methods. But picking is rarely one of the methods they employ; this is why it is important to fit locks that carry the British Standard Kite mark, showing the lock has been tested to attacks that exceed EU regulations. BS3621 locks display the kite mark, showing burglars that they are not going to have an easy time entering your property, no matter what they try.
There is also a second point; please don’t expect your locksmith to have a magic pick that gets you in faster than the TV detective. Locks are designed to be difficult, the better locks get, the harder they are to bypass without damage. When your emergency locksmith reaches for the drill (hopefully they explained why), it’s not because he is unskilled at picking, but more because damage and replace is going to be the best option for you in terms of time and cost. If your lock looks like it will fail in the next twelve months anyway, a new lock now will save money in the near future.
If you have any questions about the above, please contact me through any method on the home page.
1. Instead of leaving a key in your back door, take a back door key with you when you leave the house. Almost every time I attend an emergency where my customers have lost their keys, they show me the back door with the key in the other side. Carrying a key for the back door in a separate pocket to your front door key gives you a greater chance of being able to get in without waiting for a locksmith. It is also better for security because all the time a key is in your back door, a burglar can break in through a window and easily carry stuff out of your house through that back door!
Leaving keys in doors is good fire safety practice while people are in the property, but they should be removed from locks if the property is empty.
2. Oil your locks regularly – at least twice a year. The best way to remember is to do it every time you change your clocks, w
This is especially important if you live near the sea. Don’t just spray where the key goes in. Most locks have a latch that retracts when you pull the handle down, when the latch retracts, the wedge makes a gap for your oil or silicone spray. Spray for around 5 seconds to get plenty inside, then turn the key a few times to make sure the lubricant reaches all parts. If you have a locking mechanism with lift up handles, works the handles up and down a few times, but make sure you lubricate all moving parts (bolts, hooks, rollers, etc.)
3. Do not put your override keys to your safe inside the safe. Equally, do not leave the override keys anywhere in your property. A burglar can find those keys and get to your valuables. They will know the hiding places you think are sneaky.
Safe keys should be with a trusted friend or family member in an entirely separate property. Also, do not wait for the batteries to get low. Change them annually whether they need it or not. Always consult a security expert before buying a safe because they can advise you on the pitfalls many are trapped by. There is nothing worse than needing your passport from a safe you cannot access and finding out the safe expert cannot get to you for two days by which time, your plane has departed!
4. Please stop posting on social media all about your holiday whilst away. Your friends probably don’t care as much as you would like to think, but the burglar is very thankful you are advertising that your property is empty. Don’t ruin your holiday by coming back to find all your valuables have been taken. You can post your holiday highlights when you get back.
5. When you get extra keys cut, use the originals most. Badly cut keys ruin locks. Key cutters use generic key blanks made from cheaper metals. If you buy your locks from a locksmith, they can order branded keys made for the lock cut from superior metal. These will then be covered by guarantee. Once you use a poorly cut off brand key, and it damages the lock, you invalidate any guarantee given by your locksmith. So if you must get spares made, try to use the originals the most.
6. Be wary if you have a family member who suffers with dementia. This is a sensitive subject but I have experience of a good number of customers coming back to me because they have lost their keys. The excuses are often the same, with angry accusations at neighbours or carers who have ‘let themselves in and stolen my keys again.’ The last thing a locksmith wants is to take advantage of anyone with this awful condition, but we cannot change locks for free. We also cannot ask the customer for phone numbers of family members because it is not right to do so.
If your loved ones are getting forgetful and you notice new locks, firstly try and get a key for yourself. Then, see if you can find out which locksmith they used. I would be more than happy if you called me to say you are MR X’s son/daughter and that if Mr X should call me in a muddle, I should try and call you before setting off to change the lock again. Mr X will be far happier having you search for the key he has hidden and forgotten than me. I would expect any decent locksmith would feel the same.
7. Next to your mobile phone, your lock and keys are the things you use the most almost – every day for that majority of us. Treat them accordingly. When I take handles off of doors, I find a variety of spider carcasses, wasp larvae, rust and other muck. While unscrewing and re-screwing the fixings too many times is not good for the wood, occasional cleans behind the handles is not a bad idea. You might well discover broken springs and other nasties that need seeing to. Better to catch things early before they fail completely and you find yourself unable to get in.
Likewise, I have come across many a door where someone has simply painted over the lock while decorating. It doesn’t take many seconds to undo the screws and remove the lock while painting and even less to put a bit of masking tape over the area. Painting over the lock is not good. At best, the screws fill with paint and when you do need to take the lock out because it has failed, you cannot undo the clogged screws without extra effort. Locks might not be as exciting as a phone, but they are more important.
8. Do not leave keys on a flat surface or hanging up anywhere in the vicinity of a door with a letter plate, especially if you have windows through which the keys can be seen. If I can put a mirror through your letter plate and see your keys, I can retrieve them, which means a burglar can do the same. A letter cage on the back of your door is amazing security, especially if you have a thumb turn rather than key operation on the inside. Better still, seal your letter plate and invest in a separate post box to fit externally.
If you have any questions about the above content or any else security related, please feel free to contact me.
It is well known that business properties, especially where the public has access, should have secure fire exit doors, which means that all locked doors should be able to be opened from the inside without a key.
But many people renting out properties for holidays do not realise that these fire exits should have easy escape capabilities. The logic behind this is that if the lock is key operated on the inside, the customers may well lock the door, put the key somewhere safe, and then should the worst happen and a fire break out, in their panic and being away from home, they could well forget where they have put the key and be caught in a tragic accident.
So if your wooden door has a nightlatch (often called a ‘Yale’ lock), and that lock has a British Standard Kite mark, you are fine.
If your wooden door has a mortice (often called a ‘Chubb’ lock), with key operation on both sides, there is a conversion that can be done to use a Euro Cylinder that has a thumb turn on the inside. This means changing the lock and handles but can use the existing space with minimal visible change.
If your door is UPVC or has any mechanism where the handles must be lifted before locking, it is a simple matter of swapping the existing Euro Cylinder for one with a thumb turn on the inside.
This is a key both sides Euro Cylinder:
And this is a standard thumb turn Euro Cylinder:
There is a slight worry with installing these fire escape systems, though and that is I have a tool that can go in through letter boxes and turn the thumb turn allowing me access to the property. We have two solutions. Firstly, certain thumb turns on the very best cylinders are designed to be difficult for tools to turn. They might require a push while turning or just plain difficult for the tool to purchase.
Alternatively, you can buy specially designed sloped guards for your letterbox (although even these can be bypassed with ever more clever locksmith tools).
Or better yet a letter catching cage on the back of your door will stop all tools that I know of at time of writing.
If you own or run holiday lets, you might find your public liability insurance does not pay out if you have not taken the correct measures to ensure the safety of your guests.
I am noticing a lot of village halls are also suddenly finding out from fire inspections that they are not up to scratch. Please check the regulations specific to you if you run any property that is not a private home.
You probably won’t know this, but every October in the UK is National Home Security Month. October was chosen for a reason and that is because it’s when the evenings are noticeably darker. That makes it easier for the burglar to know when properties are occupied, and it makes it easier for the intruder to hide in dark corners. Garden hedges are a fantastic place for intruders to hide if they think they have been caught in the act, and they will actively seek out properties with large, softer hedges as potential hiding spots at night. A plain fence might be boring, but it can be the difference between you not being burgled as a matter of choice, over your neighbour.
One of the interesting facts that I read in my magazine for lock geeks this month was that while cylinder snapping is still the number one method of entry (less than 60 secs with no power tools if you only have standard locking cylinders on your UPVC/composite door), a growing number are using the garage where there is a connecting door from the garage to the house. Garages and sheds are notorious for poor security anyway, so these overlooked entrances are an easy target. When the connecting doors often have only 2 or 3 lever locks, there are simple tools that do the job.
Recently I had to gain entry to a property where one partner was denying the other entry over a domestic dispute by leaving a key on the inside of the lock. The locks themselves were top level and ordinarily, would have put me off, but I knew the key was on the other side. Once I checked my customer had legal right to enter the property, I started work. I have an ‘outside in’ tool that goes through the letter box and allowed me to rotate the key and open the door. My point is this, no matter how good your lock is, if you leave a key on the inside of a door with a letter box, or have a thumb turn on the inside, you might as well not bother locking your door. The letterbox is a massive temptation for thieves. Many people leave car keys, door keys and the like on surfaces near front doors. It is very convenient after all. But thieves can go fishing through letter boxes and easily reach things you thought were safe. A good cheap deterrent is a letter bin that goes over the inside of the letterbox. Your newspaper delivery person will not thank you, but you will be more secure. Better still, get an external post box and seal your letterbox completely. Your locksmith won’t thank you if you lose your keys, but he/she will admire your security consciousness.
On that note, there are now safe lockable delivery boxes for all the large packages we now receive from the likes of Amazon. Having watched hours of doorcam footage on Youtube of doorstep thieves, I cannot recommend these enough. Please enquire if you would like more information.
Back to this dispute case; At the same house, I was asked to open the garage. As I said above, garages are often terrible in terms of security and often hold great bounties for opportunists who have time to sell stuff on ebay or at car boot sales. The front up and over door was actually quite secure. I could have opened it with time consuming picking or drilling, but the side human entrance door was poorly fitted and although there was a good five lever mortice lock in place, the gap between door and frame was so big, I popped the door in seconds. As there was a lot of high value stuff being stored in this garage, the security was woefully inadequate, but very normal in comparison to what I see on a daily basis. My point is, do not overlook the security of your exterior buildings. Normally I say one good lock is a good enough deterrent, but on buildings with flimsy doors where we increasingly keep valuable stuff, two locks are going to slow down the intruder enough to make him consider going elsewhere for an easier target.
If you have any questions regarding the above, please do not hesitate to contact me by phone, email or the contact section of this site.
There seems to be a massive drive to build new homes lately. Almost everywhere you go, you are bound to be driving past a new build construction site. You might even be looking at a nice newly built home in your area, or even bought one. The beauty of a new home over an older one is that you can move in knowing you have nothing to do. The carpets are already fitted to your criteria, the sparkly kitchen gleams and there is no worry that some random neighbour has a spare key to your home, so why are we advising changing the locks on a brand new property?
Why change the locks?
Quite frankly, the developers will do the minimum possible to meet regulations, and currently in the UK the regulations just are not up to the same level as the burglars. New homes are all being built with multi-point locking mechanisms and while all the hooks, bolts and rollers look impressive and secure, the system is only as good as its’ weakest part, which is the locking cylinder. While standard locking Euro Cylinders are acceptable for insurance purposes, they are incredibly weak to a form of attack called ‘cylinder snapping’. Property developers will use these standard cylinders wherever possible.
Some of the more reputable developers will at least have the decency to install kite marked Euro cylinders in their doors, but beyond the kite mark, there are still three grades of security, which cover the three main forms of attack, those being snap, pick and drilling. So a cylinder with one star will be proof against picking but not the other two, and a cylinder with two stars will still be susceptible to attack by one of the three main methods. You can supplement the star rating by having anti-snap collars placed inside the handles, or anti-drill handles. You may even have these, but if you don’t know, then the burglar doesn’t know either and he is likely to have a go, fail and leave your door a mess before he leaves. Only a three star cylinder should be used if you want the burglar to go away before even trying.
With total honesty, there is a tool that can be purchased to bypass even some of the best three star cylinders, but it takes time use and is fiddly. Entry with this tool is trial and error, sometimes taking many minutes to get in the door, whereas a standard cylinder can be snapped in under 60 seconds with household tools and no sound. For the same reason a burglar will not take the time to remove your roof tiles and enter that way, he will not purchase a tool that takes him many times longer to get in than the cheap tools he can get from a DIY store.
Cylinder snapping is no longer about normal burglary any more; Intruders know that most people leave their car keys somewhere in the vicinity of the front door, be they left on a surface, hanging on a convenient hook, or just in a coat pocket. They can now look for the car they want to steal parked nicely on your front drive. As most of us are now two car families, at least one will sit on the drive, and if that car is your brand new Mercedes or BMW and you keep your keys close to an easily attacked door, your insurance might decide not to pay out because you didn’t take enough care. How many people tell their insurance the car is kept in the garage, knowing that actually the garage is full of the toot we don’t want in our actual houses? Breaking into a house and stealing the keys is now the easiest way to steal their car.
And while a barking dog is a deterrent to some degree, what protects your home when you are on holiday or even out walking that dog?
Most three star Euro cylinders are visibly different to standard cylinders. They shout at the burglar you are serious about home security and that attacking your home is going to be noisy and time consuming. Noise and time are the enemy of the burglar. If he knows breaking into your home is going to be noisy and take up precious time, he is going to move on. If you fit the proper cylinders, chances are you will be angry with the locksmith after years and years of never seeing any signs of attack. You will never know how many intruders scouted your home and mentally noted to leave you alone. It’s not hard. I help my kids with their paper round, and the best locks stick out like a sore thumb. I know exactly how few there are and where they are. A potential intruder only has to deliver some bogus leaflets in any area to work out who is best avoided.
While on this subject, an emailed question asked if it worth putting extra strength glue in an externally beaded window so that if the burglar got the beading off the window would still be stuck in place. Beading removal was never a hugely popular method of attack. There was always too much potential to make noise and take a long time. Also, the risk of breaking glass and then cutting oneself is too high, even without extra glues. Cylinder snapping is quick, quiet and easy. So faced with a choice, you should always upgrade your cylinders.
If you have standard cylinders or even kite marked one star cylinders, you should upgrade now. If you don’t know what you have, a good locksmith in your area will come and assess your locks via a free security check. Unless a locksmith has provided your locks, I very much doubt they will be the best on the market. You cannot buy the best locks in the DIY shops. While you are ensuring you have the best locks, you should be sending a copy of this information to everyone you care about, because of the following reasons:
Burglary is on the rise.
Traditionally ‘safe’ areas are being burgled more often.
Only a tiny fraction of burglaries get investigated by police.
You are now at risk from car thieves as well.
Burglars pass on information to each other, so if you are burgled once, you stand an increased chance of being hit again.
Every person I speak to who has experience a burglary, reports feeling of personal violation, sleepless nights and detachment from their home.
If you have any questions regarding the above information or any of the other blogs I have written, please get in touch via any of the methods on my contacts page.
Thanks for reading.
New build Holt, New build Fakenham, New build Aylsham, New build Cromer,
New build North Walsham, New Build Norfolk, Locks Holt, Locks Fakenham,
Locks Aylsham, Locks Cromer, Locks North Walsham, Locks Norfolk
Lockdown key thoughts on home security
Lockdown key thoughts – As we enter another lockdown, home security might not be at the forefront of your mind, but be aware; Just yesterday, the delivery person for Amazon left two packages at my front door without so much as a knock or ring of the doorbell (four people in the house and no one heard a thing). Lockdown means we move to even more to on-line shopping and, despite the rules to have us stay at home, we are still doing school runs, grocery shopping and personal exercise. A package openly sat outside your front door may be enticing to an opportunist to make a quick grab. Please keep on top of your orders and if you can’t be in, talk to a neighbour to at least keep an eye out for the delivery. Don’t think asking the delivery driver to put the package in your unlocked shed is a good idea either. Sheds are one of the first places burglars look because the security is often extremely poor. Look in your local community paper for the police reports, sheds are often on the reports, with tools be stolen to make a quick turnaround at boot fairs, etc. Plus whatever other goodies you may have there.
The other place we do not secure enough is our garage. So many garages can be popped open with a single tool. And the locks are rarely difficult to pick for someone with a little time. We store so much in our garages these days, it hardly makes sense for the burglar to even bother with the house itself. Investing in a good garage door defender can make a huge difference. If you have lots of stuff in your garage, you should talk to your local locksmith today about better garage security.
CCTV is becoming ever more important for home security. A smart door cam will capture anyone approaching your front door whether they ring the bell or not. And if you are out, you can talk to the delivery person and tell them exactly where to put your package. HD, wireless smart cameras upload directly to the cloud, meaning no one can break in and then steal your recording device. They might not stop the thief but a combination of visible deterrents and smaller hidden cameras will get an image the police can use to convict the intruder.
Smart products continue to be ever more popular, but security and smart locks in the UK are a minefield. While most smart locks on the market may be fine for standards in countries like the USA, here in the UK our insurance quite rightly insists on locking and security products having a British Standard (BS) 3621 rating to show it has been tested against all the main attacks burglars use. Most smart locks do not reach this level and therefore buying a smart device without professional guidance may actually be making your security worse. That being said, there are now some excellent products for owners of second homes or holiday lets with limited access control that allows you to control who can access your property and when without the need for multiple keys or requiring guests to meet someone before they can start enjoying their holidays. As this is a tax deductible cost, there is nothing to stop you making sure your guests/traders/cleaners, etc have Covid safe entry to your property. If your local locksmith is not up to date with ways to do this, please message me and I can guide you to some excellent products.
Even safes are now going smart, with biometric options and attractive slim wall mounted safes that can be positioned at a level where people can get to them easily without having to get down low every time you want something. Many burglaries are facilitated by keys being left in the vicinity of the front door where they can be fished through the letter box. Having a wall mounted digital safe holding keys and a few other essentials, will cut down your chances of being attacked.
Smart alarm systems are more than just alerts that your home has been attacked. They can be tailored to incorporate smoke alarms, CO2 detectors and panic buttons. If you have an elderly relative and they have a fall, pressing a button on a remote around their neck auto dials pre-stored numbers until one picks up. They can then talk to you through the system, allowing you to asses the seriousness of the problem and decide on what action to take.
Home security is about looking more secure than your neighbours. If the burglar can see you are a harder target, they will seek easier pickings elsewhere. The cylinder of a traditional nightlatch (often called a “Yale”) and the cylinder of most UPVC doors can be picked in seconds by someone who is skilled enough. These locks are like magnets to the potential intruder, because they know the other ways to bypass these locks as well. Swapping these locks for visibly different anti-pick locks show the potential burglar that you mean business with your home security.
These are the standard barrels:
Nightlatch:
UPVC door barrel (Euro cylinder):
And now the visibly different, better nightlatch barrel:
And kite marked Euro cylinder:
There are some kite marked products that still employ the old style keys, but you have to get up close to see these are kite marked. The locks using “dimple cut” keys and similar, are visibly different, meaning the burglar can often see from the road that you have better locks, making him less likely to even set foot on your property. And yes, your local locksmith will charge you more for products than you can find on line or even in some shops, but he only has a van and can only carry limited stock. But you can trust that he does not want to come back for a recall, so he will make sure he only fits quality products.
It may be you are looking for improved security for you or your family, you may want them to be able to keep their independence, while having the safety net of being able to call you direct for help if they have a fall? You may need limited access solutions? Or you like the idea of a slim profile wall safe? Perhaps it would be easier for the emergency services to be given a code to unlock your frail relative’s door if you are not able to be near? If you have any questions regarding the above information, please get in touch via any of the methods on my contacts page.
Right now, video door cameras are being advertised heavily across the radio; The Ring system from America is making big strides into the UK market, but there is a British brand that is just as good. The ERA door cam looks a lot like its American cousin, but is made here and links into the ERA complete security system giving you the top rated wireless smart system in the country. With cloud-based storage for free initially, it really is the way to go? What are the Door Cam advantages?
But what do you actually get from a door cam? Well, for a start, you can answer your door from anywhere in the world, so if you are on holiday in Spain, and a delivery arrives, you can talk to the delivery person and tell him/her where to leave your parcel. The door cam will also automatically record anyone who comes within the field of vision, meaning you have a log of everyone who approaches your door whether they ring the bell or not, night or day. This means you can look back through files to see if any suspicious people are scouting your property for a later burglary. There is nothing to stop you fitting one of these door cams to your back door as well. One of the summer scams is that a decoy person will ring your front doorbell and distract you with some sales ploy while their accomplice will be ready to dive in your open back door and steal whatever they find. Having a door cam on the back door destroys their chances of doing this. Even if they damage the camera, it will have filmed them approaching and sent the images straight to the cloud.
There is another hidden advantage to the door cam. Increasingly, they seem to capture people doing silly things and the footage finds its way onto the internet. So, if you want to be an internet sensation, you can always fall over in front of your door cam!
Door cams are promoted as easy to install, but it very rarely goes as easy as expected. They do not tell you that you will be required to do some electrical wiring when hooking the bell up to your existing built in doorbell. If you don’t already have a mains powered doorbell, there are extras you will need to buy. Having your local locksmith install the door cam takes all the potential hassle out of the equation and guarantees every bit. A good local locksmith will do a free survey and quotation for you. It might cost a bit more, but it is a much easier approach.
AC Locksmiths Norfolk is proud to be an ERA recognised installer able to answer any questions you may have on this British product.
If you have any questions regarding the above, please get in touch via any of the methods on my contacts page.
