As the landlord, you’re responsible for providing your tenants with a place to live, as well as safeguarding them from dangers, including burglary, unlawful entry, and other problems.
Strengthening general security should be one of your top responsibilities to protect the safety of both your tenants and your rental property.
Draper Realty has put together a few helpful tips to increase the security of your rental property.
Obtain an Insurance Cover
Despite their effectiveness, the security methods outlined here cannot totally guarantee the safety of your tenants' belongings.
Get home insurance coverage if you want the sense of relief knowing that the tenants who pay their rent each month are completely insured in the event of a break-in.
To safeguard your tenants' possessions and any harm to the rental property brought on by forced entry, try to select a plan that encompasses both property and contents insurance.
Boost Security at the Entrances of Your Rental Property
To increase security around your property, you should consider the following:
- To reduce the likelihood of burglars breaking in, rental residences need to have exit doors and access points built of sturdy, resilient materials like steel and wood.
- It is not recommended to use doors with fragile glass panels. The most popular alternative is doors made of stainless steel.
- With the help of a multi-point latching system, a glass leaf, and steel components, the door is more resistant to entrance and damage.
- For greater security, think about upgrading to a double-cylinder deadbolt. If a burglar is successful in breaking the door's glass pane in this instance, the double-deadbolt will stop them from reaching through and opening the door.
- For added security, you might advise your tenants to use door jammers while they're indoors.
- Ensure the keys are handed back in case of an eviction. You could also have the locks changed in case the tenant created a copy.
- It has been shown that installing chain locks on each unit's door might help tenants feel more secure.
- Peepholes must also be included so they can see who is at their door.
- Another effective solution to these problems is steel guttering.
Verify That the Windows in Your Rental House Are Secure
No matter how thoroughly you secure your home's doors, if you don't give each window enough security, the residents will still be at risk. It’s strongly advised that all windows, regardless of the floor they’re on, have functional locks.
In rental houses, security barriers are routinely erected to enhance occupant protection, particularly on lower levels.
Increase the Amount of Light That Enters the Building
The chance of theft or other criminal activities can be significantly decreased by adopting lighting solutions, such as strategically placed motion-detecting lights.
Add a few motion-activated flood lights to key locations like parking lots, garage doors, and entrances to enhance your visual outdoor lighting options.
Don't forget to provide sufficient lighting for both the inside and outside of your rental property. To provide your inhabitants with a sense of security at all times, ensure that all of the passageways, lobbies, and corridors are well-lit.
Some lights run on solar power, so you won't need to employ an electrician to wire them to the building's switchboard and they continue to function even in the event of a power outage.
Post Emergency Information Inside Tenants’ Apartments as Well as in Common Spaces
All tenants are required to know the proper emergency numbers and have quick access to them in the event of an emergency. You should give your tenants access to crucial emergency numbers, such as:
- The telephone number of the neighborhood police station
- The company in charge of handling or maintaining property security
- Your phone number in case of an emergency
The best places to post these numbers are on the inside of apartment doors and in public areas.
Maintain Routine Upkeep and Repairs
Keeping up with routine maintenance and repairs is one of the best ways to protect your home investment. This means fixing any issues right away rather than letting them escalate and develop into much more serious issues.
What’s more, routine maintenance can help you identify any issues before they have a chance to cause damage. It can also allow you to deal with any damages caused by tenants beyond normal wear and tear.
You should be keeping up with routine home inspections too. These will help you track the overall state of your property and identify any problems that require resolution.
Conduct Careful Tenant Screening Before Leasing
In addition to crimes committed in rental residences by outsiders with malicious motives, tenants can also be prime suspects. As a result, it’s advised that landlords fully evaluate each possible renter before finalizing a leasing arrangement.
You can reduce the likelihood that your tenants will commit crimes like drug dealing, assaults, or stealing from you by carefully screening them.
By learning about a tenant's history, you can assess the risks involved in renting to them.
Always keep in mind that it is your duty as a landlord to ensure safe and comfortable living circumstances for any other tenants who may reside in other units on your rental property. As a result, properly screen each applicant prior to leasing.
Closing Thoughts
Although you have a lot of duties as a landlord, the security and safety of your tenants should always come first. Effective property protection will greatly improve your renters' overall experience while simultaneously protecting your investment.
As a busy landlord, it might be tough to keep a close eye on your rental home and tenants. A property manager visiting your rental during business hours may deter potential criminals who may be watching the premises.
In addition to screening possible tenants, maintenance of the property, rent collection, and handling all the other time-consuming activities involved in renting out a residential property, property managers also play a number of other important functions.
Did you recently purchase a rental property in Norman, Moore, or Noble, Oklahoma? Or perhaps you're just looking for a full-service property management company that will assist you in managing your rental properties and increasing your return on investment.
If so, get in touch with Draper Realty today!