Feeling safe when you’re renting is essential for your well-being. Creating a safe space can help you feel comfortable in your apartment and confident your property is secure when you go out. These simple safety tips can help you reduce risks when you’re renting.
Lock your doors and windows
Security experts say most intruders access properties through doors and windows. Locking these entry points is one of the most effective ways to deter criminals, as most will simply look for an easy target. Get into the habit of locking up whenever you leave your apartment, even if you’re just taking out the trash or grabbing a coffee. Intruders get to know your habits and may take advantage of these times when you’re out. Keeping your apartment locked when you’re home can also prevent break-ins during the night.
Property managers are legally responsible for protecting their renters’ safety. Yours may need to provide and maintain door and window locks, although laws vary from state to state.
Ensure you have working smoke and gas detectors
In most states, property owners are also responsible for installing working smoke detectors. A smoke detector can alert you to any small fires the moment there’s smoke so you can spring into action and prevent major damage. Some property owners also install carbon monoxide detectors, which do a similar job if there’s a dangerous gas leak.
You’re responsible for ensuring these detectors are working. Check yours regularly and change their batteries as required. Resist the urge to disconnect any detectors, even if the alarm sometimes goes off when you’re making dinner. A disconnected detector doesn’t just make your apartment unsafe — you might face charges if there is a fire or gas leak when your detector’s out of action.
Use surge protectors
Surge protectors can prevent damage caused by electrical surges. While these spikes in voltage are usually brief, they can short out your appliances and even spark fires. They can occur during electrical storms or when you turn high-powered devices on or off. Faulty wiring can also cause a power surge. Standard surge protectors or power strips with built-in surge protection divert the extra voltage from your appliances to keep them and your apartment safe. Surge protectors are ideal for protecting places where you have several appliances plugged in, such as home offices and living rooms.
Install security cameras and alarms
Security cameras and alarms can be your eyes and ears, watching over your apartment when you’re not home. Installing a security camera outside your apartment door is ideal, as intruders may avoid entering your apartment if they know someone’s watching them. You’ll need your property manager’s approval for this type of camera as it can impact the privacy of people using common areas. Most also need fixing to the property, so installing one without approval could impact your security deposit. You may also need to add signage indicating the camera’s rolling to adhere to local laws.
If you can’t get permission for an external camera, don’t give up hope. You can still set up a camera inside your apartment to monitor any activity. Many free-standing wireless camera devices don’t need to be hard-wired to the property. Some have alarms that sound when they detect motion when you’re away.
Be friendly with your neighbors
Neighbors can also monitor your apartment when you’re away, so it’s a great idea to get yours onside. Introduce yourself to your neighbors when you move in, and let them know you’re new to the building. Arriving on their doorstep with baked goods or a bottle of wine always makes a good first impression. Say hello to people in the elevator, and attend any mixer events in your complex. Trade numbers with your nearest neighbors so you can alert each other to any problems you’ve noticed, and let them know if you’ll be away from town.
Get to know the building
Familiarizing yourself with your new apartment building is just as important as getting to know the neighbors. Knowing the complex helps you act quickly if you detect a threat. Make sure you know where the exits and fire escapes are and how you’d access them. Hopefully, you’ll never need to use them, but having a clear plan for evacuating the building can help you stay safe if you see a fire or intruder, for example.
Draw the blinds or curtains
Drawing the blinds or curtains keeps your valuables away from prying eyes. You don’t want to advertise to passersby that you’ve got a big-screen TV or the latest gaming console sitting unattended. It’s a good idea to cover your windows when you leave your apartment and at night, when bright interior lighting draws attention to your apartment’s contents. Blinds can also provide an extra layer of protection as it’s challenging to move through these window coverings.
Store valuables away
A safe can keep your valuables out of sight and out of reach. Many commercial safes are waterproof and fireproof, so they can also protect items such as passports and important documents from damage. Safes that bolt to the floor or wall are the most secure, but you’ll need to ask your property owner before installing one. Otherwise, a simple freestanding safe with a key or combination code may be the next best thing.
If your budget doesn’t stretch that far, you could try a few unorthodox solutions to keep valuable items, such as jewelry and money, safe. Finding creative hiding spaces is much more effective than choosing common spots, such as inside pot plants and under door mats. For example, try placing valuables inside the following:
- Old boxes or packets in your pantry or shaving cabinet
- Hollowed-out old books
- A bag hidden inside an old vacuum cleaner’s bag or chamber
- The zippered pockets of clothes you rarely wear
- Pillowcases with zippered seams
- A waterproof container hidden inside a fish tank
- A waterproof bag taped to the bottom of a toilet cistern cover
Use timers
An apartment without activity is an easy target. However, simply leaving the lights and appliances on when you’re away can be a greater security risk. Typically, people turn their lights and TV on when they enter a room and switch them off when they leave. If everything remains on, it’s clear to intruders that no one is home. That’s where timers come in. These handy items, which plug into electrical outlets, turn lights and electrical appliances on and off at set intervals. They’re ideal for making your apartment more secure while you’re on vacation or working odd hours.
Stay in well-lit areas
When you’re outside your apartment, staying in well-lit areas can help you stay safe. People are less likely to commit crimes in these areas as passersby are more likely to see and identify them if they do. Park your car in a well-lit area, or choose a well-lit path home from the station or bus stop. If you’re concerned that parts of your apartment building aren’t well lit, encourage your property manager to add more lights for increased security.
Have your keys ready
Searching for keys at the bottom of a bag leaves you vulnerable. It’s much safer to have your keys ready when you approach your door so you can efficiently let yourself in. Make a habit of retrieving your keys from your bag while on public transport, on the elevator, or inside your locked car. Keeping your keys in a zippered pocket can help you locate them more quickly.
Adopt a dog
If your apartment allows pets, a dog can offer security along with companionship. Large dogs are more threatening to intruders, but some apartment complexes have size restrictions. If you can only get a small dog, don’t stress. Research shows their barks can also deter criminals. They can alert neighbors to threats and even scare away offenders unsure of what awaits them behind your door. If someone breaks in while you’re in your apartment, a dog of any size will do its best to protect you.
Get renter’s insurance
Renter’s insurance might not make your apartment safer, but it can safeguard your finances if the worst occurs. The policy will cover replacing stolen items after a burglary at your apartment. You’ll also receive compensation for items damaged in storms, fires, and water mishaps, although most policies don’t cover floods. Most policies also cover claims if your dog bites someone or a friend slips and hurts themselves in the apartment. Some properties require renters to take out these policies. Even if it’s not compulsory, it can provide great peace of mind.
No matter your apartment or neighborhood, there are always ways to beef up your protection against different threats. You don’t even need to spend a lot of money or install any equipment that might void your security deposit. Applying these apartment safety tips can help you breathe easily, knowing you’re doing all you can to keep yourself and your property safe.
Use these safety tips once you’ve found your perfect apartment. Haven’t found “the one” yet? Search apartments for rent on Zumper and cross it off your to-do list.
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