Moving Home Hassle Free

How to move home securely

Moving home is said to be one of the most stressful times of our lives. Issues with paperwork, solicitors’ appointments, estate agents and then the worry of the sale potentially falling through are some of the factors that add to the stress of the ordeal. After possibly one of your most expensive purchases, comes the much anticipated move involving more exercise than you’ve probably done all year. Once all is over and you’ve finally settled into your new home, comes a vital part that many people either forget or disregard... the importance of having the locks changed on your new property.

If you think of your current house key and how many people you know that have a spare, it becomes slightly worrying when you realise you have no idea how many people could have a key to your new home. Changing the locks when you move home should be a basic security precaution for every home owner, but this is still something many people forget or possibly never do. As well as leaving your home and its contents potentially unsecure, many insurance companies will not pay out if an intruder gains entry using a key, as there generally needs to be clear signs of breaking and entering.

When moving home and changing the locks there are a few things you should consider. You should check with your insurance company prior to the change to make sure they don’t have any minimum requirements. Many insurance companies will require you to have a tried and tested British standard lock fitted to your door and your locks changed can be fairly expensive making this an important requirement to double check, prior to a locksmith attending your property. When getting your locks changed/upgraded, it may also be worth investing in a key safe. Key safes are a fantastic way of storing spare keys; meaning you won’t run the risk of being locked out. You also have the security of knowing that the key is safe, especially since nearly 20% of people still hide their spare keys in an area of their garden in places many intruders will know to look.  If you are interested in buying a key safe, take a look at www.keytekshop.co.uk.

Whilst the locksmith is changing the locks, it’s a good idea to have a security check completed on your home at this point. Potential intruders could enter the property through a window so if you’re missing any window keys or the locks are looking a little old, it’s a good idea to have these checked also. These simple tips and considerations can help you enjoy your new home with no worries or shocks in or out of the house. If you would like to read any more information on home security and locksmith services, our website has lots of useful information! 

You can visit our website by going to www.keytek.co.uk. Or if after reading this blog you need your locks changing, call us now on 0800 035 0451! 

Did you change the locks after you moved home?

Surprisingly many of us fail to change the locks after moving home and are subsequently unaware of the fact we are potentially leaving our new home vulnerable to a break-in by anyone who may have obtained a house key during the previous ownership.

In 2013 we carried out a survey and found that 74% of homeowners in Britain didn’t call a local locksmith to change the locks when they moved into a new property. All participants in the study were asked whether they had changed the locks to their new home within a fortnight of moving in. The study found that people located in the south of the UK were more security conscious than those living in the North and Scotland, 35% of Southerners said they did get their locks changed, compared to just 20% of people located in the North of England and Scotland.

The majority of insurance companies will encourage you to change the locks on your new home as a basic home security measure as many policies will not pay out if an intruder lets themselves in with a key, usually a policy will specify there must be clear signs that a break-in has occurred. Therefore by not getting your locks changed after moving home you could run the risk of invalidating your home insurance policy.

Changing your locks after you have moved house is easy!

Simply call a local locksmith on 0800 035 0451 and pre-book a locksmith to change the locks on your new home.

Moving home?

We all know that moving home can be a very stressful time for anyone.  Research has recently shown that the most stressful experience in modern life is buying or selling a property, this means that the majority of Britons are highly stressed from buying or selling a property before they have even moved.   

With so much to organise and remember after the initial stress of buying or selling it is easy for the important jobs such as changing your locks to get overlooked and forgotten.

Last year a survey conducted by Keytek™ revealed that 74% of Britons did not change their locks after moving home, potentially leaving them vulnerable to break-ins by someone who obtained a key during the previous ownership. 

Those who participated in the survey were asked whether they had changed the locks within a fortnight of moving in to their current home...

The survey revealed that people in the South were the most security-conscious; 35% of Southerners said they did get their locks changed, compared to just 20% of people in the North of England and Scotland.

The age group most likely to get their locks changed were those aged 35-54, while the over 55s were found to be least likely to do so.

Changing the locks on a new home is a basic security measure that has long been recommended by leading insurance companies. It is important to change your locks when you have moved house as the majority of home insurance policies state that they won’t pay out if an intruder lets themselves in with a key. For a claim to be valid there must be clear signs of breaking and entering. 

Tips for changing your locks after moving house

• Book a locksmith for the day you are moving by calling 0800 035 0451.

• Get the locks changed on all external doors. In 3 out of 10 burglaries access was gained by a burglar through an open door or window.

• Have British Standard locks fitted to your doors to meet your home insurance requirements. The majority of home insurance providers will require your locks to be British Standard. Failure to meet these requirements could risk invalidating any claims you make if the worse did happen.   

• Check the locks are working on all accessible ground floor windows and make sure that key-operated locks are fitted to meet home insurance requirements; this applies to skylights and roof lights also.  

Three quarters of Britons do not change their locks after moving house

A survey conducted by Keytek™ has revealed that 74% of homeowners do not call a locksmith to change the locks when they move into a new property, potentially leaving them vulnerable to break-ins by someone who obtained a key during the previous ownership.

Participants in the study were asked if they had the locks changed within a fortnight of moving in to their current home. This basic security measure is recommended by leading home insurance providers, as most insurance claims are valid only if there are clear signs of breaking and entering, so the insurer will not pay out if the intruder was able to let themselves in with a key. (source: Churchill - http://www.churchill.com/home-insurance/tips/moving-house.htm).
The number of recorded burglaries has been gradually falling year on year for the last decade (source: ONS - http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-300972), but there are worries that this positive trend can only be sustained if homeowners remain vigilant and don’t take unnecessary risks with their home security. British Crime Survey stats show that people who have been living in their home for less than a year are twice as likely to be burgled as the average (source: The Crime Prevention Website - http://thecrimepreventionwebsite.com/home-security-assessment/680/moving-home-and-security/).
Regional and Demographic Results

The participants were from right across the UK, with people in the South found to be the most security-conscious. The results showed that 35% of Southerners said they did get their locks changed, compared to just 20% of people in the North and Scotland.

The age group most likely to get their locks changed was those aged between 35-54, while the over 55s were found to be least likely to do so.
For more information please visit www.keytek.co.uk