subject: Considering Home Safety While Living In An Apartment [print this page] Even though it is known as "home security," it is not just for individuals with houses. Home is where the heart is and where you and your family reside. Living in rentals should be just as worried about their security as homeowners are. Apartment renters can invest in home security systems and they are just as effective in preventing crime. Rentals are usually communities that are connected even more than houses. With apartments people often live just a wall apart, whether they are side by side or live above or below their neighbor.
Since apartments are so tightly knit, you must take your neighbors safety into consideration even more. It is never a good idea to let strangers into your apartment complex or to let anyone that you do not recognize in if they say they lost their key. Direct them to the manager. Those are some of the most common ways that criminals gain access to apartment complexes. It is also never a good idea to leave gates or doors propped open.
Because apartments are so close in proximity, there is more of a chance that a person will hear a commotion if their neighbor's apartment has been invaded. Burglars think about this ahead of time and tend to carry weapons even more often in apartment invasions. They usually threaten to use violence if the individual makes noise. Apartment burglars also unfortunately tend to have different motivations for committing an apartment invasion. The type of crimes they carry out tend to be more violent as they are often not looking to just steal goods. This is another reason why it is so important to invest in a home security system.
When choosing an apartment there are a few things you should consider that regard your safety. It is a good idea to really learn the property. Does it have a gated entrance and gated parking lot? Do you notice any broken door locks? Take a good look at the garage areas, driveways, laundry room, mail room, and so on. You want to beware of areas in the complex that could potentially be a hiding place for home invaders. Also, make sure that these types of areas are well lit 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
When considering an apartment you should also make sure that any private entrance doors are well secured. They should have locks and if their is a hallway it should be well lit. The actual apartment's doors should also be well secured with a dead bolt lock and handle lock. It is also a must to have the locks changed immediately when you move in. This lessens the chance that anyone else other than your landlord will have a key to your apartment. If there is a fire escape it should not be accessible to anyone on the ground. And before ever signing a lease make sure that the maintenance crew and the landlord are good about quickly attending to any concerns or fixes you need in your home.
