Students urged to consider and review their security

As students start university and landlords begin another year of letting properties to students, Legal & General outlines some easy to follow security tips for students to ensure their personal safety.

For example, a quick check to see whether there are secure locks on their windows and doors.

The Home Office British Crime Survey in July this year states that households where there are no security measures, 22.5%, were almost ten times more likely to have been burgled than those where some security measures were implemented, such as window locks, 2.5%.

This is particularly important for students as the Home Office survey also revealed that homes occupied by full-time students are more than two and a half times more likely to be burgled than the average home. 6.4% of students experienced at least one domestic burglary in the previous year compared with the national average of 2.5%.

The following top ten security tips should act as a helpful reminder to students in new digs:

Ensure that all accessible external doors and windows are fitted with locks and the keys removed and hidden from view.

Check with the landlord that previous tenants no longer have any keys.

If in shared accommodation check the room door can be locked.

Join your local Neighbourhood Watch scheme and meet the neighbours.

Arrange for a friend to visit the property regularly if you are away to remove any mail and put it in a safe place. Don’t forget to provide them with a contact number.

Check outside lighting does work and leave lights on in the house during darkness using a suitable timing device.

Remove any valuables from show and put in a safe place, hidden from view.

Whenever you leave your home always lock all doors, even if it’s only for a couple of minutes.

If the property has a garden, check access is secure.

Finally, ensure you have the household insurance policy details and a contact number handy in case a claim has to be made.

Andy Dellbridge, Head of Planning and Insight, for Legal & General’s general insurance business said: “The Home Office survey would indicate that if students follow the easy home security checks we have outlined they can greatly reduce the likelihood of being burgled. As well as ensuring that their home is secure, it is worth checking what insurance cover is in place and that it is at an adequate level to cover items, such as computers or TV’s, which are often classed as high risk.

“We would recommend that any students, particularly those going to university for the first time, carry out these checks to reduce the risk of them being a victim of robbery or theft. As a warning their insurance cover is unlikely to be valid if a window or door is found to have been left open so they should always ensure they lock their doors and windows.”

Legal & General’s household insurance automatically includes cover for student’s belongings of up to 15% of the house contents cover under the parent’s household policy, as standard. The personal belongings for a family member will be insured in any building where the policyholder or family reside while in full time education, provided the property is not empty for more than 40 days. However, theft claims are only accepted where there has been force used to gain entry so students in shared accommodation need to make sure that the door to their room is locked.

For details of Legal & General’s home insurance, visit legalandgeneral.com.