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Ensuring your home's safety
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Survey reports how Australian’s are leaving their homes unprotected
A recent survey conducted by Budget Direct Home Insurance asked 1,000 Australians about their attitudes and behaviours regarding home security. The findings revealed that as a nation, Aussies can be a little lax when it comes to ensuring their home’s security on the street. Only one in three respondents said that they had installed home security in their house but with a 3% increase in home theft since 2016, it’s more important than ever to ensure that your home is guarded from a thief walking in off the street.
Living in a gated community is one step you can take towards improving your security. Lifestyle Communities® offer gated communities and have Community Managers that live on-site, providing added security and peace of mind whether you are at home or away travelling. Living within a secure community environment, homeowners know and recognise one another so there is an added level of security that comes with recognising who and who doesn’t live in the community.
It’s always good to keep security in mind and not become complacent (even if you live in a secure community) so we have outlined some practical safety tips to help improve your security.
Tip #1 Leave spare keys with a trusted neighbour
One of the easiest ways for a burglar to enter your house from the street is to use a spare key left lying around. Unless your key is hidden in a secure location, the usual hiding spots such as underneath the doormat, a pot plant or on the windowsill are no longer a secure option. With 35% of Australians leaving a spare key outside of their homes in case of emergencies, it might be time to consider other options, such as leaving your key with a trusted neighbour.
Tip #2 Opt for a signed delivery option for home deliveries
One of the most common types of theft that can occur in Australia is parcel theft. Anyone walking along a residential street is capable of snatching packages right off doormats—no breaking and entering required. 58% of participants surveyed said that they often allowed couriers to leave online purchases and deliveries at their front door while they were at work or away from home. To prevent your packages from being stolen, choose the signed delivery option and collect your delivery from your local Post Office or alternatively, find a trusted friend or neighbour who can accept the package for you. If you’re living in a secure community like those offered by Lifestyle Communities®, the on-site manager can sign for your packages and you can collect them at your convenience, confident in the knowledge that they are being securely held for you in the meantime.
Tip #3 Familiarise yourself with deterrents
Understanding what makes a burglar select their targets can help to keep your home safer. While we may want to do everything in our power to persuade thieves our homes are not suitable targets, we need to be careful that we aren’t underestimating their level of expertise. 47% of Australians believe that a guard dog sign would be enough to deter a burglar from attempting a break-in. However studies have shown that unless burglars can see a more tangible indication that a dog lives on the property, a simple sign would not be enough to put them off. Burglars want to enter your property as quickly and quietly as possible and a barking dog is sure to disrupt these plans. To give credence to the sign’s claims why not leave a dog bowl in clear view of your side gate or a dog toy?
Fake cameras are another method some Australians employ to deter burglars. 36% of Australians believe that a fake security camera is an effective tactic to protect their homes. The bad news is that most professional criminals are familiar with the popular ‘dummy’ units sold and won’t be dissuaded by them. For those that can’t afford the more expensive home monitoring system, smaller DIY sets can be installed and activated by motion sensors placed outside your home.
Tip #4 Consider contents insurance as a financial safety net
One of the best ways to protect your assets is to own contents insurance and to ensure that you have the right level of cover. 69% of survey respondents said that they had contents insurance to protect them in the event of a robbery. This demonstrates that the majority of Australians are happy to insure their home and contents in the event of a home burglary. Ensuring you have a safety net in case things go wrong can help you recover more quickly and lighten the burden of replacing your stolen or damaged items.
An additional benefit of living within a gated community is that your contents insurance premiums may be lower in environments with added security measures like that of Lifestyle Communities®.
No one likes to think about what could happen in the event of a home burglary but by following the simple steps outlined above, you can feel safe in the knowledge that you are reducing the likelihood of your home being targeted.
Sources:
https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi489
https://www.budgetdirect.com.au/interactives/australian-home-burglary-and-security-statistics/
https://www.shorr.com/packaging-news/2017-05/2017-package-theft-report-porch-pirates-purchase-habits-and-privacy
A recent survey conducted by Budget Direct Home Insurance asked 1,000 Australians about their attitudes and behaviours regarding home security. The findings revealed that as a nation, Aussies can be a little lax when it comes to ensuring their home’s security on the street. Only one in three respondents said that they had installed home security in their house but with a 3% increase in home theft since 2016, it’s more important than ever to ensure that your home is guarded from a thief walking in off the street.
Living in a gated community is one step you can take towards improving your security. Lifestyle Communities® offer gated communities and have Community Managers that live on-site, providing added security and peace of mind whether you are at home or away travelling. Living within a secure community environment, homeowners know and recognise one another so there is an added level of security that comes with recognising who and who doesn’t live in the community.
It’s always good to keep security in mind and not become complacent (even if you live in a secure community) so we have outlined some practical safety tips to help improve your security.
Tip #1 Leave spare keys with a trusted neighbour
One of the easiest ways for a burglar to enter your house from the street is to use a spare key left lying around. Unless your key is hidden in a secure location, the usual hiding spots such as underneath the doormat, a pot plant or on the windowsill are no longer a secure option. With 35% of Australians leaving a spare key outside of their homes in case of emergencies, it might be time to consider other options, such as leaving your key with a trusted neighbour.
Tip #2 Opt for a signed delivery option for home deliveries
One of the most common types of theft that can occur in Australia is parcel theft. Anyone walking along a residential street is capable of snatching packages right off doormats—no breaking and entering required. 58% of participants surveyed said that they often allowed couriers to leave online purchases and deliveries at their front door while they were at work or away from home. To prevent your packages from being stolen, choose the signed delivery option and collect your delivery from your local Post Office or alternatively, find a trusted friend or neighbour who can accept the package for you. If you’re living in a secure community like those offered by Lifestyle Communities®, the on-site manager can sign for your packages and you can collect them at your convenience, confident in the knowledge that they are being securely held for you in the meantime.
Tip #3 Familiarise yourself with deterrents
Understanding what makes a burglar select their targets can help to keep your home safer. While we may want to do everything in our power to persuade thieves our homes are not suitable targets, we need to be careful that we aren’t underestimating their level of expertise. 47% of Australians believe that a guard dog sign would be enough to deter a burglar from attempting a break-in. However studies have shown that unless burglars can see a more tangible indication that a dog lives on the property, a simple sign would not be enough to put them off. Burglars want to enter your property as quickly and quietly as possible and a barking dog is sure to disrupt these plans. To give credence to the sign’s claims why not leave a dog bowl in clear view of your side gate or a dog toy?
Fake cameras are another method some Australians employ to deter burglars. 36% of Australians believe that a fake security camera is an effective tactic to protect their homes. The bad news is that most professional criminals are familiar with the popular ‘dummy’ units sold and won’t be dissuaded by them. For those that can’t afford the more expensive home monitoring system, smaller DIY sets can be installed and activated by motion sensors placed outside your home.
Tip #4 Consider contents insurance as a financial safety net
One of the best ways to protect your assets is to own contents insurance and to ensure that you have the right level of cover. 69% of survey respondents said that they had contents insurance to protect them in the event of a robbery. This demonstrates that the majority of Australians are happy to insure their home and contents in the event of a home burglary. Ensuring you have a safety net in case things go wrong can help you recover more quickly and lighten the burden of replacing your stolen or damaged items.
An additional benefit of living within a gated community is that your contents insurance premiums may be lower in environments with added security measures like that of Lifestyle Communities®.
No one likes to think about what could happen in the event of a home burglary but by following the simple steps outlined above, you can feel safe in the knowledge that you are reducing the likelihood of your home being targeted.
Sources:
https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi489
https://www.budgetdirect.com.au/interactives/australian-home-burglary-and-security-statistics/
https://www.shorr.com/packaging-news/2017-05/2017-package-theft-report-porch-pirates-purchase-habits-and-privacy
