In addition to providing lodging for your tenants, rental property should also serve to keep them and their possessions, safe and secure. That makes it necessary for you as a property manager or owner to ensure that adequate security is in place, to prevent against break-ins or criminal activity which might cause damage to the people inside or the property itself. This is of course, a big benefit to the tenants, but it also serves as a huge benefit for you, because your property will acquire the reputation of being safe and secure, which will make it more desirable.
Keep primary entrances secure
Your first line of defense against break-ins should be to have all primary entrances secure against the possibility. One of the most effective ways of doing this is to have double-cylinder deadbolts installed on all entrances, especially if they happen to be near a window. With double-cylinder deadbolts installed, it will be impossible for criminals to reach a hand through a window to open the door. Doors can also be made more secure if they are constructed of metal or solid wood. Doors which have embedded windows, or those which are made of hollow wood, are relatively easy to break, so these should be avoided.
Be mindful of window security
Although most windows have locks which prevent them from being breached from the exterior, it’s still fairly easy for a thief to break the window and unlock it. However, if your windows don’t have locks installed on them already, it’s still worth your while to go ahead and have the locks put in. When a would-be burglar sees that all the windows are locked, it means he would have to risk generating some noise by breaking the window, to gain entrance. If your budget allows for it, you can also install window sensors that will sound an alarm whenever the window is being interfered with.
Engage a property manager
As a property owner, you may not have time to commit as much effort as you should to the security of your rental property, or you may not even live close to it. It’s also possible that as an owner, you have several properties, and there’s no way you can adequately service all of them. By hiring a property manager for each location you own, you can ensure that all tenants at all locations are kept secure, as well as the facilities themselves. There are of course, some other benefits to hiring a property manager apart from the security aspect, and all those benefits make it even more appealing.
Install outside lighting
One of the best ways to deter criminal activity at your premises is to install exterior lighting. Criminals have no desire to carry out their activities when a property is fully illuminated, and their actions can easily be seen by witnesses. Break-ins and burglaries require darkness for the most part, and if your rental property is well lit during the nighttime hours, it will go a long way toward discouraging criminal activity.
Install a security system
It might be somewhat expensive to install a full-blown security system at your rental property, but the benefits you derive from that system will make it totally cost-effective. There is a very wide variety of security systems available, so there will certainly be one which fits your circumstances and your budget, while still providing adequate security for tenants and property.
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