Accommodation security

Whether you live in halls of residence or private, rented or shared accommodation, you can create some good habits to keep your home and belongings safe.

Accommodation safety

When in halls of residence, or within the University, do not allow people to follow you into secured areas.
If you see anyone suspicious call the Police or Security. Better to be safe than sorry.
Keep your valuables out of sight and secure; remove the temptation to steal from you.
Remember: never leave your room unlocked when leaving your accommodation.
During warmer periods, do not leave windows open when your accommodation is unattended - burglars do climb.
Ensure side gates and outbuildings are secured with adequate locks.
When your lights are on, close the curtains. Looking from a dark exterior into a light interior is like a shop window for burglars. They can see who is in and what items are on offer.
Don't leave climbing aids such as ladders or wheelie bins where a criminal could then use them to get into your property.
Do not leave your keys or valuables near doors or windows. Thieves use rods through letter boxes or reach through windows to steal items without having to break in.

Leaving your home checklist

Whenever you go out, it’s important to leave your home secure. Getting into an ‘exit routine’ can help ensure that you don’t forget obvious, but important things, like not leaving your valuables near windows, or leaving lights on if it will be dark before you get home. Here’s our quick reminder on what to do just before you go out.

Become a creature of habit

Get into the habit of following your own course of action when you lock up your home. This will ensure that you don’t forget anything.

Before you go out, don't forget:

to close and lock all your doors and windows, even if you’re only going out for a few minutes,
to double-lock any door,
to make sure that any valuables are out of sight,
to keep handbags away from the letterbox or cat flap and all keys including car keys, as a thief could hook keys or valuables through even a small opening,
never leave car documents or ID in obvious places such as kitchens or hallways,
in the evening, shut the curtains and leave lights on,
to set your burglar alarm,
to make sure the side gate, shed or garage are locked,
to lock your bike inside a secure shed or garage, to a robust fitting bolted to the ground or wall, like a ground anchor.

If you’re going to be out all day, we receoomend you use a timer device to automatically turn lights and a radio on at night.

Holiday checklist

Going away?

Here are five tips to help you keep your home and belongings stay safe while you’re away:

If you’re off on holiday and want to post anything on social media, make sure your posts aren’t public and that they can only seen by your friends.
Leave lights and a radio on a timer to make the property appear occupied.
Ask a trusted neighbour to keep an eye on your property, or join a Neighbourhood or resident Watch Scheme.
Consider asking your neighbours to close curtains after dark and to park on your drive.
Remember to cancel newspaper and milk deliveries.