Sadly, with home security ever more needed nowadays with rising crime (especially due to the recession and increase in drug related crimes), it is always worth while being on your guard, whether you are popping to the shops for an hour, or jetting off somewhere for a week or more.
You might want to consider if some or all of the personal and home security suggestions below would help make you and/or your property/family more secure. For example, don’t put your home address on any of your luggage labels, so that this rather obvious “we are out of town” message does not get to anyone.
If you have any particularly valuble items, make a list of them, and ensure they are listed on your home contents insurance, plus obviously when going out/away put them in a safe place. Plus it is always prudent to ensure that both your buildings insurance and contents insurance are up to date.
Make sure your house, vehicles, garage and/or shed are securely locked (to make sure your ladder and tools are safely tucked away out of sight, and not an aid to any would be thieves). Consider cutting your lawn just before you go away, so your home looks lived in, as well as cancel any daily deliveries like the milk and newspapers, so that no tell tale signs of you being away are left out for all to see. Obviously it is a risk in effect telling any “supplier” that you will be away by cancelling deliveries, so you need to weigh up which risk is greater (also the financial savings on goods you will not use!). Ideally, get a trusted neighbour or friend to put any mail out of sight each day.
You can make sure your property looks lived in by setting up automatic timer-switches at different times in different rooms, so that lights/TV come on and go off when they should. Don’t close all your curtains, as leaving your curtains closed in the daytime is a signal that the property is unoccupied.
Don’t put your name and address on your spare keys if you lend them to a neighbour or friend (in case they accidently lose them or they get stolen). Avoid leaving valuables in plain sight, such as Laptops, DVD’s, Ipods, Mobiles and TV’s etc. Tell the absolute minimum of people you can that a) you are going away, and b) the actual dates when you will be away.
If you are leaving a vehicle at your premises (which is a good thing to do as it looks from a fleeting glance you are in) make sure you hide your car keys if you leave them behind. Finally, just before you set off on holiday check all your external doors and windows are all locked and that if you have one, the burglar alarm is activated, and a neighbour has access to turn it off in case it is accidently set off.
CATAGORY|Home Security
Anyhow I thought nothing more of it till I got a call one very chilly Winter’s afternoon in the early part of 2009 from Martyn saying he was standing outside his house with his aging Mother-in-Law in the freezing cold unable to get in through his front door. Martyn rang me. as obviously a) he knows me well and b) I had recommended Hazlemere Windows to him!
I immediately got hold of Michael Tuppenney Hazlemere Windows Service Manager and explained the situation. He in turn contacted one Hazlemere’s dedicated expert service engineers Andy Gowing, who was out in his van, fortunately for all concerned still in the High Wycombe area. My first thought was that Martyn or his wife Amanda had left a yale key on the inside of the door, as this prevents anyone then being able to use a key (even if the right one) on the outside lock. Martyn was confident there was no key in the door as he had one and his wife had the other who was out.
Within less than half an hour of Martyn phoning me, Andy had not only arrived at Martyn’s home in Holmer Green, near High Wycombe, Bucks, but also been able to gain access without damaging the door in any way, enabling Martyn’s Mother-in-Law to warm up with a much needed cup of tea! It turns out that the spindle had broken in the lock, which Hazlemere Windows experienced service engineer Andy, replaced at no cost to Martyn whatsoever, as Hazlemere do not charge their windows, doors or conservatory customers any call out or replacement part costs whether the product or installation is defective for the first ten years. This comprehensive 10 year guarantee is something Hazlemere is very proud of its record on, as have their own dedicated highly skilled service engineers that assist not only Hazlemere Windows customers, but anyone who has need of double glazing repair or replacement, such as ”blown” sealed units, broken window and door locks, spindles and handles etc.
Martyn was so pleased with the service he received from Hazlemere’s Service Department he sent the following email to me and everyone at Hazlemere Windows:
“I would like to thank you and your staff at Hazelmere Windows.
I arrived home with my Mother-in-Law to find we could not get in our front door that Hazlemere Windows had fitted 6 months earlier. I called their service department, and within half-an-hour one of Hazlemere’s dedicated service engineers, had arrived and let us into our house and rectified the problem. We were extremely grateful as it was a cold wintery day, which meant we appreciated the emergency call out, and being able to get into the warm so quickly. The work was all done under guarantee, so we had nothing to pay.
I have found in the past that sometimes companies are keen to sell you something, but when it comes to after service they fail to deliver. This is not the case with Hazlemere Windows, Thank You! I would have no hesitation in recommending Hazlemere Windows to anyone considering replacement windows and doors.” Martyn Woodley, Holmer Green, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire.
CATAGORY|Home Security, Windows & Doors
There really are some idiots around. Who in their right mind would shoot at windows, behind which sleeps a five month old child? Well according the the Guernsey Press webite, John Loveridge’s bunaglow in St.Martin’s has been the target of vandals with an air or BB gun.
Whilst double glazing is obviously not bullet proof, it has proved a blessing on the two mindless attacks so far, as Mr Loveridge comments “It is a good job that we have double-glazing because if we did not, the whole window would have shattered, which could have seriously injured my daughter or grandchild.”
Lets hope the States of Guernsey Police catch the misguided thrill seekers before they severely injure or kill someone.
CATAGORY|Home Security
