Ten Security Tips

These security tips are a reminder of the steps that you can take to help you feel more safe and secure in your park home.

In the unfortunate event that your park home is broken in to, having good quality park home insurance cover gives you the peace of mind that you’ll be able to make a claim and that you’ll get the help you need throughout the claims process, to recoup your losses. However, it is much better to be able to deter thieves and avoid such an occurrence in the first place.

Here are ten security tips which we hope you find useful:

  1. Fit extra locks on windows and doors

Your first line of defence are the doors and windows of your park home. Having extra deadlock door locks fitted, window locks and over-locks on windows, using security chains and door jams can all help prevent a break-in. The more time needed and noise made in breaching your doors or windows means the thief is more likely to be detected. The discovery that you have these extra measures in place is often enough to send them on their way in search of easier targets. 

  1. Fit an alarm system

Alarm systems rigged up to doors and windows are easy to fit on park homes and can be quite affordable. Some companies now provide packages which include doorbell cameras and CCTV with an alarm system. If you take these measures, the likelihood of detection and apprehension grows for the potential thief.

  1. Get to know your neighbours

One of the best security tips is getting to know your neighbours. Residential parks can be close communities and your neighbours can be great look-outs and sources of information. They may help recognise strangers on your site and be able to raise the alert should it be appropriate. Those who you really trust could also hold spare keys for you.

  1. Get to know your park security staff and management

Many residential parks have security staff who sometimes live on site. Introducing yourself to them can help them identify you as a resident quickly and can help reassure you that there is someone to turn to should you need help. Similarly, with the park’s management, striking up a rapport can often help you feel more at ease and secure in your surroundings.

  1. Use timers for inside lights

Your park home is most vulnerable when there is no one at home. If you go out and want to make it appear that there may be someone still in, a couple of lamps on timers can help.

In general, if you do go out make sure you leave your home as secure as you can. Close curtains at night so you are not displaying your home’s contents for all to see. Think about what is visible from the outside.

  1. Install a safe

When you go out, think about what you do with your phone, purse, wallet, jewellery and the like. These items will usually go with you and so it is important not to advertise what you are carrying as you leave your home in case someone does have an eye it. Anything of particular value to you might be better stored in a safe. There are plenty on the market with digital locking systems that are designed so you can bolt them down. 

  1. Fit motion-sensitive lights outside

As well as internal lights on timers, you can make your home more secure with external lighting. It is not a good idea to have a permanently illuminated exterior as this can just help a thief see what they are doing and get around your property more easily. Motion sensitive lights are a good alternative. Suddenly being lit up outside your home adds greatly to the risk of discovery for a potential thief – and the likelihood that they will move on.

  1. Try not to leave anything portable out overnight

It is easy to forget sometimes and especially when it gets dark early, that you have left things on an outside table that may be attractive to thieves. A simple routine of checking before you retire for the night is usually enough to avoid this. Also, check that any sheds or outside storage units are locked securely when you’ve put things away. 

  1. Mark your property

The Metropolitan police guide on marking property to deter thieves may be useful to you: https://www.met.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/protect-home-crime/mark-your-property/

You can include the following as a form of identification: your postcode, your property number and the first three letters of your address.

While this may not deter thieves, it may increase the chances of your items being returned to you. 

  1. Advertise your security measures

For a deterrent to work, it sometimes has to be signposted. If you are in a neighbourhood watch scheme in your park, enquire about stickers that you can display prominently on your windows or doors to let people know you are protected. Similarly with alarms, CCTV and property marking. They are all made a more powerful deterrent if people can see at a glance that your property is protected by them.

These security tips are designed to help you enjoy your park home, with the assurance that you have done all you can to avoid the distress of a break-in. If you do need to make a claim, you can be assured that our claims team will deal with it as sensitively and quickly as possible.

Please note that all park home insurance cover is subject to acceptance of terms and conditions.

This is a marketing article from Park Home Assist, multi award-winning providers of residential park home insurance.  If you would like to speak to an advisor regarding insurance for your park home, please contact our friendly team in our Northampton office on 01604 946 796.

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Published – 23/12/22