Security over Christmas

Hello everyone,

This post will be fairly short as I am deep into conference preparation, but as I will be returning to my family home for the festive period, I began to think about all the things that I should do to make sure that my accommodation and my things are secure.

From past experience my accommodation (not in Swansea) was almost broken into a couple of times over the festive period. Luckily my friends and I made sure our house was locked up and secure and all expensive items taken back with us or hidden so the burglar was not successful.

Here is a list of top tips to secure your accommodation over the festive period if you are not there.

1. Make sure all doors and windows are locked- this may seem self-evident but make sure all entrances into your house or flat are locked and secure. When my house was almost broken into the burglar tried to come in through the window. Luckily for us the windows are of good quality and because we locked the windows the burglar was unsuccessful. Additionally if there is a lock on your room, make sure it is locked and you have your key with you. Ensure that you have taken all precautions possible to protect your things.
2. Make sure any gardens are secured and bikes are locked up and out of site. One of my previous housemates had her bike stolen because it was not properly secured and it was tucked away in a passageway outside of our house. So my advice would be to put any bikes away either in a shed or garage if possible, or at the very least make sure they are locked up and secure in a garden which is secure and inaccessible to anyone without a key.
3. Get light timers. If you are away for a long time, it may be good practice to put the lights on timers so that your accommodation does not look empty so that it is not a big target.
4. Make sure you keep your accommodation heated. Although the weather is mild at the moment, I have heard horror stories of people leaving for the festive break and turning off their heating. The temperature then drops and their pipes froze and caused all sorts of problems for the students. So I would urge you to make sure that your heating comes on (not for a great length of time) each day to make sure the pipes do not freeze and to prevent the formation of damp.
5. Make sure expensive items are with you or secure. Laptops and expensive items should be secured because you don’t want to come back from the break and then have to go through your insurance to claim back for items.
6. Ensure you are aware of when people are coming back to your accommodation. If you share accommodation with other people, it is useful to know when they are expected back. That way if things are amiss you are aware if it is due to your housemates or something else.
7. Make sure all perishable foods are out of the fridge. This is easy but often overlooked but there is nothing worse than coming back and there is spoilt food and sour milk in the fridge. It is not healthy, so before you leave make sure you have checked all cupboards and fridges or counters to remove all the perishable food. Additionally, make sure all the bins are emptied as well. There is nothing worse than coming back to your house or flat and there is a funky smell emanating from your house.

I hope these tips are useful and please implement them. Take care and be safe.

Thanks for reading