What does your home security look like? If you’re a renter or you live in a flat, chances are, your home security system is lacking, or even completely non-existent. As Christmas approaches, now is the most important time to ensure you have peace of mind both in and outside of your home.
Many renters rule out the idea of installing home security as they assume it’ll require drilling into walls and installing wires. You can be forgiven for thinking this is too much of a faff if you’re not entirely sure how long you’ll live there and you’d risk losing your security deposit.
And the situation is tricky for flat owners too. How can you protect your home if it’s in a shared building with shared access? Keep on reading to find out how and why you should look to invest in protecting your rented home or flat this winter.
1. Your possessions, safety, and peace of mind should be a priority
As house prices soar, our finances don’t always follow suit, and reaching the prestigious milestone of becoming a homeowner is only becoming more and more difficult. As a nation, we’re spending more of our lives in rented properties than ever before — with most people buying their first home in their mid to late 30s. That’s a lot of years of renting, not to mention, collecting valuables, and compiling expensive items. Your possessions, safety, and peace of mind are important regardless of your homeownership status and you want to protect what you own.
2. Many home security systems are designed with renters in mind
You can now find portable home security systems that require no wiring — making for easy installation and the ability to take them with you if you were to move. The Ring Stick-Up Cam Battery is perfect for renters as there’s no drilling required, so you won’t risk permanently damaging the wall. The same goes for the Ring Alarm, which comes in a variety of packs to suit any home. That all-important security deposit must always be kept in mind, and with a camera and alarm like these, you’ll have nothing to worry about.
‘Many traditional alarms involve a permanent fixture that you can’t take with you when moving home,” says Dave Ward, managing director of UK and international at Ring. ‘Unfortunately, that means renters and flat owners often feel they can’t have access to security solutions. But with Ring’s innovations, this is no longer the case.”
3. Home security systems make for seamless home deliveries
Hands up if you love online shopping. Yep, we see all those raised hands, and we love it too. But there’s nothing worse than when you miss your delivery and have to spend time tracking it down. Thankfully, home security systems can help you monitor your deliveries (even if you live in a flat). With a product like the new Ring Intercom, you can use the Ring app from wherever you are and be alerted when someone is buzzing your apartment.
Whether you’re at work, out with friends — or even just laying in bed — you can speak to the delivery person directly from your phone to best advise on how they can safely deliver your package. Should they leave it with your favourite neighbour, in a safe space inside the building, or are you around the corner so able to retrieve your goods in just a second? "Ring Intercom is specifically designed for apartment dwellers. It transforms their audio intercom functionality to give flat owners the ability to remotely speak to and buzz a visitor into their building from wherever they are in the world using their smartphone or tablet. The Auto-Verify for Amazon Deliveries feature even provides secure, time-limited access for Amazon Delivery Drivers to deliver directly to your doorstep, so you won’t have to wait indoors for that important Amazon Delivery again," says Ward.
4. Home security tech isn’t as expensive as you may think
It’s easy to rule out even thinking about home security, as in the past it’s been associated with big houses and large cameras drilled into your wall. But as tech has evolved so rapidly over the years, so has security. Now home security kits are much smaller, and most importantly, less expensive, making them more accessible to a variety of budgets. For example, you can buy the Stick Up Cam for less than £60. Now if that’s the cost of peace of mind, we say it’s well worth it.
"Previously, renters and flat owners felt excluded from security, with their home set-up making it feel like peace of mind and convenience just wasn’t an option," says Ward. "But now that there are devices that are really easy to install and across a range of price points, this is no longer the case."
5. You will thank yourself in the long run
While monitoring your deliveries is all well and good, having a home security system for any type of property can prove vital for preventing potential crime. With the Two-Way Talk feature on most Ring devices (including the battery camera devices for renters and flat owners) and a siren on the Alarm, you can deter potential incidents from even happening. And if a crime does, unfortunately, take place, having a recording (with a Ring Protect plan) can act as crucial evidence. You’ll also feel more in control knowing exactly what’s going on around your property at all times.
Knowledge is power after all, so setting your rental up with a modern home security system like Ring could be one of the best choices you make this year.