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If you own numerous rental properties, such as apartment buildings, stand-alone houses, or other investments, having reliable tenants month after month is crucial for making money from these homes and reducing your stress levels.
To get these people, though, you need to provide properties that have good features and locations, at a fair price, among other things.
These days, it’s also becoming more common for tenants to focus on how secure properties are. As a landlord, then, you want to keep security high and make people feel comfortable while also keeping anyone with nefarious intentions that could harm people, pets, or buildings or possessions, away. Here are some tips for increasing security at your rental properties over the coming months.
Have Adequate Outdoor Lighting
Firstly, ensure properties are lit up effectively. Install adequate outdoor lighting around all areas of the buildings to dissuade thieves and others with bad intentions to move on. People generally don’t try things when they can tell that they’ll be visible due to illumination. Put in lighting at the front and back doors of properties and along pathways, in yards, etc. It’s wise to choose motion-activated and solar-powered devices that are effective and affordable to run.
Rid the Property of Hiding Spots
Similarly, do what you can to rid the property of hiding spots that would give burglars cover while they got up to no good. For example, cut back or remove tall trees, large shrubs, extensive vines, and other greenery that would provide shadows for people to hide in so they’re not so visible from the street or properties themselves.
In particular, pay close attention to plants close to the ground floor windows of buildings. Keep lawns mowed, too. Ensuring all this yard work gets done will have the added benefit of showing that your properties are well cared for, versus sitting there potentially empty. In turn, “baddies” will be less likely to target the places you own.
Consider On-Site Guards or Managers
Depending on the size of properties and their locations, you may even want to go so far as hiring on-site security guard services to patrol in and around the buildings at night. When people are keeping a close eye on things, burglars are likely to notice this and try going elsewhere instead. Another option is to bring on board some on-site managers who can live within the property’s grounds or in one of the units, etc., and thus keep a watch out for issues from that vantage point.
Secure Doors
A significant factor in increasing security is ensuring all doors to a property are made from solid, heavy-duty materials such as steel and wood. Hollow doors are certainly much cheaper, but they’re not very secure since thieves and others can break them without too much effort. Similarly, try to steer clear of selecting exit doors to buildings that contain glass panels or are made entirely of glass since breakages are easy, and burglars will know this.
Furthermore, it’s helpful to have front doors of buildings or units/condos, etc., that have peepholes so tenants can look out to see who is at their door without needing to open it. This will make renters feel significantly more secure. Where possible, add deadbolt locks to doors for additional security. Double-cylinder options are hard to break into. Adding security screens and chains to doors adds extra layers of protection, too.
Make Sure Windows Close and Lock Properly
Pay attention to windows, too. Every window should close and lock properly, even those up on higher floors. Keep in mind that people who are set on breaking in will climb to decent heights if they’re motivated enough, so you can’t just secure ground or first-floor windows and leave it at that. You may want to add security bars or screens for windows down low, too, as these act as another deterrent for criminals. Or, if you prefer, install window sensors that sound an alarm whenever window locks get tampered with.
A couple of other ways to help tenants feel more secure and reduce the risk of break-ins and vandalism include putting in security cameras, alarms, and intercoms and making emergency numbers available for tenants to call if they need to.
You may not initially like the idea of spending more time and money on adding some or all of these security measures. However, the peace of mind you’ll give the people who rent from you and the fact that you can attract and keep better tenants, in turn, should help you see it’s worth doing.
