From Safe City to Stolen Items: The Key Mistakes York Tenants Make with Door Lock Security

York is known for its low crime rates, but many homes are a prime target for opportunistic thieves. Discover the simple, crucial errors that could cost you your electronics, peace of mind, and how for local businesses, even your day’s takings – with sound advice from leading local locksmiths.

It Can Happen to Anyone

Perhaps due to good luck or a strong case of optimism bias, many of us believe that bad things are less likely to happen to us, from embarrassing social blunders to more serious life events. With burglaries, this is often the case.

Steve Gilmour, owner of The York Locksmith Company, urges York tenants to stay vigilant. “Not long ago, I was called out to a job in Pocklington, where a resident had been robbed by thieves who had snapped a protruding door lock”, he says.

Although lock snapping incidents like these are becoming less common, because it’s a zero-skill forced entry method, practically anyone can compromise a subpar lock. “Thieves aren’t going to wait around until you’ve improved your door lock security, so it’s always best to presume a level of risk. Your future self will thank you,” Steve added.

Crime On the Rise?

Although York’s burglary rates are on the decline, a recent spate of high-profile robberies has put locals on edge. Just last March, police made an appeal on BBC Crimewatch Live for information following numerous burglaries in East York, where one victim alone had over £100,000 worth of gold stolen.

New figures have also revealed that only 3% of recorded break-ins resulted in a charge nationwide, while at the same time, York was named the crime hotspot of the region. It’s not a coincidence that door lock security is on tenants’ minds.

“It paints a dreary picture for residents,” says Steve Gilmour, “But it’s important not to get complacent – it’s the simple slip-ups like leaving a window or door open while you’re out that opportunistic criminals like to exploit. Think of it as the path of least resistance ”.

Your Home is Only as Secure as Its Weakest Point of Entry

The reason that simple, avoidable mistakes tend to be the cause of break-ins is because criminals are looking for easy wins. The most prolific offenders can suss out the level of security surrounding your property, whether a suburban family home out in Acomb or a student flat in the heart of the historic city.

Having checked for vulnerabilities, they’ll decide if it’s worth their while. As such, unlocked and unattended windows and doors are some of the main culprits behind residential burglaries. Still, there are many more security measures you can employ to deter them beyond keeping those entry points shut.

Door Lock Security Tips Tenants Should Pay Heed To

The case for improved door lock practices and daily security habits is a strong one. “The best place tenants can start is by checking the quality and certification of their external door locks”, recommends Steve Gilmour.

“They should be at least BS3621 British Standard, which means they’ve been lab-tested for resistance to lock snapping and picking. SS312 Diamond and TS007 are also good standards to look out for,” he continues. Here, tenants can contact their landlord if the locks aren’t up to scratch.

Addressing Common Security Mistakes

Common mistakes seen by the York Locksmith Company include:

• Leaving doors unlocked while the property is vacant or overnight, including for ‘just a minute’ to grab a package, check the laundry, or speak to a flatmate – and especially at ground-floor level.
• Propping open fire doors, even in extreme heat wave temperatures – not only is this illegal and a serious fire safety violation, but it leaves a window of opportunity for intruders to waltz in unnoticed.
• Forgetting to lock windows: as with doors, thieves will take this as an opportunity to force entry.
• Leaving lock repairs and upgrades overdue, or failing to check them upon move-in: weak and compromised locks are easy to brute-force or otherwise manipulate, and burglars are known for returning to properties they’ve previously hit.
• Not being careful with who you let in: unauthorised visitors can steal keys to come back and rob the property later.
• Using poor key management techniques, such as hiding a key under a mat or plant pot.
• Allowing strangers to ‘tailgate’ you: essentially, letting people into a building while you scan in or punch in a residential code.

Students are Especially At Risk

Students are some of the most vulnerable demographics when it comes to poor door lock security, as thieves target them for valuable electronics like laptops, phones and entertainment equipment, which are left in plain view of outsiders.

Besides limited life experience, many young people also live in student rentals with old, easily snapped or picked euro cylinder locks on the main door.

By carrying out simple measures like hiding and locking away valuables, using key safe boxes instead of the obvious door mat or plant pot, and properly securing keys on nights out (perhaps with a carabiner attached to your belt or bag), students can avoid being charged for lock replacements by their letting agency.

Shifting Landlord Responsibilities

For landlords, the new Renter’s Rights Bill means that door lock security is taking on greater significance, given that tenant complaints must now be treated more seriously.

To save both parties peace of mind, landlords can encourage tenants to use the tips above, provide GPS key trackers and fit robust security door locks on their properties. Even seemingly inconsequential changes like adding security lights or a Neighbourhood Watch sticker to the front porch serve as powerful deterrents.

As Steve Gilmour concludes: “At the end of the day, burglars are looking for quick dibs on your valuables; they aren’t going to waste any time working on security door locks or digging through your possessions. Really, a lot of home safety comes down to common sense.”

This article is from Steve Gilmour at The York Locksmith Company.