How to Remain Safe When Moving into An Apartment

It is true that there is no such thing as being too safe. The fact of the matter is that you can’t be safe enough. At Locksmith Tyler in Tyler, TX, we like to think that we are doing our part in helping homeowners in Tyler remain safe from the threat of a break-in. Just because you are moving into an apartment doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take precautions to remain safe. You should take precautions no matter where you are moving. An intruder will target anyone no matter where they live, in a house or an apartment. We’re here to tell you that it is still possible to avoid an intrusion by continuing to read this article and taking heed to the suggestions offered. Just don’t let your guard down by thinking that you’re automatically safe inside an apartment. Here is what you can do to ensure your safety and security.

Suggestions on what you can do before you move into an apartment:

1. Get a Crime Report

If you have never done this before, why not start now. You can save yourself the frustration that comes from being the victim of a crime if you know beforehand what you can expect. Knowing means that you can plan for the worst. If you’re moving into an apartment it helps to find out what type of crimes occur in the area. You are usually able to get a report from the local police department. If you are unable to obtain the report that you want, you can also go online to CrimeMapping.com or CrimeReports.com to find out about the crime in the area of the apartment that you are thinking of moving into.

2. Replace Locks

Everyone knows that when you move into a new home, the locks are supposed to be changed, automatically. You shouldn’t have to ask them to change the locks; they should be changed without asking. Despite it being the responsibility of the management to have the locks changed after every person moves out, they do not always do this. In some cases, they just switch the locks around. They take a lock from one apartment and place it on the door of another apartment. This doesn’t rid you of the possibility of someone breaking in since someone still has a key to that particular lock. You could always take things a step further by purchasing your own lock and having it installed by maintenance. You would have to get permission from the management office to arrange this. Buying your own lock ensures you that the lock has actually been changed.

3. Property Maintenance & Upkeep

You can tell a lot about a property by the way it is maintained. Look around the exterior of the building, not just the apartments, to see if there is broken light bulbs in the parking area, debris in the parking lot, trash bins overflowing, broken windows, and cracked drywall. If you notice these things, this means that there is an issue with the maintenance of the property. If the management isn’t taking care of these basic things, it is highly unlikely that they will give much consideration to the security of their tenants.

4. Get a Peephole Installed

If the apartment that you are considering moving into doesn’t have a peephole, you should ask how to have one installed. A peephole serves as added protection because you’re able to identify exactly who is at your door before opening it.  While someone may announce who they are, they may be impersonating someone. This could be dangerous to you. Make sure your apartment has a peephole.

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