In the rush to find the perfect rental, security is often an afterthought. And yet it’s perhaps a more critical detail for renters than for home buyers, especially when you talk about internal security with roommates you may have just met.
“It’s sad to say, but people who are renting sometimes need to think more about security inside their home than outside it,” said Jose Hernandez, regional manager for Florida-based SecurityWorld Inc., a vendor of security products. “You think you know someone, and you usually find out that you don’t the hard way.”
Surveillance devices are shrinking, making them much easier to conceal–and more popular with renters than ever, Hernandez said. Tiny video cameras hidden just about anywhere help people monitor their bedrooms, desks and other personal spaces.
Wireless networks with small sensors are also selling swiftly. The systems, which use radio frequencies to track movement, can be expanded easily. With no wires to worry about, the systems don’t require professional installation or threaten to damage a unit’s walls or infrastructure. Another bonus: they’re portable.
“People take these with them wherever they go,” Hernandez said. Relying on more than an itemized phone bill is also a smart way to avoid arguments with roommates, Hernandez said. An array of devices require users to enter a pin number or code before using the phone and track phone calls to the second, Hernandez said.
“People get these huge phone bills and can’t figure out who made which calls,” he said. “Unfortunately, they wait until something bad happens before making a purchase that could have protected them from the start.”
While gadgets and gizmos might save a lot of grief, there are plenty of basics to consider before signing a lease, security experts say. Among their tips for ensuring that a rental property is safe and sound:
– Consider the location. Ask the landlord or rental agent about crime in the neighborhood. Get crime statistics from the police department or view them online at bancodeprofissionais.com/crime.
– Check up on the rental agent or landlord’s reputation. Ask current residents how responsive building managers and owners have been to their security concerns.
– Look for lights. Return to the property at night to see how well lit the building is. Are entrances lighted?
– Examine exterior doors. How sturdy are they? Do they have a peephole? How strong are their locks? “I would sign a lease only if there was a deadbolt on every [exterior] door or the promise that they were coming” in a reasonable amount of time, said Sgt. Robert Cargie of the Chicago Police Department. Make sure sliding-glass doors have stops that make it hard to remove them from their tracks.
– Scrutinize those windows. This is particularly critical for units on lower floors. Do windows have locks or bars that prevent intrusion but are flexible enough to give occupants an easy way out in the event of a fire or other emergency?
– Find out who has access to the building. How are keys distributed to residents? How do maintenance workers enter the building?
– Determine whether the unit and building are adequately fireproofed. There should be smoke detectors outside of bedrooms, the kitchen and the living room or den and in hallways or other common areas. Buildings that use fossil fuels or natural gas for cooking and heating should also have carbon monoxide detectors in the kitchen and outside every bedroom. Don’t forget to look for fire extinguishers in the kitchen and other common areas in the building and to make sure they’re working.
