By Meghan Belnap
As a landlord, you have certain responsibilities. One of the most important is to provide for your tenants' safety. Not only do you have certain legal obligations, but safe tenants are more likely to be long-term paying tenants.
Related: Fall Maintenance for Your Rental Properties
In the pursuit of safety, you may want to upgrade your properties with the following four items:
External Security Cameras
While installing internal security cameras can be invasive and problematic, installing external cameras is a great way to keep your tenants safe. Give your tenants access to the feed so they can see what's going on outside their rental unit and identify problems without having to open doors. These cameras are also great for collecting evidence if your property is robbed or if someone tries to get into the building.
Security Doors
Security doors are a simple way to keep intruders out of a property, but they're still very effective. Heavier and harder to break than standard doors, they're a low-tech method of ensuring the safety of your tenants. The best thing about security doors is that they last for a long time, so choosing to install them now will help you to protect tenants for many years to come.
Outdoor Lighting
Much of home security comes down not to actual safety measures, but rather the illusion of protection. The average home robbery is a crime of opportunity rather than one of serious planning, and most robbers are scared off by anything that could make them more vulnerable. Adequate outdoor lighting is great for pointing out that a particular property is not a viable target, and it's also helpful for keeping your tenants safe when they come home at night. Outdoor lighting is an inexpensive way to bring a bit of extra safety to your property.
Change Locks Between Tenants
Finally, you'll want to make sure you change all of your locks and keys between tenants. While most tenants are unlikely to return to an old home or apartment, you never know how many keys and copies are actually floating around. If you change out your locks, you'll be out a few dollars but you'll provide your tenants with an extra layer of security.
Providing your tenants with more security is a great way to make them feel like you care and to keep them safer at the same time. Try a mix of high-tech and proven solutions to ensure that both your tenants and your property remain safe. In time, your properties' reputation for safety will help to ensure that you always have tenants waiting to fill vacancies.
Meghan Belnap is a freelance writer who enjoys spending time with her family. She finds happiness in researching new topics that help expand her horizons. In the market for a security door? Belnap recommends Southern Screen Scene.
