4 reasons to change the locks when you move house
Have you recently moved house? First of all, congratulations – we’re sure you can’t wait to get settled in and make it your own!
Assuming that you’ve invested a considerable about of money into the property, and moved your furniture, possessions and family in, the last thing you want to happen is for someone to let themselves in through the front door and to help themselves to whatever they want. That’s why one of the first things you should do when you move house is change the locks.
Here our Master Locksmiths Association (MLA) locksmiths in Newcastle explain why it’s important that you change your locks:
1. You never know who has a key to your home
Do you know how many previous occupants the property has had? Has it ever been rented out to tenants?
According to a survey, over 58% of Brits give away a spare key to their house – either to a family member, friend or neighbour. And unless you knew the tenants who had the house before you, it’s unlikely that you will know how many sets of keys were cut and are in circulation. Therefore, the safest thing to do is to take advantage of our locksmith services and have new locks fitted right away. This way you can be confident who has a key and who doesn’t.
2. Not
changing the locks can invalidate your insurance
When someone breaks into your home, you’ve every right to make an insurance claim for the damage and any possessions that have been stolen. However, if you’re burgled by a previous occupier or someone who has a set of keys, then your claim could be thrown out.
Why? Well, most insurers want to see evidence of forced entry before they payout on a claim. And not replacing the locks when you move in will mean that someone with a key can get into your home without forcing an entry.
3. Your locks must conform to British Standard 3621:2004
Of course, you want to be confident that your door locks are of a high-quality and protect your property, possessions and loved ones. But did you know that most insurance policies stipulate that your locks must meet BS 3621:2004?
Though this is particularly relevant for older properties, if you aren’t 100% sure as to whether your locks conform to such standards, it’s worth contacting our Newcastle locksmiths and asking us to change them for new ones.
4. Your locks could be compromised or damaged
Not replacing your locks and checking that all points of access around the house are secure could put you and your loved ones at risk. Insurance companies these days will argue that, if you haven’t changed the locks since you moved in, you haven’t done enough to secure your property from the off.
Although it may seem like an arduous task, changing your locks is straightforward. See our blog ‘ How to change a lock’ for details. And remember, if DIY isn’t really your thing, you can get in touch and we’ll send one of our locksmiths in Newcastle to supply and fit new locks to put your mind at ease.
Get in touch
These are just a few of the reasons why you must change your locks when you move house. If you would like to know more about why it’s crucial that your locks are changed once you get the keys to your new home, please don’t hesitate to call 0191 238 6000. Alternatively, you can contact us via our online enquiry form , and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
