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Top 10 home security lapses revealed

Tuesday, 27th September 2005, 07:26

The top 10 security lapses in British homes is revealed in a survey which shows people are not protecting themselves properly against intruders.

Perceptions of us as a nation of safety conscious dwellers are exposed as a myth even though three-in-four (75 per cent) people who own or rent claim the issue is very important to them.

Four-in-10 are confident their home is as 'safe as houses' - but their behaviour suggests otherwise, according to the survey of 2,763 people by Privilege Home Insurance.

The research shows the top 10 safety and security lapses are:
1. more than three-quarters (76 per cent) don't have a burglar alarm or have one but don't always turn it on before they go out.
2. Six-in-10 (59 per cent) don't always ask a tradesman for identification.
3. Almost half 48 (per cent) don't bother leaving a light on when away from home.
4. Over four-in-10 (46 per cent) don't always check that appliances are switched off every time they leave the house.
5. Just over a third (37 per cent) would not bother to have the locks changed if they lost their keys.
6. 27 per cent leave spare keys outside their house e.g. under a mat.
7. Over a quarter (27 per cent) do not possess a smoke alarm and those that do, don't check it regularly.
8. Almost a quarter (23 per cent) smoke in their home or allow others to.
9. Nearly one-in-five (18 per cent) say they don't always lock all their doors and windows when they go out.
10. One-in-six (14 per cent) have no idea how many people have keys to their home.

Despite the major gap between perceptions and reality about household safety and security almost nine-in-10 (89 per cent) of those quizzed believe homeowners that take safety precautions seriously such as fitting locks, alarms and other measures should pay lower insurance premiums.

But a surprising and worrying finding reveals that one in five (17 per cent) do not have a home insurance policy.

Ian Parker, managing director of Privilege Home Insurance said: "The gap between people's perceptions about safety consciousness and the reality is considerable.

"It seems many of us are convinced that our homes are safe and yet we are not taking the necessary precautions to keep our homes secure. We want to remind people of some simple steps to take to ensure their homes are protected.

"Our research reveals many people still don't have home insurance but the good news is the 76 per cent of those quizzed that have not claimed on their policy for four years could be saving money immediately as they qualify for our guarantee to beat home insurance renewal quotes for those with four or more claim-free years."

To ensure people keep their homes as safe and secure as possible Privilege Home Insurance has created a simple 'Don't leave home without...' checklist.

Don't leave home without:
1. Checking all doors and windows are closed and locked.
2. Switching on the security alarm, if you have one.
3. Checking all gas and electrical appliances are switched off and not left on standby.
4. Placing valuables in a safe place.
5. Ensuring fires and candles are extinguished