Home security checklist: renters vs homeowners

Security priorities look a bit different depending on whether you own your home or rent it. Here's a realistic checklist for both.

If you rent

• Check whether your tenancy agreement allows lock changes — many do, as long as a matching key is left for the landlord.
• Add a door chain or spy hole if there isn't one — cheap, non-permanent, and doesn't need landlord approval in most cases.
• Ask about window locks, especially on ground floor flats.
• Report a loose or worn lock to your landlord in writing — most are covered by their responsibility to maintain the property, not yours to fix.

If you own your home

• Check your euro cylinders are anti-snap rated — one of the cheapest, highest-impact upgrades available.
• Consider a 5-lever BS3621 mortice deadlock on timber doors, which many insurers require.
• Check window locks, especially on easily accessible ground floor and side windows.
• Think about outdoor lighting near entry points — it's a simple deterrent that's easy to overlook.

Both

Whether you rent or own, changing the locks when you move in is always worth doing if you're able to — you genuinely don't know how many sets of keys exist for a property you didn't build up the key history on yourself.